This popular slow cooker chili recipe has a twist. Baked beans are included along with the regular chili ingredients of ground beef, kidney beans, and seasonings. The dish also includes mushrooms, but feel free to omit them if you aren’t a fan.
Recipe Variations
- Beans: Instead of kidney beans, use pinto beans or small red beans.
- Meat: Replace the ground beef with ground turkey thighs or use part ground pork in the recipe.
- Spices: If you like heat, add cayenne pepper or 1 or 2 minced jalapeño peppers.
How to Store
- Refrigerate chili in an airtight container for up to 4 days. As with any cooked food, make sure you refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking to prevent harmful bacterial growth.
- Chili can also be frozen for up to 4 months. Defrost it in the fridge and reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Peggy’s Chili
Baked beans add delightful flavor to Peggy’s chili! Add the mushrooms or leave them out.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 Hours
- Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Chili
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 pounds lean ground beef (I use 85% or 90%)
- 2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 2 15-ounce cans kidney beans
- 1 6-ounce cans tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onions (about 2 medium onions)
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- 1 4-ounce can mushrooms, sliced or chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 16-ounce can pork and beans
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook undisturbed for 5 minutes. Break the beef up and continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes or until no longer pink.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Stir to combine the ingredients.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 to 12 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.