Need a good game day chili recipe? I've got your covered! This healthy, gluten and dairy free recipe is SO simple and scrumptious. Prep time is minimal and little attention is required while chili simmers away in the slow cooker, making your home smell like a dream. This recipe also results in few dirty dishes, which is always a plus! Make it in the crock pot or on the stovetop.
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This is my favorite chili for football season and the super bowl! Enjoy it at home while you watch the big game on T.V., or easily transport it to a tailgating location. I like to use this Crockpot Carrier when we travel with our goods!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
- Lean ground beef: I normally use 93/7% ground beef. If you use a fattier meat, just be sure to drain the excess fats before adding other ingredients. You can sub a different protein if desired. Ground turkey or Italian sausage would both be yummy.
- Large onion: yellow or white both work fine.
- Green bell peppers: red bell pepper also tastes amazing and poblano peppers are a nice substitute.
- Beefsteak tomatoes: or any tomatoes you have on hand.
- Jalapeno peppers: remove the veins and seeds or leave them in to add some heat.
- Beef broth: chicken or veggie broth can be substituted in a pinch.
- Crushed tomatoes: from a can.
- Tomato paste: adds nice depth to chili flavors.
- Diced hatch green chilies: I normally use canned as fresh are only available on occasion.
- Beans: pinto beans, kidney beans, great northern beans and refried beans. Feel free to improvise and use your favorite varieties, sometimes I like to use black beans!
- Brown sugar: optional, but so incredibly delicious!
- Seasonings: chili powder, cumin, paprika, Italian seasonings, garlic powder, cinnamon, salt and black pepper.
How To Make Game Day Chili
Keep scrolling to see the full recipe card and measurements. We'll start here with a quick overview!
- Chop up all of your veggies & brown hamburger meat.
- Put browned hamburger, veggies, beans and all other ingredients into a large crockpot and stir everything up.
- Turn crockpot to your desired setting. Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours, or on high for 2-3!
- Ladle chili into big bowls, serve with desired toppings and enjoy!
Toppings For Chili
- A dollop of sour cream
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Hot sauce
- Chopped cilantro
- Chopped green onions
- Avocado slices
- Jalapeno pepper slices
- Red pepper flakes
- Saltine crackers
- Tortilla strips
- Crushed corn chips
- Fritos
Sides To Serve With Beef Chili
- Corn bread casserole & homemade hot honey
- A simple garden salad
- Garlic bread
- Tortilla chips & salsa
- Homemade guacamole & chips
Handy Tips
- Get creative if you'd like! This recipe is very flexible. Try using different kinds of peppers, beans, tomatoes, onions, spices, etc. I use the combination of beans pictured above because I love a colorful chili. If you don't like one of the types listed, you can absolutely substitute. You might also try substituting ground turkey for beef!
- Tailgating? If you're having friends or family over to join in on Sunday football festivities, you can easily double this recipe and have plenty of food for a crowd, just make sure your crockpot is big enough. Freeze leftovers for easy meals during the week!
- Make it spicy or mild. Removing seeds and veins from jalapeño peppers is a great way to control heat if you don't like spicy food. Leave them in if you like it hot!
- Add salt slowly and taste test. Different brands of broth have different sodium levels so you may prefer less salt than the recipe calls for.
Stovetop Instructions
This classic chili recipe can easily be made on the stovetop. Simply brown / cook beef in a big soup pot or large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add all other ingredients, place a lid on the pot and increase heat to high. Bring ingredients to a boil and then reduce heat to low, simmer for 30-45 minutes. Enjoy!
How To Store Leftovers
Allow leftover chili to cool and then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or freeze for 3-4 months.
Reheat using the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop until warmed through completely.
Everyone knows a big bowl of chili has great flavor the next day, after all of the ingredients have marinated together overnight!
More Easy Crockpot Recipes
- Slow Cooker Potato Soup
- Italian Stuffed Pepper Crockpot Soup
- Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Beef
- Creamy Ham & Bean Soup
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The Best Game Day Chili Recipe
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 1 lb 97/3 lean ground beef
- 1 large yellow onion *diced
- 2 medium green bell peppers *diced
- 2 medium beefsteak tomatoes *diced
- 2 jalapenos *diced *see note below
- 1 15oz can beef broth
- 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can diced hatch green chile peppers
- 2 cans pinto beans
- 1 can dark red kidney beans
- 1 can navy or great northern beans
- 1 can refried beans
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar *light or dark *optional but SO delicious!
Seasonings/Spices
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 & ½ teaspoons salt *see note below
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Optional toppings
- Sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro/green onion, avocado slices, guacamole
Recipe notes:
Jalapeños: we like spicy chili in our home, so when I dice up jalapeños for this recipe, I leave all seeds and veins in the pepper. If you don't like spicy food, remove the seeds and veins. Salt: I typically use around 1 & ½ teaspoons of salt in this recipe, but I recommend adding the salt a little bit at a time and taste testing as the chili cooks to see if it needs more. Canned broths and beans can have different levels of sodium so you may need less! Rice: Have you ever tried chili over rice?! It's so yummy and a popular food pairing. Also, it'll stretch your chili further and create more meals.Instructions
- Dice onion, bell peppers, tomatoes and jalapeños into ¼ to ½ inch pieces. Drain and rinse beans in a colander. Set beans and diced veggies aside.
- Brown hamburger. Once fully cooked, drain excess fats and place hamburger into your crockpot. Add diced veggies, diced tomato, drained/rinsed beans and refried beans to the crockpot.
- Add canned crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, canned hatch green chilies, beef broth, brown sugar, spices and salt.
- Stir all ingredients together, make sure everything is well combined. Turn your crockpot on and allow everything to cook together for around 4-8 hours depending on which crockpot setting you select (low, medium or high). Stir occasionally, wait for onions and peppers to fully soften.
- Once chili is done simmering in the crockpot, serve it up! Top with shredded cheese, sour cream and any other toppings you like!
- Stovetop Instructions
- Brown your ground beef in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat (*Note: this recipe makes quite a lot so find your biggest pot! If you start to have trouble fitting everything, it's okay to cut back on the added beans). Add all other ingredients, place a lid on the pot and bring ingredients to a boil over high heat. Then, reduce heat and simmer 30-45 minutes. Enjoy!
Storage:
- Allow chili to cool and place in an airtight freezer/refrigerator safe container. Freeze for 2-3 months or refrigerate for 2-3 days.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?!
Thank you so much for trying it out – would you leave a rating!? Simply click on the stars in the recipe card above.
Phil says
Taste was good but measurements are a bit off. For my family’s liking, one pound of ground beef to 5 cans of beans seems a little off.
Garlic Salt & Lime says
Thanks for the feedback, Phil! You could totally add another pound of beef to the recipe if you'd like more meat!