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Kid-friendly slow cooker beef chili with kidney beans, black beans and tomatoes served with cheese and sour cream for a Halloween potluck.

Kid-Approved Slow Cooker Chili for a Halloween Potluck

A hearty, mild slow cooker beef chili with beans, tomatoes and simple spices that's perfect for feeding kids and adults at a Halloween potluck. Prep it ahead and keep it warm right in the slow cooker.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb ground beef preferably 85–90% lean
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil if needed
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 1 red bell pepper finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 can 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
  • 1 can 15 oz tomato sauce
  • 1 can 15 oz kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can 15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons mild chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar optional

Method
 

  1. Dice the onion and bell pepper and mince the garlic.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  3. Add olive oil if necessary.
  4. Add ground beef and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it into crumbles.
  5. Drain excessive rendered fat.
  6. Add onion and bell pepper and cook for 3–4 minutes.
  7. Add garlic and cook for approximately 30 seconds.
  8. Transfer the beef mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker.
  9. Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce.
  10. Add drained kidney beans and black beans.
  11. Pour in beef broth.
  12. Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, black pepper, and optional brown sugar.
  13. Stir thoroughly.
  14. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours.
  15. Stir and check consistency toward the end.
  16. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  17. Keep on WARM for serving.
  18. Serve with desired toppings.

Notes

Use a mild chili powder when serving children, since different blends vary in heat. Browning the beef before slow cooking improves flavor and lets you drain excess fat. Keep hot sauce and jalapeños on the side rather than adding them to the entire batch. For firmer beans, add them later in the cooking time. Keep cooked chili hot on the slow cooker's WARM setting when serving at a potluck.