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Easy Slow Cooker Football Sunday Chili – Best Game Day Recipe

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This slow cooker chili is the ultimate game day comfort food, featuring ground beef, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a blend of spices that develop deep, smoky flavor over hours of low-and-slow cooking. It’s easy to prepare, feeds a crowd, and tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes (undrained)
  • 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup beef broth (low-sodium)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Optional toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, sliced jalapeños, diced red onion, fresh cilantro, crushed tortilla chips, hot sauce

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 browned all the way through (6-8 minutes). Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon, and transfer beef to the slow cooker.
  2. Sauté the aromatics: In the same skillet, add the diced onion and bell pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Scrape everything into the slow cooker.
  3. Bloom the spices: Reduce heat to medium. Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne to the skillet. Stir constantly for 30-45 seconds until fragrant. Add a splash of beef broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits, then pour into the slow cooker.
  4. Add the canned goods: Pour in fire-roasted diced tomatoes (with juices), tomato sauce, drained kidney beans, drained pinto beans, remaining beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until well combined.
  5. Season and stir: Add about 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir well and taste the broth. Adjust seasoning if needed.
  6. Cook low and slow: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. Low and slow is preferred for deeper flavor.
  7. Thicken if needed: If chili is too thin, remove lid and cook on HIGH for an additional 20-30 minutes. Alternatively, mash some beans against the side of the slow cooker with a fork.
  8. Serve and top: Ladle chili into bowls and let everyone customize with desired toppings.

Notes

Don’t skip browning the meat or toasting the spices—these steps add deep flavor. Chili tastes even better the next day. For a thicker chili, mash some beans or cook uncovered on HIGH for 20-30 minutes. For a spicier version, add a diced jalapeño and extra cayenne.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker chili, game day chili, football Sunday chili, easy chili recipe, ground beef chili, comfort food, crowd-pleaser

Find it online: https://daintydine.com/easy-slow-cooker-football-sunday-chili-best-game-day-recipe/