22 Hearty Slow-Cooker Chilis

Updated September 08, 2009
Credit: Jen Causey; Food Styling: Ali Ramee; Prop Styling: Missie Crawford

Get more from your meal, your wallet, and your free time with these 22 easy chilis, cooked low and slow in a crock pot.

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Smoky Slow-Cooked Chili

Credit: Oxmoor House

Smoky Slow-Cooked Chili Recipe

This hearty, Mexican-inspired chili features ground pork, pork shoulder, and a smoked ham hock, plus beer, beans, and flavorful spices. Serve with jalapeño cornbread.

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Smoky Turkey-and-Sweet Potato Chili

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Smoky Turkey-and-Sweet Potato Chili Recipe

Chipotle chiles add a kick, but sweet potatoes balance the heat. Adjust the spice in this homey chili by increasing or decreasing the amount of chipotle to suit your taste. Buy the large dried lima beans if you can find them. They really look amazing and also give the chili a decidedly Southern accent.

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Beef-and-Bean Chili

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Beef-and-Bean Chili Recipe

This classic red chili has chunks of stew meat and ground beef along with tomatoes, red beans, and spices. Fire-roasted tomatoes add a note of smokiness to the mix. If you can't find fire-roasted, use plain tomatoes and add a pinch of smoked paprika.

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Pork-and-Black Bean Chili

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Pork-and-Black Bean Chili Recipe

Fresh tomatillos look like small green tomatoes wrapped in thin papery skin. Remove skin, and rinse before chopping. If you can't find fresh, look for canned on the Latin aisle at the grocery.

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Slow-Cooker Veggie Chili

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Buffy Hargett; Vanessa McNeil Rocchio

Slow-Cooker Veggie Chili Recipe

Meat isn't required for a satisfying chili! Savor this veggie version featuring carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms, zucchini, squash, corn, and beans. Pair with a slice of homemade bread for the ultimate comfort food meal.

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Slow-cooker Turkey Chili

Slow-cooker Turkey Chili Recipe

Watch your calories–and your watch–with this easy, healthy chili. Lean ground turkey makes a flavorful replacement for the traditional pork or beef, while using a chili seasoning mix cuts down on time spent measuring spices.

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Red Bean Chili

Red Bean Chili Recipe

Take comfort in the familiar with this tried-and-true chili combination, which also calls for just 6 ingredients. Between the short ingredient list and easy slow cooker preparation, you'll turn to this chili time and time again for a simple evening supper.

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Turkey Thigh and Hominy Chili

Credit: James Carrier; Styling: Kim Konecny

Turkey Thigh and Hominy Chili Recipe

Step outside of your chili comfort zone with this unusual combination of turkey thighs, hominy, and black olives. Top with shredded jack cheese and thinly sliced green onions for a mouthwatering dish that you'll love coming home to on chilly winter evenings.

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Spicy Slow-Cooker Beef Chili

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Spicy Slow-Cooker Beef Chili Recipe

Chile peppers and jalapenos add some spice to this slow-cooked beef chili.

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Slow-Cooker White Chicken Chili

Credit: Lee Harrelson

Slow-Cooker White Chicken Chili Recipe

Throw this into the slow cooker in the morning before you head off to work, and all day you'll be able to enjoy the satisfaction of knowing exactly what you're going to have for dinner. Using chicken rather than beef in this recipe makes it lower fat than your standard chili. Feel free to amp up the cayenne pepper if you really like the heat.

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How to Make Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili

Fresh ingredients, lean turkey, and eight hours in the slow cooker yield one comforting pot in this Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili recipe. See how to make this hearty but light chili where spicy and bold flavors meld beautifully when cooked low and slow.

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Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili with Quinoa

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili with Quinoa Recipe

Healthy and hearty, this quinoa chili will become a family favorite. The recipe calls for a bottle of beer; use your favorite seasonal brew to amp up the flavor. The alcohol will evaporate as the chili simmers in the slow cooker.

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Green Chili with Chicken

Credit: Kate Sears; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Green Chili with Chicken Recipe

Have some fun with your food this Halloween! This cozy chili is made in a slow-cooker, so all you have to do is roast the tomatillos and add everything to the pot. Don't forget the tortilla ghosts!

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Chickpea Chili

Credit: Nina Choi; Styling: Lisa Lee

Chickpea Chili Recipe

Add this tasty chili dish to your winter month meal plans. It’s loaded with fiery flavors and served hot off the slow cooker. Serve over couscous with lime wedges and sprinkle with cilantro.

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Black Bean and Butternut Squash Chili

Credit: Kate Sears

Black Bean and Butternut Squash Chili Recipe

This easy black bean and butternut squash chili will fill your kitchen with wonderful aromas while it simmers in the slow-cooker all day.  Serve with cornbread and your favorite toppings.

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Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro

Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili Recipe

Butternut squash adds slightly sweet flavor to this classic meatless chili. It's delicious as-is, but you can also add in some corn and bell peppers and substitute black beans for white beans, if you'd like.

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Old-Fashioned Chili

Old-Fashioned Chili Recipe

Thise easy slow-cooker chili recipe costs just under $2 per serving, making it a budget-friendly option for busy weeknights.

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Red Bean and Poblano Chili

Credit: Beatriz Dacosta

Red Bean and Poblano Chili Recipe

Total Antioxidant Capacity: 4,498. Small red beans topped the antioxidant list. If you want to make this chili on the stove instead of in a slow cooker, heat the oil in a Dutch oven and cook the onions, garlic, and spices together first. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until vegetables are tender.

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Big-Batch Chili

Credit: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro

Big-Batch Chili Recipe

This top-rated slow-cooker chili is a tasty crowd-pleaser, perfect for tailgating, Super Bowl parties, and other cool weather gatherings.

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Easy Chili

Credit: Photography: Greg DuPreeFood Styling: Rishon HannersProp Styling: Thom Driver

Easy Chili Recipe

Look no further for the ultimate, easy chili recipe. You may think you know how to make chili, but our homemade chili recipe is a gamechanger. With just a push of a button, your weekday dinner is taken care of as the chili cooks away in the slow-cooker. Add chili to your next barbeque to top grilled sausages for an upgraded version of chili dogs. You can easily substitute ground turkey instead of beef for a lighter option and the rest of the ingredients should already be stocked away in your pantry. To top the hot, spicy chili, add shredded Cheddar cheese and corn chips for extra flavor and texture. To go beyond our favorite classic recipe, find more chili recipes here. 

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How to Make Crock-Pot Chili

Start this chili before you head to work in the morning and come home to a perfect winter meal.

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White Bean and Chicken Chili

Credit: Jen Causey; Food Styling: Ali Ramee; Prop Styling: Missie Crawford

White Bean and Chicken Chili Recipe

One of those “killer” recipes that is sure to wow any crowd (especially when they find out how simple it is), this nine-ingredient slow cooker chili relies largely on pantry staples such as canned white beans, chicken broth, and canned roasted green chilies. To build rich flavor, the chicken is first seared in a skillet and the aromatic onions and fresh garlic are lightly sauteed in the same pan with the remaining flavorful juices and browned bits from the chicken before being transferred to the slow cooker. To add extra flair to your chili, set this vibrant stew out with individual bowls of sour cream, ripe avocado, sliced radishes, diced tomatoes, crumbled cotija (a salty Mexican cow's milk cheese), and fresh limes for topping. 

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