Slow Cooker Chili With Black Beans And Corn

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The best Chili ever! Warm, hearty, and full of flavor, this slow cooker Chili is not only extremely delicious but super easy to make. Perfect to feed a crowd!

Slow cooker chili served in a white bowl topped with cheese, sour cream and scallions. Cornbread and jalapeño on the side.

What Is Chili?

Chili is one of those dishes I came to try only after living in the U.S. and one that I just became obsessed with because of its delicious flavors and comforting nature.

This dish is a spicy stew containing chili peppers/spices, meat, beans, and tomatoes. Some other seasonings include onions, sweet peppers, garlic, cumin, and jalapeño.

Be sure to check out my Taco Chicken Chili and Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili too!

Slow Cooker Chili served in two bowls with cornbread on the side

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Chili

Have all of your ingredients out and ready. Pre-cut and measure beforehand for ease of cooking.

Meat - I recommend using two types of meats to make this chili: ground pork and ground beef. Get 93% lean ground beef as the pork meat will add plenty of fat and flavor and you do not need the extra grease from the beef.
Yellow Onion, Bell Pepper and Garlic - add flavor using fresh aromatics.
Spices (Chili Powder, Cumin, Salt, Ground Black Pepper) - Flavor, Flavor, Flavor!
Beans - This recipe uses red kidney beans and black beans. You can use other varieties such as pinto beans or red beans. Do not drain as you will be using the juices from the can in the recipe as well.
Diced tomatoes - I used canned and added its juices.
Tomato Sauce
Corn - This ingredient is optional but I like it.
Jalapeño - For that extra spice.

How to make Chili in the Slow Cooker

This slow cooker chili recipe is so simple to make and takes about 15 minutes to get everything ready and set in the slow cooker where's then going to cook nice and slow for 6 to 8 hours.

Detailed instructions and measurements can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Saute the onion and bell pepper in a bit of vegetable oil until onions are soft. Add garlic, cumin and chili powder and let cook for one more minute.
Add the meat, salt, and pepper. Using a wooden spoon, break up the meat and incorporate it with the vegetables and spices. Let cook until all the meat is brown.
Carefully transfer the meat mixture to a slow cooker. Add beans with their juices, corn, tomato sauce, diced tomato with their juices and jalapeño. Discard the jalapeño seeds if you don't want the Chili to be too hot. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook for about 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

How Long to Slow Cook Chili

Preferably, you want to cook this chili nice and slow on the low setting of your slow cooker for at least 8 hours. If you'd like for it to cook a bit faster, set it to high and cook for at least 6 hours.

Favorite Chili Toppings:

The toppings you use to serve your chili are completely up to preference and can definitely make the dish much more enjoyable. Here are some of our favorite toppings:

Cheese - I prefer mild cheddar cheese, but Colby Jack works as well.
Green onion - always a good choice and adds freshness to the dish. Chopped red onion also works well.
Sour cream - adds great balance to the dish, especially if your chili is more on the spicy side.
Cilantro - adds freshness
Sliced jalapeños - for a bit of crunch and a spicy kick.

Two bowls of slow cooker chili topped with cheese, sour cream and scallions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Make it Ahead of Time?

Yes! You certainly can. This is a great recipe for leftovers or meal prep. Store it in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze it to preserve longer.

How to Freeze Chili

This chili recipe is great for freezer meals. Let the chili cool and store it in an air-tight container before placing it in the freezer. You can also store it in small individual containers for a quick lunch.

Can I Make This Chili on the Stovetop?

If you don't have a slow cooker, you can easily make this chili on the stovetop. Simply saute the onion and bell pepper in a bit of vegetable oil until the onions are soft. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, meat, salt, and pepper. Let cook until all meat is brown. Add corn, tomato sauce, diced tomato with their juices, and jalapeño. Simmer for about 2.5 hours. Add the beans and continue to cook for another 30 to 45 minutes.

Can you make this Chili in an Instant Pot?

You can also make this chili in an electric pressure cooker. First, set your Instant Pot to the sautee mode to cook the onion and peppers, and brown the meat with the spices. Then, add the beans, corn, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and jalapeño.

