Half the dump and go chili recipes in the crockpot are not dump recipes. Read the steps and they ask you to brown the beef and sweat the onion first. That is fine, unless the reason you use a crockpot is that you have ten minutes in the morning. The other complaint is the one nobody warns you about: you come home after 8 hours on low and the chili is watery, the beans are mush, and the whole pot tastes flat. Both have the same fix. It is not a better recipe, it is the order things go in. Below is one chili recipe crockpot cooks can make two ways, no browning or brown-first, side by side, plus four variations, each with its hours and a full recipe card.
Quick Answer
Cook crockpot chili 6–8 hours on LOW or 3–4 hours on HIGH. Browning the beef first takes 8–10 minutes and gives a deeper, less greasy chili, but raw beef works on LOW for 8 hours. Put the meat, onion, tomatoes, and spices in at the start. Add the beans in the last hour. If it is thin, leave the lid slightly open for the final 20–30 minutes.
The Crockpot Chili Recipes Here, With Their Hours
Six slow cooker chili recipes, all sized for a 5–6 quart pot and six bowls. The first two are the same chili made two ways. The other four swap the meat or the beans.
| Recipe | Protein | Beans | LOW / HIGH | Serve with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Dump and go (Version A) | Raw lean beef | Kidney or pinto | 8 h / use LOW | Cheddar, sour cream |
| 2. Brown-first (Version B) | Browned beef | Kidney or pinto | 6–8 h / 3–4 h | Corn chips, cornbread |
| 3. Turkey | Browned turkey | Black beans, corn | 6–7 h / 3–4 h | Avocado, yogurt |
| 4. No-bean | Browned beef, 2 lb | None | 6–8 h / 3–4 h | Hot dogs, fries |
| 5. Vegetarian three-bean | None | Black, kidney, pinto | 6–7 h / 3–4 h | Lime, rice |
| 6. Red chicken chili | Raw chicken, shredded | Pinto or black | 6 h / 3 h | Tortilla strips |
Only the dump and go version has to stay on LOW. Every other chili here works on HIGH when you start late.
Make Crockpot Chili Easy: What the Two Versions Actually Taste Like
Half of all crockpot recipes, 38 of 76, ask you to brown or sear the meat before it goes in, so many dump recipes are not dump recipes. Here is what browning changes, so you can decide for the day you have.
| Version A: dump and go | Version B: brown first | |
|---|---|---|
| Time at the stove | None | 8–10 minutes |
| Pans to wash | None | One skillet |
| Setting | LOW only, 8 hours | LOW 6–8 hours or HIGH 3–4 hours |
| Fat | Skim it off the top in the last hour | Drained before it goes in |
| Texture of the beef | Soft, fine crumbles, like a sauce | Firmer crumbles you can see |
| Flavor | Clean, tomato-forward | Deeper, darker, more beefy |
Version A tastes like a good meat sauce with chili spices. Version B tastes like the chili at a cook-off, because the browned crust on the beef and the spices fried in the pan carry flavor that a slow cooker cannot make at its temperature. Neither is wrong. On a workday morning, dump it. On a Sunday, brown it.
Two rules hold for both. The meat goes in thawed, never frozen: frozen meat spends too long between 40°F and 140°F before the pot heats it. And ground beef is done at 160°F, which a full pot on LOW passes well before the 8 hours are up.
What Goes In When: The Hour-by-Hour Timeline
This is the part most easy crockpot chili recipes leave out. They say to dump everything and wait. Everything does not need the same time, and the things that fail, beans, heat, and thickness, all belong in the last hour.
A crockpot chili is built in two moments: the meat, onion, tomatoes, and spices in the morning, and the beans, heat, and thickness in the last hour. Get the last hour right and the chili is not watery.
Hour 0: meat, onion, tomatoes, spices
These need all day. Onion goes soft and sweet, the spices lose their raw edge, and the tomato cooks down into a sauce. Fill the pot between half and two-thirds full. Less than half and the chili scorches at the edges; more than two-thirds and it heats too slowly.
Hours 1 to 6: leave the lid on
Every time you lift the lid, heat escapes and the cook gains 15–20 minutes. Stir once if you are home. If you are not, the chili is fine on its own.
The last hour: beans
Canned beans are already cooked. Put them in at the start and they spend 8 hours breaking down, which is where mushy chili comes from. Rinsed and added in the last hour, they heat through and hold their shape.
Pin itThe last 30 minutes: heat and thickness
Fresh jalapeño, cayenne, and hot sauce go in now (more on that below). This is also when you fix a thin pot: lid slightly open, a few beans mashed, or masa stirred in.
