Easy to make and one of the best homemade chilies, this small-batch crock pot chili recipe is versatile—you can make chili for two in a mini crock pot or larger for a crowd. It's a classic recipe with ground beef, a mildly spicy tomato-based sauce, and tender beans.
Ingredients
Ground beef
Aromatics—onion and garlic
Tomato—paste and diced
Beans—kidney or other
Bell pepper—optional
Spices—chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper (optional)
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Featured comment from Rae: "Five stars. I made this recipe for my office's chili cookoff...and won!!! "
My wife wanted "a great everyday chili." This "All-American" chili has ground beef, kidney beans, traditional chili spicing, and tomato-based sauce. It's perfect for every day, tailgating, or a family get-together.
A small batch recipe that makes 6 cups of chili (about 4 servings), so it is the "perfect chili for two" and smaller households. It fits in a mini crock pot (2 quarts) but is easy to double or triple in size.
👨🍳How to Make Crock Pot Chili—Step-by-Step
1. Use ground beef or other ground meat. This recipe fits in a 2-quart mini crock pot but can also be made in a bigger one.
2. Chop half of the green bell pepper and a small onion. Rinse and drain one can of light kidney beans.
3. Brown 1 pound of ground beef. After 3-4 minutes, add 1 small chopped onion (½ cup). Near the end of browning, add minced or crushed garlic. The total browning time is about 8 minutes. Drain and add to the crock pot.
4. Add one 14-oz can of diced tomatoes, half a 6-oz can of tomato paste, ½ cup water, 3 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon salt (to taste), ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional and adjust to taste).
5. Cook covered on low for 8 hours or 4 hours on high.
6. Served topped with shredded cheese or there toppings.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
🥣Variations and ingredient options
Meat: This recipe is based on ground beef, but you can use any other ground meat, like turkey or chicken. Each will have a slightly different taste profile, but the spices and tomato products will even things out.
Spices: Adjust the heat with cayenne pepper or add half a jalapeno pepper.
Vegetables: You can modify the beans, remove the bell pepper, or make other changes.
Tomato products: Diced tomatoes make the base for the chili. Tomato paste is added to boost the tomato taste and some sweetness.
Thickness: This is a thick chili, but you can add more water or beef broth if you like your chili more like soup.
Other small crock pot chili recipes
This chili recipe is one of many small crock pot recipes for chili, which includes Salsa Verde Chicken Chili, Healthy White Chicken Chili, Stew Meat Chili, and Crock Pot Texas Chili.
Small Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
This easy-to-make homemade chicken chili is my best chicken chili. Only 5 ingredients are needed: shredded chicken, white beans, salsa, cheese, and cumin to make this dump-and-go small-batch white chicken chili recipe, which can win the office chili cookoff.
♨️Adjusting recipe size and different crock pot sizes
This is scaled for small crock pots. A crock pot should be no more than 75% full. You can always use a larger crock pot, which may cook slightly faster.
If you make this single-batch recipe as written, you will have half a pepper and some tomato paste left over. Both will freeze well. Chop the pepper before freezing. With the tomato paste, make one tablespoon-size mound and freeze it for future use.
A single recipe makes 6 cups of chili. The serving size is about 1 ½ cups.
- A 2-quart is the smallest you should use for a single recipe.
- You can also make a half recipe with a smaller slow cooker, but the smaller crock pots tend to have temp control issues, so be careful.
- A double recipe needs 4 quarts or larger.
- A triple recipe fits in a crock pot of 6 quarts or larger.
- You can always use a bigger crockpot than required, but a very small recipe in a large crock pot may cook faster.
To adjust the recipe card:
- Use the recipe card and adjust the number of servings.
- Use the amount of ingredients in the ingredient list, not the instructions—those do not adjust.
Approximate yield of chopped onion using different onion sizes.
- A small onion, about the size of a lemon, will yield about ½ cup of chopped onion.
- A medium onion, about the size of a baseball, will yield about 1 cup of chopped onion.
- A large onion, about the size of a grapefruit, will yield about 2 cups of chopped onion.
Serving toppings and sides
Top with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado slices, and sliced green onions.
Serve with Old Fashioned Cornbread or Cornmeal Biscuits.
Storage of leftovers
Seal leftovers in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 4 days or freeze for 4 months.
To reheat, thaw frozen chili overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop or in a microwave.
