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Easy Slow Cooker Halloween Chili Best Crowd Recipe

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This easy slow cooker Halloween chili is rich, meaty, and perfect for feeding a crowd. With just 15 minutes of prep, the slow cooker does all the work, leaving you free to enjoy your Halloween party.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tablespoon pre-minced)
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (leave seeds in for more heat)
  • 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes (fire-roasted if available)
  • 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen corn (no need to thaw)
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular works too)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup beef broth (low-sodium)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  1. Brown the ground beef. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink—about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain off excess fat, leaving about a tablespoon for flavor.
  2. Sweat the aromatics. In the same skillet, add the diced onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the onion is translucent and starts to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more until fragrant.
  3. Bloom the spices. Add all spices (chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne, salt, and pepper) directly to the skillet with the vegetables. Stir constantly for about 1 minute until the spices are fragrant and slightly darkened.
  4. Combine in the slow cooker. Transfer the cooked meat and spiced vegetable mixture to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the diced tomatoes (with their juices), tomato sauce, tomato paste, drained beans, and frozen corn. Pour in the beef broth and add the brown sugar. Stir everything together until well combined.
  5. Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. The longer it cooks, the more the flavors meld together.
  6. Finish with vinegar. About 15 minutes before serving, stir in the apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust salt and spices as needed.
  7. Serve with all the fixings. Ladle into bowls and let everyone customize their own with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced avocado, sliced jalapeños, chopped cilantro, crushed tortilla chips, and a squeeze of lime.

Notes

Don’t skip browning the meat—it adds deep flavor. Blooming the spices in the skillet is key. Resist lifting the lid during cooking. If chili is too thin, cook on HIGH with lid off for 30-45 minutes. If too thick, add a splash of broth. Chili tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker chili, Halloween chili, easy chili, crowd-pleaser chili, ground beef chili, fall chili

Find it online: https://ovenmila.com/easy-slow-cooker-halloween-chili-best-crowd-recipe/