Tasty Crockpot Cowboy Chili

I didn’t know what real chili was supposed to taste like until I married my husband. Growing up, my mom made chili with ground beef, kidney beans, and whatever spices she had in the pantry. It was fine, but nothing special.

Then my husband introduced me to cowboy chili. This isn’t your typical weeknight chili—it’s loaded with chunks of beef, smoky flavors, and spices that actually make your taste buds wake up. The best part? You can throw everything in the crockpot and let it do all the work while you go about your day.

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What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For cowboy chili, you’ll want to use ground beef with a bit of fat content to keep things flavorful and prevent the meat from drying out during the long slow cooking process. An 80/20 blend (80% lean, 20% fat) works perfectly and gives you that rich, hearty taste that makes chili so satisfying. You can go leaner with 85/15 if you prefer, but I wouldn’t recommend going any leaner than that since the fat helps carry all those spices and adds to the overall richness of the dish. If you’re feeling fancy, you can even ask your butcher to grind up some chuck roast for you – it has great flavor and the right amount of marbling for slow cooking.

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Options for Substitutions

This cowboy chili is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients around:

• Ground beef: You can easily substitute ground turkey, ground chicken, or even a mix of ground beef and Italian sausage for extra flavor. If using leaner meats like turkey, you might want to add a tablespoon of oil to the pot.
• Red bell pepper: Any color bell pepper works great, or try poblano peppers for a mild smoky kick. You can also use a mix of different peppers if that’s what you have on hand.
• Kidney beans: Feel free to mix it up with pinto beans, black beans, or navy beans. You can even use a combination of different beans for more texture and color.
• Beef broth: Chicken broth or vegetable broth work just fine if that’s what you have. You could also use water with an extra bouillon cube dissolved in it.
• Stewed tomatoes: If you don’t have stewed tomatoes, use another can of crushed tomatoes or diced tomatoes. The texture will be slightly different but the flavor will still be great.
• Cayenne pepper: This is totally optional based on your heat preference. You can substitute with a pinch of red pepper flakes or leave it out completely for a milder chili.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making crockpot chili is skipping the step of browning your ground beef first – raw beef dumped straight into the slow cooker creates a greasy, unappetizing texture that no amount of cooking time can fix.

Make sure to drain your kidney beans thoroughly and give them a good rinse, as the thick liquid from the can will make your chili too starchy and muddy the flavors you’ve worked to build.

Another common error is adding all your spices at the beginning without tasting and adjusting near the end – slow cooking can mellow out heat and spice levels, so reserve about half your chili powder and cumin to add in the last hour of cooking.

Finally, resist the urge to lift the lid frequently to check on your chili, since each peek releases steam and can add 15-20 minutes to your cooking time.

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What to Serve With Cowboy Chili?

This hearty chili is perfect with warm cornbread or crusty dinner rolls for soaking up all that rich, beefy goodness. I love serving it over baked potatoes or white rice to make it even more filling, especially on cold nights when you want something really satisfying. A simple side salad with ranch dressing helps balance out all the bold flavors, and don’t forget to set out bowls of sour cream, extra shredded cheese, and sliced jalapeños so everyone can customize their bowl. For a fun twist, try serving it with tortilla chips for dipping or even spooned over baked sweet potatoes for a hearty meal.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This cowboy chili actually tastes even better the next day! Store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The flavors really meld together overnight, making it perfect for meal prep or having leftovers ready for busy weeknights.

Freeze: Chili freezes like a dream and is one of my go-to freezer meals. Let it cool completely, then portion it into freezer bags or containers and freeze for up to 3 months. I like to freeze it in family-sized portions or individual servings depending on what I need.

Warm Up: To enjoy your chili again, thaw it overnight in the fridge if frozen, then warm it up on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. You can also microwave individual portions on medium power. Add a splash of beef broth if it seems too thick after reheating.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3300-3600
• Protein: 210-230 g
• Fat: 170-190 g
• Carbohydrates: 180-200 g

Ingredients

For the chili:

• 2 lb ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes
• 2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
• 1 tbsp ground cumin

For serving:

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• Diced red onion

Step 1: Brown the Ground Beef

• 2 lb ground beef

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is fully browned and no longer pink.

Once browned, carefully drain off the excess fat to prevent the chili from being greasy.

Step 2: Transfer Beef and Add Ingredients to Crock Pot

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes
• 2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• browned ground beef from Step 1

Place the browned ground beef from Step 1 into the crock pot.

Add the chopped onion, chopped red bell pepper, minced garlic, salt, black pepper, beef broth, crushed tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, drained and rinsed kidney beans, chili powder, optional cayenne pepper, and ground cumin.

Stir well to combine all the ingredients evenly.

I like to add the beans last so they don’t break apart while stirring.

Step 3: Slow Cook the Chili

Cover the crock pot with its lid and cook the chili on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, stirring once or twice during the cooking time if possible.

This long simmer lets the flavors meld together and develops a hearty, rich chili.

I find letting it cook for the full 8 hours on low gives the best depth of flavor.

Step 4: Serve and Add Toppings

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• diced red onion

Once the chili is cooked, ladle it into bowls.

Top each serving with shredded cheddar cheese and a sprinkle of diced red onion for extra flavor and texture.

Serve hot, ideally with a side of cornbread to soak up the delicious chili.

Tasty Crockpot Cowboy Chili

Delicious Tasty Crockpot Cowboy Chili recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 55 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs 52 minutes mins

Total Time 5 hours hrs 47 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 3450 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chili:

• 2 lb ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes
• 2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
• 1 tbsp ground cumin

For serving:

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• diced red onion

Instructions

 

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is fully browned and no longer pink. Once browned, carefully drain off the excess fat to prevent the chili from being greasy.
• Place the browned ground beef from Step 1 into the crock pot. Add the chopped onion, chopped red bell pepper, minced garlic, salt, black pepper, beef broth, crushed tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, drained and rinsed kidney beans, chili powder, optional cayenne pepper, and ground cumin. Stir well to combine all the ingredients evenly. I like to add the beans last so they don't break apart while stirring.
• Cover the crock pot with its lid and cook the chili on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, stirring once or twice during the cooking time if possible. This long simmer lets the flavors meld together and develops a hearty, rich chili. I find letting it cook for the full 8 hours on low gives the best depth of flavor.
• Once the chili is cooked, ladle it into bowls. Top each serving with shredded cheddar cheese and a sprinkle of diced red onion for extra flavor and texture. Serve hot, ideally with a side of cornbread to soak up the delicious chili.