❓FAQs
Ground meat needs to be precooked for crock pot recipes. This is not a safety thing but a texture thing. While the meat will cook well past the 165° safe temperature in the slow cooker, it will cook in clumps and not break apart, which you want for a good chili texture. Also, fat and juices will not be drained.
Chili can get out of hand on sodium content. Don't add additional salt if you are salt-sensitive. It can always be added at serving.
Rinsing the beans helps reduce the sodium, so use low-sodium beans. If you add broth to thin the chili, use low-sodium broth.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Have you tried this recipe, or have a question? Join the community discussion in the comments.
📖 Recipe
Small Crock Pot Chili
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Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion - ½ cup chopped
- 1 clove garlic - minced or crushed
- 14 oz light kidney beans - low sodium, rinsed, and drained.
- ½ green bell pepper
- 14 oz diced tomatoes
- 3 oz tomato paste
- ½ cup water
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional and adjust to taste
Instructions
- Use ground beef or other ground meat. This recipe fits in a 2-quart mini crock pot but can also be made in a bigger one.
- Chop half of the green bell pepper and a small onion. Rinse and drain one can of light kidney beans.
- Brown 1 pound of ground beef. After 3-4 minutes, add 1 small chopped onion (½ cup). Near the end of browning, add minced or crushed garlic. The total browning time is about 8 minutes. Drain and add to the crock pot.
- Add one 14-oz can of diced tomatoes, half a 6-oz can of tomato paste, ½ cup water, 3 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon salt (to taste), ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional and adjust to taste).
- Cook covered on low for 8 hours or 4 hours on high.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- This is scaled for a smaller crock pot. A 2-quart is the smallest you should use. A double recipe needs 4 quarts or larger. A triple recipe fits in a crock pot of 6 quarts or larger. I always do a double batch.
- Use ground turkey or chicken if you wish.
- A small onion is ½ cup chopped. A medium onion is 1 cup chopped.
- Precook the ground meat since uncooked ground meat will clump.
- Rinsing the beans will decrease the sodium load.
- Add salt to taste only.
- This is a thick chili. Add more water or beef broth if you like your chili more like a soup.
- The serving size is about 1 ½ cups.
- Good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and will freeze well for 3-4 months.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
© 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.
Editor's Note: Originally published January 19, 2015. The text and options have been expanded. I have published it now as a smaller recipe. I generally make a double batch, and that was initially published. I have also refreshed all the photos and added a table of contents to help with navigation. Please enjoy this excellent chili.
Tom says
I've made this recipe a few times now. I have found that you can up the recipe to between 12-14 servings in a standard full size crockpot. Living in an irish family, no one can handle anything spicy so I cut back to just a pinch of cayenne. I also cut back about 15-20% on the chili powder and subbed half of that with taco seasoning. Finally, I like to do half black and half light kidney beans. Recipe is great as written, just my pallet adjustment.
The recipe freezes and reheats extremely well. I often freeze a few servings to have for lunch on a cold day.
Jasmine says
Can this recipe be made in an instant pot instead?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Jasmine,
Welcome to the blog.
I'm sure it would but I rarely use a pressure cooker. I suspect about 1 hour would do it but please compare to simular recipes.
Dan
Hayley says
Man, I haven't lived with my mom (or had her chili) in 8 years now, and I was really starting to miss it. For some reason, chili is the one thing I don't settle on: its gotta be moms or better, or I don't want it!
I don't tweak this recipe at all and it turns out just like hers, everytime. This recipe is my favorite comfort of all time. I brought a bowl over to my dad and he demanded I send him the link, and the past year both of us have been lovin this recipe. And I'm sure for many years to come. Thank you for sharing this recipe! I'll definitely have to give some of your other chilis a go!
Tigger says
Just made this recipe for the first time for my boyfriend and I and it is definitely a keeper! For easy to prepare. My boyfriend loved it! I can't wait to make it my next family pot luck.
Diane says
Thank you ..... my husband loved the chili 😊
I only used pinto beans & made two crockpots of chili as a side for Mother’s Day... I look forward to trying your other recipes ! So easy to make too!
Doug says
Made this on a snow and it was great! Not easy to make a "small" crock pot of chili but this recipe halved quite nicely. Substituted Bush's seasoned black beans and added a diced fire roasted Hatch green chili for added heat. It is a keeper.