At the end: warm
Switch to warm and keep the lid on to hold it for serving. Chili on warm is at its best for the next couple of hours.
1. Dump and Go Crockpot Chili (Version A)
This is the no browning version, for the morning you have ten minutes. The raw beef goes in crumbled flat, so it cooks in small pieces instead of one gray brick. Two things make it work. Use lean 90/10 beef, because there is no pan to drain the fat. And keep it on LOW for the full 8 hours, since a full pot of raw meat on HIGH boils the outside before the middle heats through.
In the last hour, break the beef up with a spoon, skim the fat, and stir in the beans. Serve with: shredded cheddar, sour cream, and green onion.
Dump and Go Crockpot Chili (Version A)
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings10
minutes8
hoursRaw beef, onion, tomatoes, and spices straight into the pot in the morning, beans in the last hour.
Ingredients
1½ lb lean ground beef (90/10), fully thawed
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with their juice
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper
2 cans (15 oz each) kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Toppings: shredded cheddar, sour cream, green onion
Directions
- Crumble the raw beef into the bottom of the crock pot in small pieces, as flat as you can.
- Add the onion, garlic, crushed and diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and spices. Stir so the beef is coated and no big clumps stay together.
- Cover and cook 8 hours on LOW. Do not use HIGH for raw beef in a full pot.
- In the last hour, break up the beef with a spoon, skim the fat off the top, and stir in the beans.
- Leave the lid slightly open for the final 20–30 minutes if the chili looks thin.
- Taste, add salt, and serve with the toppings.
Notes
- No broth and no water: the tomatoes carry all the liquid this chili needs. Leaner beef means less fat to skim.
2. Brown-First Crockpot Chili (Version B, the Eight Extra Minutes)
The same pot, with 8–10 minutes of browning first. The beef browns, the onion and pepper cook 4–5 minutes, and the garlic, tomato paste, and spices fry in the fat for the last 30 seconds before you drain it. That last step is where the flavor comes from: spices fried in fat taste rounder than spices stirred into tomato. This is also the one to use when you start late, since browned beef can go on HIGH.
If you only make one chili from this page, make this one. Serve with: corn chips, cornbread, and a spoon of sour cream.
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Brown-First Crockpot Chili (Version B)
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes7
hoursThe same pot with 8–10 minutes of browning first: darker, beefier, and no fat on top.
Ingredients
1½ lb ground beef (85/15)
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with their juice
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper
2 cans (15 oz each) kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Toppings: shredded cheddar, sour cream, corn chips
Directions
- Brown the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into small crumbles.
- When it is almost cooked through, add the onion and pepper and cook 4–5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, and spices for the last 30 seconds.
- Drain the fat and scrape everything into the crock pot.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir.
- Cover and cook 6–8 hours on LOW or 3–4 hours on HIGH.
- Stir in the beans for the last hour.
- Taste, add salt, and serve with the toppings.
Notes
- Frying the spices with the tomato paste for 30 seconds is what gives Version B its deeper color and flavor.
3. Crockpot Turkey Chili
A crockpot turkey chili is the healthy chili recipe crockpot cooks ask for most, and it only fails one way: dry, grainy meat. Turkey has almost no fat, so it needs a tablespoon of oil in the pan and it needs browning. Black beans and corn make it look like a different dish from the beef chili, not a paler copy. Serve with: avocado, Greek yogurt in place of sour cream, and cilantro.
Crockpot Turkey Chili
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes7
hoursLean ground turkey with black beans and corn, the lighter weeknight chili.
Ingredients
1½ lb lean ground turkey
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion and 1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with their juice
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
Toppings: avocado, Greek yogurt, cilantro
Directions
- Brown the turkey in the olive oil with the onion and pepper. Add the garlic, tomato paste, and spices for the last 30 seconds.
- Scrape it into the crock pot with the crushed and diced tomatoes. Stir.
- Cover and cook 6–7 hours on LOW or 3–4 hours on HIGH.
- Stir in the beans and corn for the last hour.
- Taste, add salt, and serve with the toppings.
Notes
- Turkey has almost no fat, so the oil keeps it from turning dry and grainy. Do not skip browning here: raw turkey cooks into gray pellets.
4. No-Bean Crockpot Chili
Texas-style, more meat, and no beans, the version to spoon over hot dogs and fries. It uses 2 lb of beef in place of the beans. Without beans there is nothing to soak up the tomato liquid, so this is the one chili where the masa harina goes in every time. Serve with: hot dogs, fries, or a baked potato.
