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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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.
Sauce says
Pretty good. I subbed the bell pepper for a mirepoix (used that to count as the onion as well) due to my distaste for peppers, and it turned out great. I also added 1/4 tsp of unsweetened cocoa powder, which gave it a rich taste.
Kellie Theriault says
This is always my go to Chili recipe. Absolutely delicious.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Kellie,
Welcome to the blog. This is my go to everyday chili.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Jes says
Hi! I’m excited to try this chili. If I wanted to cook it for a shorter amount of time, would 4 hours on high still work? Thank you!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Jes,
Welcome to the blog.
Yes, 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. The instructions have not changed. Think of it as simmer for flavor. You can stop early if you want as long as the added veggies are tender but the flavor won't come together as much—only a little difference.
Dan
Don K says
Excellent small batch chili ! Living in Central Texas and being two "mature" culinary rebels in our area, we do like the beans in our chili - to the chagrin of some of our other local Texicans. I made a little change and one addition to your recipe. I reduced the chili power to 2 1/2 tablespoons, and omitted the optional cayenne pepper. Since we had a few ripe jalapenos in our heat tortured garden, I took one of them (about 3 inch long) and roasted it on the grill - charring it well. After sweating the jalapeno and removing the char / skin, I seeded and chopped about 2/3 of the jalapeno and added it to the recipe. The result was a "warmer" chili without being "hot". It seems the charred jalapeno is a bit sweeter and has a little less "heat" versus "raw". We added jalapeno cornbread (also with charred jalapenos) to complete the meal for the two of us. Great recipe, Dr. Dan. We always enjoy your great guidance in all of your recipes we have tried (and we have tried lots and lots of them!).
Keep cooking !
Don K
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Don,
Welcome to the blog and thanks for the note. It is good to have feedback. This chili is one of our favorite. I do have a very nice Texas chili around here you may enjoy—add beans if you want.
Dan
Izzy says
SO GOOD AND EASY! First time making chili in my little slow cooker from my grandma and it was amazing! Upon taking his first bite, I’m pretty sure my boyfriend caught a glimpse of heaven. Super easy recipe to remember, as well. 100/10! Definitely going to add this to my personal cookbook. :)
Don says
What kind of green pepper are you saying? Green Bell or something with a little heat?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Don,
Welcome to the blog.
It is a bell pepper and I just edited the post to clarify. You can add something with some heat but thus is a small recipe so half a jalapeño is the most I would do. I usually stay with adjusting the cayenne pepper in smaller recipes.
Dan
Art says
1.5 tablespoons chili powder in the 2 quart crock, way to much.
Could not eat it.
Reduce to 1/2 teaspoon maybe.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Art,
The recipe is correct. That level of chili powder went back many years and was based on a Carroll Shelby Chili copycat. It provides a full deep chili taste that we and many others enjoy. But this is home cooking and feel free to change things to your taste.
Dan
Rae says
I made this recipe for my office's chili cookoff...and won!!! I've never made chili before, but your recipe was very clear and turned out so well. I doubled the recipe, used 8 cloves of garlic (I love garlic), added a pinch of paprika, an extra 1/3 C of water and ~teaspoon of vegetable Better Than Bouillon. I was able to fit the doubled recipe in my 3qt crock pot and, luckily, nothing exploded. Thank you for sharing and helping me feel like a big winner today—I'm so proud!
Leanna G says
Can I make this without beans and what would you suggest? My husband wants chili without beans.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Leanna,
Welcome to the blog.
You can always leave out the beans but it will be a "hole" in the recipe. May I suggest a Texas chili which are generally made without beans.
My version of Texas chili is https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/spicy-3-chilies-texas-chili-la-crock/ . Like this recipe, it is for a smaller crockpot but also has stovetop instructions. It can easily be scaled to a larger size if needed.
It does not use ground beef but you can substitute ground for the beef chunks as long as you brown and drain it first. Also, there are three types of chili peppers that can be changed around for various heat levels and taste. It is one of my favorites.
Hope that helps.
Dan
Hollie Climer says
Is it tomato paste or tomato sauce
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Hollie,
Welcome to the blog.
No sauce, there is diced tomatoes and tomato paste.
Dan
Leslie says
This was excellent! The spice blend is perfect. I used 1 can of light red kidney beans, 2 cans of great northern, 2 cans of diced tomatoes 3/4 lbs of hamburger and then added a few jalapeños. All veggies I dumped into the in crock pot raw, only the hamburger I cooked separately. It was a hit in my household! I will absolutely be making again!
Lauren says
This chili was perfect! I followed the recipe exactly and couldn't have been happier. For some reason, chili sometimes turns out soupy/liquidy, but this was a nice, hearty chili. My husband said the thinks it's the best one I've made!
Hayley says
Hi there. I LOVE this recipe! Super similar to what my mom made growing up. I’m confused on the calories. Is it 50,000 calories a serving?!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Hayley,
Welcome to the blog.
I have this chili on my list to make for this weekend.
About the calories. What most people call a "calorie" is really a kilocalorie (kcal) scientifically. So it is 350 kgal or 350 calories if you use the common but incorrect term. When talking to other doctors or diatians, I would usually say kcal, but if talking with patients, I would use the term calories.
Here, the software is from Europe and uses kcal. I have not changed their default term.
Dan
PS I have added a space between the number and the term that may help others.
Roger says
Well I tried two of yours recipes the last couple of days. The country style spare ribs and crock pot chili (on the stove top) Both are keepers. I live by myself and these cooking for two recipes come in handy, the only time I cook bigger meals is when my kids and grand kids come back home a few times a year.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Roger,
Welcome to the blog.
I'm so glad you are finding it useful. It is very hard to cook for one. In fact, it is hard to cook for two and you will see lots of recipes that have leftovers.
This chili is one I really like. I get a bit attached to recipes that are totally my development and come out well.
Thanks for the note and rating. Be sure to ask if you have questions or comments.
Dan
Roger Crawford says
What would change to make on top of stove instead of crock pot?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Roger,
Welcome to the blog.
OK, I haven't done a stovetop chili for 4-5 years. But I would do it basically the same but simmer covered for about 1 hour. Check the green pepper to see if it is ready. One hour or a little less is enough for the flavors to come together nicely but the pepper will be the last thing done.
If you skip the pepper. As little as 30 minutes will be good but 1 hour would be better.
Again, be sure to cover and be at a low simmer.
Dan
Matthew Telander says
This recipe is on my bookmarked favorites. Thanks
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Matthew,
Welcome to the blog.
I do love this chili.
Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan