I have clearly been on a slow cooker recipe kick lately! I just love those evenings when dinner is done (and even cleaned up minus the plates – or bowls in this case!). Whether you are busy entertaining guests from out of town or just have a hectic afternoon or evening planned, your slow cooker is the only thing between you and a wholesome real food meal like this chili with green bell peppers.
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Slow Cooker Red and Green Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 3 bell peppers, small, diced, any color
- 1 jalapeño, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground beef, grass fed recommended (or ground pork, turkey, or venison)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 28-oz cans diced tomatoes, with juice
- 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
Toppings:
- sour cream
- cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
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In a medium sauté pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and cook until they begin to soften, about 6 or 7 minutes.
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Add the bell peppers, jalapeño, and garlic to pan and cook while stirring occasionally for 4 to 5 more minutes.
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Turn the heat up to medium, add the ground beef to the pan, and break it up with a spatula while cooking. Season the meat with the chili powder, cumin, and salt.
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After 4 or 5 minutes, once the meat has browned, add the mixture to the bottom of the slow cooker. Top it with the tomatoes, beans, and bay leaf. Turn slow cooker to high and cook for 4 or 5 hours.
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Serve warm with recommended toppings.
Recipe Notes
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
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Mieke
October 29, 2013 at 7:38 pmHow much liquid would you recommend adding to the recipe if using dry kidney beans?
Lisa
October 30, 2013 at 8:34 amMieke – This is totally a guess, but I would try adding 1/2 cup dried beans and 3/4 to 1 cup of water to the recipe (in place of the canned beans).
Laura
October 30, 2013 at 9:42 amI know this probably goes without saying, but I would also make sure you soak the beans overnight the night before, then drain and rinse well … Or quick soak by a quick boil on the stove. Even better, precook them. I have not had good luck with using dried beans in chili, they never seem to get cooked enough because of the acidity in the tomatoes.
Tania @ The Cook's Pyjamas
October 30, 2013 at 8:34 pmYou cannot cook red kidney beans in the slow cooker. They contain a toxin that is not neutralised in the slow cooker as the temperatures do not get high enough during the cooking process. You can cook any other bean though, although definitely soak them overnight if you wish to go this route. If you want to add red kidney beans, cook them first separately.
Lisa
November 5, 2013 at 3:40 pmTania – I have never heard of such a thing (and therefore doubt the validity)…care to share your source?
Ashley
November 6, 2013 at 1:54 pmSee post below with link. She’s correct.
Jennifer
November 7, 2013 at 12:09 pmHere is the information straight from the FDA about this topic. I guess you learn something new every day!
http://www.fda.gov/food/foodborneillnesscontaminants/causesofillnessbadbugbook/ucm071092.htm
Lisa
November 12, 2013 at 9:14 amThanks for sharing, but based on the link it looks like the possibility of something like this happening is extremely rare! Good to know though.
kari
October 29, 2013 at 7:40 pmQuestion on slow cooker cooking: I am out of the house at 750a and not back until 515p, will setting it on low work or is that too long a time?
elizabeth
October 30, 2013 at 7:41 ammy slow cooker turns to “warm” so it no longer cooks after the time that I have set. Do you have that setting?
Lisa
October 30, 2013 at 8:31 amKari – I have not tried it on low for that long, but I do think it would work. Let us know!
Laura
October 30, 2013 at 9:38 amMy experience has been with chili that the longer it is in the crockpot, the more flavorful … but since everything is precooked, it does tend to dry out (I have scorched it, even on low). I would add some broth (maybe ~1 cup) if you’ll be leaving it in there all day long.
Grace
November 9, 2013 at 9:24 amI leave the house at 5am and return at 7pm and still use my crockpot weekly. Mine doesn’t have a timer so for $10 I bought an electronics timer. It was very simple to set up. Now I just prep my food the night before and leave it in the fridge until morning when I transfer it to the pot. I think the food stays cold enough to be safe until the timer kicks on around noon. I have even started some with frozen chicken. I may have to reconsider this in the summer when my house is 90 degrees though.
Treasure
October 30, 2013 at 9:25 amI made chilli versy similar to this a couple days ago. However I use much more chilli powder. I purchase it from a German Baptist store where they don’t use MSG or GMOs. I wonder how the flavoring will turn out without so much chilli powder. I didn’t use cumin either. But i did use chilli, garlic, and onion powders.
