Slow Cooker Chili Con Carne

Learn how to make easy, delicious Slow Cooker Chili Con Carne for a comfort food dinner. Including bacon, beef chuck roast, tomatoes, and beans, this stew recipe is overflowing with savory flavor (and practically prepares itself!).

When it comes to slow cookers, it’s easy to take shortcuts and sacrifice flavor for convenience. Those buzzy “dump dinners” are popular for a reason: they’re a cinch to pull together.

However, nearly every time I try one, the flavor after I “set and forget” leaves something to be desired. This Slow Cooker Chili con Carne recipe is delicious proof that a few prep steps (frying bacon, then searing the beef in those drippings) and savvy ingredient selections (smoky fire-roasted tomatoes) amp up the chili recipe to blue ribbon-worthy territory.

A little TLC goes a long way, this homemade chili recipe is ready to simmer as you go about your day. Come dinnertime, you’ll be able to savor the fruits (okay, the beef and bean stew recipe!) of your labor.

Once you’ve mastered my classic Slow Cooker Chili con Carne recipe, don’t miss my leftover remixes and ideas to remix your next chili dinner with turkey, chicken, hot dogs, venison, pasta, or sweet potatoes.

Recipe ingredients

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

• Chipotle chili powder: Chipotle chili powder is spicy! If you’re unsure, start with 1 teaspoon (or less) until the chili is fully cooked. Then taste and add more at the end. You can substitute ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or omit it entirely for a milder finished product.
• Chuck roast: Searing the beef is optional but recommended (it adds a ton of flavor), and cutting the roast into thick slabs lets you sear more sides of the beef. If you decide to skip this step, proceed to Step 2 after seasoning the roast with salt and pepper. You can also substitute beef stew meat.
• Canned tomatoes: I love the flavor of fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles, but you can substitute regular canned tomatoes and add one 4-ounce can of diced green chilies. Rotel tomatoes are great, too.
• Kidney beans: Or one 15-ounce can any variety of canned bean you prefer. If desired, substitute 1 ½ cups of cooked beans can be substituted for the 1 can (that’s about ½ cup dried beans before cooking). (See Recipe FAQs for an important note if you opt to swap in dried kidney beans.)

Step-by-step instructions

1. To make the homemade chili seasoning, in a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, cumin, oregano, thyme, chipotle chili powder (if using), coriander, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

2. In a Dutch oven or large stock pot over medium heat, fry bacon until crisp. Transfer to a plate and crumble when cool. Reserve bacon fat for cooking beef and keep hot.

3. Season each side of the beef steaks generously with salt and pepper. Working with one steak at a time, fry over medium-high heat in reserved bacon fat until well-browned on each side. 

4. Transfer to a cutting board and repeat with remaining steaks. Cut each browned steak into 1-inch to 2-inch cubes and transfer to slow cooker. 

5. Add onion to pan with bacon fat and beef juice. Stir until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.

6. To the slow cooker, add the crumbled bacon, tomatoes with chiles, chicken broth or water, beans, garlic, and chili seasoning.

7. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. The beef should be falling apart and tender. Strain excess fat off the top if desired. Shred the beef gently with tongs or two forks.

8. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream, scallions, cilantro, and corn chips.

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield: This recipe makes about 12 cups of Chili con Carne, with variations depending on how big your onion is and what size of beef roast you buy (I measured the yield after cooking a 4-pound roast). It’s enough for 8 generous servings, 1 ½ cups each.
• Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Make ahead: Cool within 2 hours, cover, and refrigerate up to 3 days in advance. Reheat the full recipe on the stove over low heat to 165 degrees. Reheat small batches in the microwave.
• Freezer: Cool cooked chili to below 40 degrees on an instant-read thermometer within 2 hours and place into airtight containers. Frozen chili will last 4 to 6 months in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• More toppings: Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and scallions are classics. You can also try diced avocado or heaping spoonfuls of guacamole, crispy cooked bacon, fresh cilantro, minced white onion, hot sauce, lime wedges, tortilla chips, corn chips (Fritos), or oyster crackers.
• Chili seasoning: If you don’t want to make homemade chili seasoning, just use several tablespoons chili powder. If you have it, ancho chili powder adds extra smoky flavor.
• Favorite sides for chili: Enjoy a spicy-hot bowl of Chili con Carne with classic Cornbread, Soft Dinner Rolls, or No-Knead Bread. If you prefer to make cornbread from a box or buy a loaf of bread from the store, that’s fine too! Round out your menu with a simple garden salad.
• Chili Cheese Burrito: Put leftover chili to work in this easy Chili Cheese Burrito. Just fold up leftover chili with cooked rice and shredded cheese, then toast in a dry skillet.
• Classic Beef Chili: This easy ground Beef Chili recipe tastes just like the one mom used to make! It’s also easy to customize with your own special additions if you want to.
• Venison Chili: If you’re lucky enough to have some ground venison in your freezer, this Venison Chili recipe is the one you’ll want to make all winter long.
• Turkey Chili: This delicious Turkey Chili recipe is made with ground turkey, so it’s a little bit lighter than the standard beef version. It’s full of vegetables and classic spices and it’s ready for all your favorite healthful toppings like diced avocado, green onions, and fresh cilantro.
• Hot Dog Chili: Make a batch of Hot Dog Chili to spoon over Chili Dogs for the ultimate tailgate recipe! It’s perfect for any game day celebration.
• Sweet Potato Chili: This hearty vegan Sweet Potato Chili is loaded with black beans, vegetables, and all the classic spices. Like all chilis, it freezes well and makes a great meal prep option.
• Cincinnati Chili: Made famous by Skyline Chili in Ohio, this Cincinnati Chili recipe is full of secret ingredients and served on spaghetti with lots of toppings like shredded cheese, raw onions, and kidney beans. Which “way” do you want yours?
• White Chicken Chili: When the temperature drops, slow cooker White Chicken Chili is the ultimate comfort food. Tender chunks of chicken simmering in a creamy broth studded with white beans, green chiles, and corn make for a most satisfying meal.
• White Turkey Chili: This is my favorite soup to make after Thanksgiving when leftovers are abundant. It’s hearty, creamy, and a refreshing way to enjoy leftover turkey all over again. To keep things easy, make White Turkey Chili right in your slow cooker.
• Chili Mac: Made in just one pot in 25 minutes or less, this easy Chili Mac recipe is like a great bowl of chili in casserole form. It’s perfect for the busiest, hungriest weeknights.

Favorite sides for chili

Bread Recipes

Cornbread

Appetizer Recipes

Homemade Tortilla Chips

Chipotle Copycat Recipes

Chipotle Guacamole (Copycat)

Slow Cooker Chili Con Carne

By Meggan Hill

Learn how to make easy, delicious Slow Cooker Chili Con Carne for a comfort food dinner. Including bacon, beef chuck roast, tomatoes, and beans, this stew recipe is overflowing with savory flavor (and practically prepares itself!).

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Total Time 8 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings (1 ½ cups each)

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Calories 617

4.97 from 27 votes

ReviewPrint

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

For the chili seasoning:

• ▢ 1/4 cup chili powder or to taste
• ▢ 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• ▢ 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• ▢ 1 teaspoons chipotle chili powder (see note 1)
• ▢ 1 to 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• ▢ Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the chili:

• ▢ 8 slices bacon
• ▢ 4 pounds boneless beef chuck roast cut into 1 1/2-inch thick steaks (see note 2)
• ▢ 1 large onion peeled and diced
• ▢ 2 (14.5-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles undrained (see note 3)
• ▢ 2 cups chicken broth or water
• ▢ 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans drained and rinsed (see note 4)
• ▢ 8 cloves garlic minced

To serve:

• ▢ shredded cheese
• ▢ sour cream
• ▢ thinly sliced scallions
• ▢ fresh cilantro
• ▢ corn chips such as Fritos brand

Instructions 

• To make the homemade chili seasoning, in a small bowl, whisk together chili powder, cumin, oregano, thyme, chipotle chili powder (if using), coriander, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
• In a Dutch oven or large stock pot, fry bacon until crisp. Transfer to a plate and crumble when cool. Reserve bacon fat for cooking beef and keep hot.
• Season each side of the beef steaks generously with salt and pepper. Working with one steak at a time, fry in reserved bacon fat until well-browned on each side. 
• Transfer to a cutting board and repeat with remaining steaks. Cut each browned steak into 1-inch to 2-inch cubes and transfer to slow cooker. 
• Add onion to pot with bacon fat and beef juice. Stir until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.
• To the slow cooker, add the crumbled bacon, tomatoes with chiles, chicken broth or water, beans, garlic, and chili seasoning.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. The beef should be falling apart and tender. Strain excess fat off the top if desired. Shred the beef gently with tongs or two forks.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream, scallions, cilantro, and corn chips.

Recipe Video

Notes

1. Chipotle chili powder: Chipotle chili powder is spicy! If you’re unsure, start with 1 teaspoon (or less) until the chili is fully cooked. Then, taste and add more at the end. You can also substitute ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or omit it entirely.
2. Chuck roast: Searing the beef is optional but recommended (it adds a ton of flavor), and cutting the roast into thick slabs lets you sear more sides of the beef. If you decide to skip this step, proceed to Step 2 after seasoning the roast with salt and pepper.
3. Canned tomatoes: I love the flavor of fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles, but you can substitute regular canned tomatoes and add 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies. Ro*tel tomatoes are good, too.
4. Kidney beans: 3 cups cooked beans can be substituted for the 2 cans (that’s about 1 cup dried beans before cooking). You can use any type of canned or cooked bean instead of kidney.
5. Yield: This recipe makes about 12 cups of Chili con Carne, with variations depending on how big your onion is and what size roast you buy (I measured the yield after cooking a 4-pound roast). It’s enough for 8 hearty servings, 1 ½ cups each.
6. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5 cupsCalories: 617kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 51gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 181mgSodium: 781mgPotassium: 1202mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2507IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 131mgIron: 9mg

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