Cover and set to pressure cook for 20 minutes. When done, let the pressure release naturally before opening the lid. Serve warm with your favorite toppings and a side of this easy and delicious cornbread.

Overhead image of chili served in white bowl with cornbread on the side.

Tips for Cooking Chili

Use two types of ground meat (beef and pork) to give your chili a more delicious and distinctive flavor.
I use 93% lean ground sirloin. It has plenty of flavor without the extra fat.
Use two varieties of beans. I used canned red kidney beans and back beans, but you can add any beans you like such as pinto beans, red beans, etc.
This recipe is more on the mild side. If you'd like it to be spicy, I recommend adding more jalapeño or some red pepper flakes.
Serve with a variety of toppings such as mild cheddar cheese, sour cream, scallions, jalapeño, and/or tortilla chips.
The ingredients in this recipe fill about ¾ of a 6 qt. CrockPot.
You can double the recipe and make a big batch to feed a large crowd of more than 12 people. Keep in mind that if doubling the recipe, you'll need to use two 6 qt. slow cookers.
If your slow cooker has a saute mode, skip cooking the vegetables and browning the meat in a skillet and saute directly on the slow cooker. This way you'll dirty fewer dishes.

Chili served in white bowl topped with cheese, sour cream and scallion.

Other Slow Cooker Recipes You'll Love:

Slow Cooker Carnitas
Slow Cooker Lentil Stew
Slow Cooker Taco Chicken Chili
Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup with Yuca

Print Recipe

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

The best Chili ever! Warm, meaty and full of flavor, this slow cooker Chili is not only extremely delicious but super easy to make. Perfect to feed a crowd!

▢ 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
▢ 1 large yellow onion, diced
▢ 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
▢ 8 garlic cloves, minced
▢ 1 tablespoon of ground cumin
▢ 2 tablespoons chili powder
▢ 1 pound ground beef
▢ 1 pound ground pork
▢ 2 teaspoons salt
▢ 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
▢ 1 (15 ounces) can of red kidney beans
▢ 1 (15 ounces) can of black beans
▢ 1 (15 ounces) can corn, drained
▢ 2 (15 ounces) cans of tomato sauce
▢ 2 (15 ounces) cans of diced tomato
▢ 2 medium jalapeños, diced

For Serving

▢ shredded mild cheddar cheese
▢ sour cream
▢ thinly sliced scallions

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until onions become soft.
Add the garlic, cumin, and chili powder. Mix well to combine the spices. Cook for about one minute.
Add the ground meat (beef and pork), salt, and black pepper to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, break up the meat and incorporate it with the vegetables and spices. Let cook until all meat is brown.
Carefully transfer the meat mixture to a slow cooker. Add beans with their juices, corn, tomato sauce, diced tomato with their juices, and jalapeño. Discard the jalapeño seeds if you don't want the Chili to be too hot. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook for about 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Taste and season with salt as needed.
Serve with cheese, sour cream, and scallions.

The ingredients in this recipe fill about ¾ of a 6 qt. CrockPot.
You can double the recipe to feed a large crowd of more than 12 people. Keep in mind that if doubling the recipe, you'll need to use two 6 qt. slow cookers.
If your slow cooker has a saute mode, skip cooking the vegetables and browning the meat in a skillet and saute directly on the slow cooker. This way you'll dirty fewer dishes.
This is a great recipe for leftovers or meal prep. Store it in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze it to preserve longer.
You can also make this chili in an electric pressure cooker. First, set your Instant Pot to the sautee mode to cook the onion and peppers, and brown the meat with the spices. Then, add the beans, corn, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and jalapeño. Cover and set to pressure cook for 20 minutes. When done, let the pressure release naturally before opening the lid.

*Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in January 2015. It was updated in October 2021 with new photos, a recipe video, and extra notes and tips.

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I'm a working mom, whose love for food led me to start this blog as a resource for other busy parents. I'm passionate about creating quick and easy versions of the recipes I grew up eating to share with busy parents who want to cook foods filled with Latin flavors that don't take a ton of time to prepare.

It is my mission to show you that you can make great flavorful dishes at home without spending the entire day in the kitchen.

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