Heather
October 30, 2013 at 10:07 amHi Lisa, I love your recipes, however, we are a vegetarian family. I was wondering if you could include a vegetarian option with your recipes that would still use whole foods and would still taste good?
Kayla
October 30, 2013 at 11:40 amRice and Lentils in place of meat, or more beans and
.
Kayla
October 30, 2013 at 11:41 amI got cut off the last should be more beans and quinoa.
Kayla
October 30, 2013 at 11:42 amand quinoa.
Stephanie
October 30, 2013 at 5:36 pmGrated cauliflower! It works amazingly well. We are big meat eaters in our house but I was on a special diet for a while where I couldn’t eat meat and we made this vegetarian chili. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/spicy-vegetarian-chili-recipe/index.html I didn’t miss the meat at all!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
November 2, 2013 at 8:34 amHi there. In addition to the reader comments, if you go through the recipe index and meal plans, you will find many vegetarian options. My family also eats a mostly vegetarian diet and we have adapted many recipes to suit out needs. ~Amy
laramealor.com
October 30, 2013 at 1:32 pmI too LOVE the slower cooker and can not wait to try this chili!
Stacie
October 30, 2013 at 9:00 pmMade this for dinner tonight! It was so easy and my family loved it. Thanks for sharing!
Abbey
October 30, 2013 at 10:33 pmHi! Is it 28 ounces of tomatoes total or 56 total? Thanks!
Lisa
November 4, 2013 at 9:04 amYes, 2 – 28 ounce cans of tomatoes!
Janet
October 31, 2013 at 11:27 amThis sounds great. I read about adding broth/water to the chili, but my family prefers using V8 juice,usually the spicy kind. I put that in everything that requires a broth or water. It just adds more flavor and is (for my girly) soy free. Thank you for posting great recipes.
Emily3
October 31, 2013 at 8:10 pmThis was the first recipe I made from your site, and I’m very happy to report that it was delicious! My 2 year old pounded it down, the 4 year old ate many spoonfuls that didn’t have detectable green chunks (says she doesn’t like peppers), and my husband and I really enjoyed it. I’ll definitely make it again!
Emily3
October 31, 2013 at 8:12 pmAnd PS – I made it exactly as described… I was concerned that it could be spicy, but it was not. My husband added some hot sauce to his bowl, though :)
Rachel
November 1, 2013 at 12:11 pmShould the meet be drained after browning?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
November 3, 2013 at 11:31 amHi Rachel. No, you would be draining much of the seasoning, as well. ~Amy
Meredith
November 3, 2013 at 2:54 pmGreat recipe, I used Quorn brand mushroom meat, 2 bags in place of beef :)
Susan Acciaiuoli
November 3, 2013 at 3:50 pmWhen i was getting ingredients for this together, I made my own stewed tomatoes as canned tomatoes are one of the worst foods you can buy canned. The acid content of tomatoes make them more prone to absorbing the toxins in the can than any other canned food. I found it takes 12 Roma tomatoes to make 2 jars of stewed tomatoes for this recipe. Also, I was a little confused by the “chili powder”. If you go to the spice section, “chili powder” has silicon dioxide in it to keep it from sticking together along with several other spices and a lot of salt. I ended up buying powdered “chili fruits” or “chili para naranja” which is all natural without the additives and without added salt, garlic, etc. I also cooked my own small red beans. It’s a great recipe!!!
Eddie Larraga
November 3, 2013 at 9:04 pmMy wife just saw this recipe and it looks like we will be having this for supper soon! We did see the recipe calls for grass fed beef…we recently ordered a Quarter Beef (grass fed) and were wondering if you have any meal plans around general meat cuts that come with a quarter beef?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
November 4, 2013 at 12:51 pmHi Eddie. No, sorry. We don’t have meal plans specific to that. But, you can pick and choose from our recipe index: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/real-food-resources/recipe-index/. ~Amy
Sheri
November 4, 2013 at 10:41 amI used this recipe for our Co-op Chili Cook-off last weekend and won 1st place!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
November 4, 2013 at 9:16 pmCongrats!! :)
Lisa
November 18, 2013 at 9:37 pmThat is just plain awesome – thanks for sharing! :)
karen
November 4, 2013 at 2:37 pmLisa, I am making this tonight and am so excited. Of topic: please please consider doing a cookbook sometime! :)
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
November 4, 2013 at 10:14 pmHi Karen. Lisa has a cookbook coming out in January. ~Amy
Jenny I.