Tor Hembre says
I am a Norwegian guy, been living in Texas since 2011, and I finally decided to cook a chili. Been looking around for recipes , and when I found this one, why not! Got everything I needed, so started to put stuff together today, and after 8 hours I finally go t to taste it. I love it, my wife love it, but the only thing I don't liked was the wait! 8 hours of delicious smell, without being able to dig into it...... Really happy , it was easy, good and will def make it again ! Thanks !!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Tor,
Welcome to the blog.
Glad you enjoyed the chili. I'm surprised it, I thought in Texas, you had to eat chili weekly. It's the law, I thought. Just kidding....
This is our favorite chili most of the time. You can cook it on high for 4 hours or simmer in a large pot on the stove top for about 2 hours.
Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Linda says
I don't like diced tomatoes l can I use tomatoe sauce so no chunks? ( I even pull beans out and give to my husband). I have been looking to find a recipe just for the two of us. If I wanted leftovers after our dinner should I double
this or does a single recipe have leftovers ?Thanks Linda
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Linda,
Welcome to the blog.
First, using sauce instead of diced tomatoes is fine. A serving size, as written, is about 1 1/2 cups. Since it is 4 servings, you should have leftovers of that is what you eat. I generally eat more, so I always make this double so we have several meals.
Dan
Tom says
How would you recommend reheating this chili after its been frozen?
DrDan says
Hi Tom,
Welcome to the blog.
I prefer to thaw things with beans before reheating. So I usually move chili from the freezer to the refrigerator for a day. Then reheating in a microwave if 1 or 2 servings. If more, then stovetop.
It's always easier to reheat something that is not rock hard frozen also.
Thanks for the question and rating.
Dan
Lynda says
I don’t have any tomato paste in the house; what Can I use for a substitute?
DrDan says
Hi Lynda,
Welcome to the blog. You can use tomato sauce or even crushed or diced tomatoes. Use a 14-16 oz can and leave the cup of water out.
Also, to my taste, I find tomato paste adds a touch of sweetness. You should taste test near the end of cooking and add a touch of sugar if you want. About 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon would do.
Dan
Jean says
Perfect! Worked well in my 4 qt. Crockpot.
Lance Love says
Thanks for putting up the recipe. I have ground chicken instead of beef, any adjustments because the protein is changed?
DrDan says
Hi Lance,
Welcome to the blog.
The chicken should work fine without adjustments. It will taste a bit different but a lot of the taste here is from the spices.
Dan
Elliott Humrich says
I'm annoyed because I'm came hear looking for "cooking for two" which is what your website calls itself! This is clearly for 8 to 10 people! How can I get this down to two??
DrDan says
Hi Elliott,
Welcome to the blog.
You can find the discussion about recipe sizes at https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/recipes-not-two-servings/ Basically, it comes down most of the time to the "lowest component". In this case, one pepper and one can of tomato paste. Most will want to use the full ingredient instead of a fraction that may get tossed.
This recipe will refrigerate well for 4 days and freeze will for months.
This recipe, like all recipes on this site, have an adjustment feature you can use to adjust the components to the amount you want. It does not adjust the text of the directions, however.
Hope that helps.
Dan
J Moya says
Just adjust the “servings” in the “Adjust Serving Size” section....
Lisa says
If I half this do I still need to cook it for 8hours?
DrDan says
Hi Lisa,
Welcome to the blog.
Yep do the 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high. You are getting the flavors to combine.
Dan
Beverly Barndt says
Rockstar, I just broke the insert of my crockpot! What are the stove top directions for how long to cook???? Making this tomorrow. Thanks so much for your time Beverly
DrDan says
Hi Beverly,
Cook the beef and onion in a large dutch oven. Drain then add everything else. Simmer covered for about 1-2 hours.
Dan
Beverly Barndt says
O M G thanks soooo much!!! I was soooo excited that you answered me my honey is like what what! I was Like O M G He answered me!!!
Mary says
Can't wait to try this recipe. Do you drain the can of diced tomatoes or add the entire contents, juice and all?
DrDan says
Hi Mary
Welcome to the blog
Just dump it in
Dan
Ashley says
What would cooking time be on high? Looking to make this but don’t have the 8hours need for low cooking
DrDan says
Hi Ashley
Welcome to the blog
4 hrs on high should be fine.
Dan