No-Bean Crockpot Chili
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes7
hoursTwo pounds of beef, peppers, and tomatoes, thick enough for hot dogs and chili fries.
Ingredients
2 lb ground beef (85/15)
1 onion, diced
1 green and 1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp masa harina mixed with ¼ cup water (for the last 30 minutes)
Directions
- Brown the beef with the onion and peppers and drain the fat. Add the garlic, tomato paste, and spices for the last 30 seconds.
- Scrape it into the crock pot with both cans of tomatoes. Stir.
- Cover and cook 6–8 hours on LOW or 3–4 hours on HIGH.
- Stir in the masa harina mixture for the last 30 minutes, lid slightly open.
- Serve on its own, over hot dogs, or on fries with cheddar.
Notes
- Without beans there is nothing to soak up the liquid, so the masa does that job. It also adds a corn tortilla flavor.
5. Vegetarian Three-Bean Crockpot Chili
This is the one chili here where the beans go in at the start, because they are the base and the sweet potato needs the full time. The third can gets mashed and stirred in at the end, and it is what gives a meatless chili its body. Serve with: lime wedges, avocado, and rice.
Vegetarian Three-Bean Crockpot Chili
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes7
hoursThree kinds of beans, sweet potato, peppers, and corn, a healthy chili that holds its body without meat.
Ingredients
1 can (15 oz) each black, kidney, and pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 onion and 1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with their juice
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup vegetable broth
Toppings: avocado, lime, cheddar or vegan cheese
Directions
- Put the sweet potato, onion, pepper, and garlic on the bottom of the crock pot.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, spices, broth, and two of the three cans of beans. Stir.
- Cover and cook 6–7 hours on LOW or 3–4 hours on HIGH, until the sweet potato is soft.
- Mash the third can of beans with a fork, stir it in with the corn, and cook 30 minutes more with the lid slightly open.
- Taste, add salt, and serve with the toppings.
Notes
- The mashed beans are the thickener. This is the one chili here that needs broth, since there is no meat juice.
6. Red Crockpot Chicken Chili
Chicken breasts go in whole and come out for shredding at the end, so there is no pan at all. This is a tomato chili with chicken. For the creamy white version with green chiles and white beans, see our crockpot white chicken chili. Serve with: sour cream, cheddar, and tortilla strips.
Red Crockpot Chicken Chili
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes6
hoursWhole chicken breasts cooked in a tomato chili base, shredded into the pot at the end.
Ingredients
2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper
2 cans (15 oz each) pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed
Toppings: sour cream, cheddar, tortilla strips
Directions
- Put the onion and garlic on the bottom of the crock pot and lay the chicken on top.
- Stir the tomatoes, tomato paste, and spices together and pour them over the chicken.
- Cover and cook 6 hours on LOW or 3 hours on HIGH, until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Lift out the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot with the beans.
- Cook 30 minutes more and serve with the toppings.
Notes
- Thighs stay juicy on a long cook; breasts dry out if they go past the short end of the time.
Watery Chili? Thickness Without Cornstarch
A slow cooker loses almost no moisture. The steam hits the lid and drips back in, so whatever liquid goes in at 7 a.m. is still there at 6 p.m. That is why the recipes here use no water and no broth (except the vegetarian one). Canned tomatoes carry enough liquid. If the chili is still thin in the last hour, fix it in this order:
- Lid slightly open. Prop the lid with a wooden spoon for the final 20–30 minutes. The steam leaves instead of dripping back.
- Mash some beans. Press a ladle of beans against the side of the pot and stir them in. The starch thickens the sauce.
- Masa harina. Stir 2 tablespoons into ¼ cup of water, add it for the last 30 minutes. It thickens and adds a corn tortilla flavor.
- Tomato paste. A spoon or two thickens and deepens the tomato at the same time.
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Pin itA cornstarch slurry also works in 15–30 minutes, but it turns the sauce glossy and a little gluey, and it thins again when you reheat it. The four fixes above do not.
Pin itHeat, and How to Add It Late
Cayenne and chili flakes turn sharp and bitter over 8 hours, and fresh jalapeño goes soft and loses its bite. So the chili powder and cumin go in at the start for depth, and the heat goes in during the last 30 minutes, where you can taste it and stop.
- Mild: ¼ tsp cayenne.
- Medium: ½ tsp cayenne and 1 diced jalapeño.
- Smoky: 1–2 tsp adobo sauce from a can of chipotles.