November 11, 2013 at 10:55 amyay!! can’t wait to buy it!!
jenn
November 4, 2013 at 7:30 pmAwesome recipe! Made it for dinner and added chopped jalapeño carrots. Loved how easy it is and so good! Thanks :)
Ashley
November 4, 2013 at 7:57 pmThis is in my crockpot as we speak and it smells delish!!! Thanks so much for all your helpful and absolutely yummy recipies! Couldn’t have made the switch without them!
Zoe
November 4, 2013 at 11:28 pmI make this recipe regularly with a few differences: no jalapeños (because I don’t like them) or bay leaf, 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. I’ve gotten creative a few times and added corn or other beans like black beans and cut the meat in half. My mother got the recipe from the LA Times food section about 25 years ago and our family has loved it ever since. Goes great with corn bread or biscuits and is excellent as leftovers. You can make it on the stovetop and simmer for about two hours instead of using the crock pot, but the flavor isn’t nearly as good. I cook it on high for four hours or low for 6-8 hours depending on how much time I have. Always turns out great.
Holly
November 5, 2013 at 5:55 pmCooked this chili all day (7.5 hrs) on low while at work. What a great gift to come home to – delicious dinner all ready to go on a rainy night! Very family friendly meal.
Holly
November 5, 2013 at 8:47 pmQuestion, with all the salt in the canned tomatoes and beans, is the tsp of salt called for in the recipe all that necessary? We loved the chili and had seconds and now are realizing we had over 1000mg of sodium 0.0 I understand your position on nutrition facts, just wondering why the added salt when there was so much in the cans?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
November 8, 2013 at 9:42 pmHi Holly. You can certainly leave out the added salt if you are concerned about the sodium. ~Amy
Ashley
November 6, 2013 at 1:26 pmI just want you to know she is right about the red kidney beans. Many people have retracted their recipes. Kidney beans need to be boiled before putting them in a crock pot. I guess before calling your poster a liar you should google or search these words together Lisa, “kidney beans, crockpot”. But to save myself from being a total smart aleck here is a link to a blogger: http://www.dadcooksdinner.com/2010/09/slow-cookers-and-red-kidney-bean.html?m=1
Indian Breakfast Recipes
November 7, 2013 at 10:32 pmThe meal is really fantastic. It is healthy and tasty. I am not sure about how i will make it but, I am sure to give it a try.
Vicki
November 9, 2013 at 8:40 amI made this earlier in the week and it’s delicious. The only complaint that I got was that it was a bit too soupy. I think next time I might drain one of the cans of tomatoes.
We wound up scooping the solids out with a slotted spoon and then just putting a little of the broth over top. The flavor was fantastic, though!
Elise Faucheaux
November 12, 2013 at 12:11 pmMade this yesterday and turned out DELISH! I did not use a bay leaf, added a little more chili powder, and used chili diced tomatoes. Oh and I also added black beans. I will definitely be using this recipe again in the future!
Jeanne
November 13, 2013 at 9:02 pmThis was the best chili I have ever had. Clean fresh food and full of flavor. I froze some of it for later and the rest I put together a salad of mixed lettuce organic shredded white cheddar cheese and organic salsa for lunch at work.
Dariel
November 21, 2013 at 5:07 pmI made this earlier this week. It was a big hit. The only problem I had with this recipe is I could not fit two cans of tomatoes in my crock pot. So, I only used one can. I really don’t think it needed two cans because it would have been too watery.
Leigh
December 9, 2013 at 2:29 pmOk. I feel really silly asking this because I am a pretty decent home cook and have made chili on several occasions… but here goes: If all of the ingredients are cooked when placed into the crockpot, how are they not painfully overcooked after 5 hours on high?? When I make soup, I leave the cooked meat until the last phase so it doesn’t get over cooked. I really do need to know, after 5 hours in the crock pot, won’t ground turkey (I can’t eat beef) just disintegrate?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
December 20, 2013 at 9:55 amHi Leigh. Just be brown your meat before you add it and it should turn our just fine. :) ~Amy
Nicole
December 16, 2013 at 7:14 pmMade this with range-fed ground beef from the farmer’s market – Loved it! This needs to be a twice a month meal!
