Description

This delicious chili takes about 30 minutes to put together, and it is full of classic chili flavors and vegetables. Simply toss all the ingredients into the slow cooker in the morning, turn it on low, come back at dinnertime, and enjoy!

The nutrition information is based on using 85% lean ground beef.

This recipe was inspired by Bison Chili.

Ingredients

Scale

2 lbs ground beef (or bison, turkey, pork)

1 large onion, chopped

4 stalks of celery, chopped

1 tablespoon of jarred, minced garlic (or 3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced)

1 4-oz can of green chiles

1 15-oz can diced tomatoes

12 oz of jarred salsa (I like Pace Picante, medium)

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons thyme, dried

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

Instructions

Grab your slow cooker. Grease or nonstick spray the bottom and sides.
Put the meat in the slow cooker. Optional: Use your hands or a spatula to break up the meat into small chunks. I usually just put it in as-is and leave it.
Add all the other ingredients to the slow cooker. On top of the meat, I add the fresh veggies, followed by the spices and herbs, and the canned/jarred ingredients go in last.
Optional Stirring: Stir if you want. I usually don’t
Set your slow cooker to low for 8 – 10 hours, or high for 4 – 6 hours.
Stir: At the end of cooking (or anytime you feel like it during), stir the ingredients. The meat will be fully or partially cooked, which will help it to break apart.
Serve.

Notes

Meat variations:

I’ve used ground pork, venison and elk, with great results. I’m sure bison would work great as well. Although I’ve not tried ground poultry, chicken or turkey would be other options.

Vegetable substitutes and variations:

My family is not a huge fan of celery, so sometimes I leave it out. Favorite substitutes for celery are:

Cubed sweet potatoes or squash
Sliced mushrooms
Chopped bell peppers
Broccoli or cauliflower florets

Sometimes, I’ll add more vegetables if I want to add bulk to the recipe or feel like I need more veggies in my life that day. The recipe is very flexible.

Serving suggestions:

I like it just as it is.
Tortilla chips on the side or for dipping.
Add a chopped avocado or a spoonful of guacamole (my favorite add-in).
Dairy options – top the chili with shredded cheese or sour cream.

Leftovers?

This chili makes awesome leftovers! Wrap it in a tortilla (burrito), spoon it over tortilla or veggie chips and broil (nachos), or reheat and put it on top of a salad for a quick lunch.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 4 - 8 hours
Category: Main, Soups & Stews
Method: Slow Cooker

Nutrition

Serving Size: Approx. 1.5 cups
Calories: 386
Sugar: 7.7 g
Sodium: 1225 mg
Fat: 23.1 g
Saturated Fat: 9.4 g
Unsaturated Fat: 13.7 g
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 15.0 g
Fiber: 4.4 g
Protein: 29.7 g
Cholesterol: 100 mg