This flavorful Crock Pot Taco Chili is a breeze to make in the slow cooker and is the perfect base for all your favorite taco night toppings! Instructions included for the crock-pot, instant pot, or stove-top. Whichever way you make it, this tasty taco chili is sure to be a hit!
Chili is my go-to for speedy weeknight dinners and as the most delish way to warm up on a super cold day. It’s hot and cozy and a great way to load up on veggies.
Now that soccer season is starting back up (with the kiddo playing and Paul coaching) I need all the EASY I can factor into the week. We have practice after school a few days a week so I am all about the cozy and warm set-it-and-forget-it type slow cooker recipes.
It’s so nice walking in the door and knowing dinner is ready to eat!
I have oodles of meatless chili recipes and several t-rex options as well. Today’s recipe is the beefy version of my famous slow cooker lentil taco chili and though this one has meat in it, it’s jam packed with enough nutritious and delicious beans and vegetables to help you reach your daily goal and then some!
Taco Chili Ingredients
- ground beef
- yellow onion
- bell pepper, any color
- jalapeno
- corn
- canned black beans
- canned fire roasted crushed tomatoes
- jarred salsa
- chili powder
- ground cumin
- garlic powder
- paprika
- salt and ground cayenne pepper
These ingredients your starting off point. All the measurements are in the easy-print recipe card below as well as detailed instructions for how to make this easy taco chili at home!
Q: What can I use in place of fire roasted crushed tomatoes?
I find that fire-roasted tomatoes add so much delicious flavor to this chili! Working with what you have on hand? No worries! You’ll want to use 28 ounces total (either one 28 oz can or two 14 oz cans) of regular crushed tomatoes, canned diced tomatoes, or even canned tomato sauce in a pinch. I’ve used a combination of crushed tomatoes and rotel before and it was super tasty too!
Q: Do I need to use ground beef for this chili?
Nope! You can use ground chicken, ground turkey, or even shredded chicken breast and/or thighs if you’re wanting a T-Rex option. Vegetarian? Add an extra can of black beans or a can of pinto beans (or even chili seasoned beans) as well as a can of lentils. The combination of beans and lentils will give the chili a meaty texture without the meat!
Taco Chili Topping Options – choose your favorites!
- sliced jalapeños (fresh or pickled)
- sour cream or greek yogurt
- fluffy cooked rice
- sliced or cubed avocado (or top it with guac!)
- fresh pico de gallo
- chopped tomatoes
- pickled red onions
- grated cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese
- fritos corn chips
- fresh cilantro
- chopped scallions
- crispy tortilla chips or tortilla strips
- crumbled cornbread
Paul’s all-time favorite add-in for chili is rice. I either make up a small batch of basmati or jasmine rice in the instant pot/rice cooker or keep some easy heat-and-serve bags of rice in the freezer.
My favorite toppings? I love them all! Sour cream is of course a must for me as well as some fresh herbs (cilantro or green onions) and, if I have it, I love adding fresh avocado and tomato or some pico de gallo salsa on top. The medley of flavors and textures is amazing! Ooh! Something crispy is a must too for this taco-style chili. For the photos I love adding crispy corn chips or tortilla chips.
Q: Can I freeze taco chili?
Store leftover chili in a large airtight lidded container or use individual containers for easy heat-and-eat portions. Store for up to 4 days in the refrigerator or 1-3 months in the freezer.
I love tucking away some healthy “fast food” for later is always an epic time-saver.
Crock Pot Taco Chili
I’m so excited for you to try this fiesta-worthy taco chili!
Need to double the recipe to feed a crowd? It’s oh so easy to do! Just ensure you are using a larger slow cooker (a 6 QT crock pot or larger will work great) and you’re good to go!
Crock Pot Taco Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 tsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 jalapeño
- 1 cup corn (frozen or canned)
- 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 28 oz canned crushed fire roasted tomatoes
- ¼ cup favorite jarred salsa plus any extra to taste
- 1 TBSP chili powder
- 2-3 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- salt and cayenne pepper to taste
TASTY TOPPING OPTIONS: choose your favorites
- sliced jalapeños
- sour cream or greek yogurt
- sliced or cubed avocado or top it with guac!
- fresh pico de gallo
- chopped tomatoes
- pickled red onions
- grated cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese
- fresh cilantro
- chopped green onion
- fritos corn chips or crispy tortilla chips
Instructions
- First prep the vegetables. Peel and dice onion. Remove stem/seeds from peppers with a spoon and dice. For a spicier chili, use the seeds from the jalapeño in the chili.
- Measure out remaining ingredients and open cans.
SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS
- Add a little oil to a stainless steel or cast iron pan over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef, breaking the meat into crumbles while stirring.
- This is the fun part – add the cooked ground beef and everything but the toppings to the slow cooker. Mix it all up and secure the lid.
- Set slow cooker to HIGH for 4 hours or to LOW for 6-8 hours.
STOVE TOP INSTRUCTIONS
- Add a little oil to a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef, breaking the meat into crumbles while stirring. Transfer to a bowl or plate and add a little more oil to the pan if needed.
- Sauté the onion for 4-5 minutes then add bell pepper, jalapeño, and corn. Season with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and paprika. Mix well and sauté for a few minutes until fragrant.
- Next add the remaining ingredients (including the cooked ground beef) and increase heat until chili starts to boil. Stir and reduce heat to an active simmer. Cook covered for 20 minutes or until the veggies are tender and chili is fragrant and flavorful.
READY TO EAT?
- Stir well and give it a little taste test. Add salt and cayenne pepper (to taste) as well as any additional chili powder, garlic powder, or cumin desired. Extra salsa can be added as well!
- Portion into bowls and serve with rice, cornbread, or straight up with your choice of toppings. It's fabulous every which way! Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Instructions
- Measure out all ingredients for easy chili assembly.
- Switch pressure cooker to the sauté function and add 1-2 tsp oil.
- Add diced onion and cook until tender with golden edges.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking apart into crumbles as you stir.
- Next, add in the canned tomatoes and stir, scraping the bottom of the instant pot to deglaze and ensure nothing has stuck to the bottom so the burn notice does not activate. Turn IP off.
- Add all remaining chili ingredients minus the toppings.
- Set IP to HIGH for 9 minutes with lid and vent sealed.
- Allow 5 minutes of natural pressure release, then quick release the vent to release the remaining pressure.
- Stir chili and portion into bowls with all your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Pressure cooker recipes always leave out the details so here’s a breakdown of what you can expect timewise for this cooking technique: about 13 minutes to come to pressure plus 9 minutes cook time and 5 minutes to release pressure.
Chili Serving Suggestions
Serve chili with some fluffy homemade cornbread. You can stick with classic cornbread or embrace the taco vibes of this chili by serving it with my easy homemade jalapeño cheddar cornbread!
Another fun serving suggestion is to plate this Lentil Taco Chili over a bed of fluffy white or yellow rice, then add all your tasty toppings. It gives the chili a rice bowl vibe and is super duper filling and comforting – perfect for all the cold weather we’ve been having.
This chili is also amazing served over a baked sweet potato. This is one of my favorite lunches to make the next day with leftover chili!
If you get a chance to try this crock pot taco chili recipe, let me know!
You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
This is such a delicious recipe. And so easy to throw together too!
Thank you Nelly!
This is such a fun take on our typical Taco Tuesday! It came out so great! I will definitely be making this again!
Yay! So happy y’all enjoyed it. Thanks Brandy!