Missy
December 23, 2013 at 9:27 pmTo make a vegetarian version would you substitute a opulent more cans of beans for the meat?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
December 28, 2013 at 8:02 pmHi Missy. You can certainly add more beans and you might also want to add some veggies but we have not adapted this recipe. :) ~Amy
Heather
January 12, 2014 at 11:33 amThis sounds very silly but I am a novice cook at this point. After adding to the slow cooker, how often do you stir it all together? Thanks so much!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
January 16, 2014 at 9:31 amHi Heather. One of the rules about using a crock pot is keeping the lid on until cook time is over. Removing the lid, especially in the first two hours will significantly slow down the process. ~Amy
Jessica
February 2, 2014 at 11:17 pmI made this today & OMG it turned out amazing! I added some taco seasoning (trader joes) no additives. So perfect! Thank you for recommending this! I feel like a chili pro now!
Anne W.
March 11, 2014 at 12:01 pmI made this Sunday and sent it to school with my kindergartner yesterday! She came home with a empty lunch box which rarely happens! And was asking for it for dinner last night. Until I started making your whole-wheat pizza pockets which were a huge hit all the way around. Thanks for the delicious and easy recipes!
Mary
March 11, 2014 at 9:42 pmVery good. It did seem a little liquid-y, so I think I will add more beans and possibly more meat next time. Great flavor, though.
Christy
March 18, 2014 at 1:08 pmWhat brand of chili powder do you use? I just looked at the ingredients on the kind I have here at home and it says chili pepper, salt, spices, silicon dioxide(added to make free flowing), and garlic. I’m sure I’m not using the best out there! Thanks in advance!! Love your site SO much!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
March 19, 2014 at 11:39 amHi Christy. There are many organic chilli powders without additives. Swanson is easy to find. ~Amy
Laure
June 14, 2014 at 9:50 pmI made this and it was SO SO good! Amazing recipe!!! I made many recipes from your site and they are all amazing. Thumbs up!!
Kristy S.
August 27, 2014 at 3:59 pmThis sounds a lot like how I’ve always made my chili except I’ve never thought to use my crock pot! Smart idea! I love a little fresh cilantro chopped on top as a garnish. Yum!
Teri
August 27, 2014 at 4:00 pmHow about using fresh tomatoes? How many and would it turn out the same?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
September 8, 2014 at 9:47 pmHi Teri. Fresh tomato diced and prepared will work, too, I imagine. We’ve not used fresh for this recipe so I can’t provide specific amounts. ~Amy
Kelley
August 27, 2014 at 6:24 pmDoes this chili freeze well? Would I just put it in the jars like all the soups?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
September 1, 2014 at 8:18 amHi Kelley. Yes, or in any freezer safe container leaving room for expansion. ~Amy
Melanie
September 30, 2014 at 5:36 pmIs this on the mild or spicy side? Thanks
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
October 4, 2014 at 9:14 amHi Melanie. I do not find it particularly spicy. You can always leave out the jalapeno if you are concerned. ~Amy
Nicole
October 18, 2014 at 8:55 pmDo you drain the meat after cooking it? If not is it greasy/fatty?
Emily3
October 19, 2014 at 9:18 amI make this chili several times a year, and typically use 90% lean ground beef and don’t need to drain the fat. I have also used 80% leam ground beef and that was a bit too oily / fatty for my taste.
Michael
November 10, 2014 at 6:55 pmCould you make this with beef or lamb stew meat, sear and then slow cook a little longer? I mean I know you *can* just curious if it would hold up, require some ingredient modifications, etc.
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
November 24, 2014 at 8:41 amHI Michael. I think this is a very flexible recipe and lends itself well to experimentation. Let us know what you come up with. :)
A. Taylor
November 14, 2014 at 7:10 pmWould you address your stand on tomatoes in cans vs in glass? I can never find tomatoes in glass jars but I always read how harmful they are in cans.
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
November 17, 2014 at 5:39 pmHi there. I, personally, no longer buy tomatoes in cans because of the their acidity and the leaching of BPA. If you cannot find glass containers, most mainstream stores offer at least one brand of tomatoes in in cardboard tetra paks. ~Amy
Lena
November 15, 2014 at 8:27 pmGave this recipe a five star rating because I never make chilli so I used this recipe for a chilli cook off that I was invited to with some church friends. Who knew, you had the best chilli in town. My chilli won and the crock pot was dry as a bone when I went to get the leftovers. Thanks for the easy recipe.
Kathy
October 28, 2015 at 9:56 pmCan this be made without the meat?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
November 12, 2015 at 5:03 pmHi there. We’ve not tried making this recipe without meat.