Too hot already? Stir in another can of rinsed beans or a can of tomato sauce, and put sour cream, cheddar, and avocado on the table. Dairy and fat take the edge off a bowl better than anything added to the pot.
The Bean Question: Canned, Dried, or None
Canned beans: drain and rinse them. The canning liquid makes the chili taste muddy and too salty. Add them in the last hour, except in the vegetarian chili.
Dried beans: never put dry kidney beans in the crockpot raw. Many slow cookers sit around 176°F on LOW, and that heat does not break down the natural toxin in red kidney beans. Soak them at least 5 hours, drain, and boil them in fresh water for 30 minutes before they go in. After that, they can go in at the start.
No beans: use more meat, as in the no-bean chili, and a thickener, since beans are what usually give chili its body.
Beans in place of some of the meat: swap half the beef for one more can of beans. The pot stays as full, and the chili gets cheaper and lighter.
Instant Pot Chili: The Same Recipe, Faster
Any chili on this page works as an instant pot chili. Brown the meat with the sauté setting, add everything except the beans, and scrape the bottom so nothing burns. Put the crushed tomatoes on top without stirring them in, since thick tomato on the bottom sets off the burn warning. Cook 15 minutes at high pressure, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then stir in the beans and simmer on sauté for a few minutes. Instant pot chili is less deep than slow cooker chili after 8 hours on low, but it is on the table in under an hour.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating Chili
Get leftovers into the fridge within 2 hours. Ladle the chili out of the stoneware into shallow containers, because a full insert holds heat for hours and cools too slowly. It keeps 3–4 days in the fridge, and it tastes better on the second day.
Chili freezes well. Freeze it in single portions, flat in freezer bags or in small containers, and use it within 3–4 months. Freeze it without the toppings and without pasta. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until it is 165°F all the way through, not in the slow cooker, which warms it too slowly. For more make-ahead meals, see our crockpot freezer meals.
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Crockpot Chili FAQ: Questions People Ask Before They Make It
How long do you cook chili in a crockpot on low?
6–8 hours on LOW. Dump and go chili with raw beef needs the full 8 hours. Chili with browned beef is ready after about 4 hours on LOW but tastes best after 6–8.
How long do you cook chili in a crockpot on high?
3–4 hours on HIGH, only with browned meat. Raw beef in a full pot should stay on LOW.
Can chili cook in the crockpot all day?
Yes. Chili on LOW is made for a workday. Add the beans in the last hour and switch to warm when it is done.
Can I slow cook chili for 4 hours?
Yes, on LOW with browned beef, or 3–4 hours on HIGH. It is cooked and safe; it is just less deep than after 8 hours.
Do you have to brown the meat for crockpot chili?
No, but it tastes better. Browning takes 8–10 minutes, lets you drain the fat, and gives a deeper flavor. Without it, use lean beef and cook 8 hours on LOW.
Can I put raw ground beef in the crockpot for chili?
Yes, if it is thawed, crumbled small, and cooked on LOW for the full time. It passes 160°F well before the end. Never put in frozen ground beef.
Why is my crockpot chili watery?
The lid keeps the moisture in, so any added water or broth stays in the pot. Skip the broth, drain the beans, and leave the lid slightly open for the last 20–30 minutes.
How do I make crockpot chili thicker?
Mash some of the beans against the side of the pot, stir in masa harina or tomato paste, or cook the last half hour with the lid slightly open.
Can I use dry beans in crockpot chili?
Only after soaking at least 5 hours and boiling 30 minutes in fresh water. Raw dry kidney beans never go into the slow cooker.
Can you overcook chili in a crockpot?
Yes. After 10 hours or more the beans turn to mush and the edges scorch. Add the beans late and switch to warm when the time is up.
Can I make chili the night before?
Yes. Brown the meat and put everything except the beans in the insert, cover it, and keep it in the fridge. Start it on LOW in the morning and expect 30 minutes more, since the insert starts cold.
Can you freeze crockpot chili?
Yes. Cool it, freeze it in portions, and use it within 3–4 months. Reheat to 165°F.
Is chili better in a crockpot or on the stove?
On the stove it is ready in about an hour and thickens faster. In the crockpot it takes all day but needs no watching, and the flavor goes deeper. For an easy chili recipe crockpot wins, because you are not there.
More Crockpot Soup, Stew, and Chili Recipes
More chili and soup
More easy crockpot dinners
- Easy crockpot dinners
- Cheap dinners for a family
- Crockpot casserole recipes for dinner
- Crockpot meatballs
- Pot roast crock pot recipes
- Chicken crockpot recipes
