Ground Beef Chili (Slow Cooker)

5 from 1 vote

This healthy Ground Beef Chili recipe is made in the slow cooker with beans, corn, peppers, and masa harina. It's full of Southwest flavors!

Prep Time15

Cook Time6 30

Total Time6 45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: slow cooker chili, crockpot chili, Southwest chili, beef chili

Servings:

Calories: 274kcal

Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color). Mince 1 jalapeno pepper (remove seeds and membranes for less heat). Feel free to keep the seeds and membranes for a spicier chili.
Alternately, you can leave out the jalapeno pepper altogether.
Dice 1 bell pepper and 1 poblano pepper (remove seeds and membranes for less heat).
Heat a skillet to medium-high and add 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Once heated, add the minced garlic, onions, and jalapeno pepper. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
Add 2 lbs. lean ground beef (or ground meat of choice) to the skillet along with ½ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper. Break the meat apart with a spatula as it cooks.
Sauté the ground beef for 10-12 minutes on medium-high, or until it is completely cooked through. Drain the excess fat from the meat and discard.

Drain and rinse 1 15 oz. can of pinto beans and 1 15 oz. can of black beans (or pinto beans) to remove any excess salt.
Place the cooked ground beef mixture in the slow cooker, along with the diced bell and poblano peppers, the drained and rinsed beans, and 2 cups frozen corn. Pour 1 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes (drain any liquid from the can of tomatoes first) and 2 cups of crushed tomatoes into the slow cooker.
Add 2 Tbsp. chili powder, 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika, 2 tsp. cumin, and ½ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper to the slow cooker.
Pour 3 cups low sodium beef broth into the slow cooker and stir all of the ingredients together until completely combined.
Place the lid tightly on the slow cooker and cook on 'High' for 4-5 hours or 'Low' for 6-8 hours.
Remove 1 cup of broth from the slow cooker with a measuring cup. Add ¼ cup masa harina to the broth and stir together with a small whisk or fork until combined (these two ingredients will form a paste).
Pour the masa paste into the slow cooker 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time and stir until completely combined. Replace the lid and cook for another 30 minutes or until ready to serve.
To Serve: Serve with toppings of choice such as shredded cheese or queso fresco, sliced avocado, cilantro, diced onions or scallions, sour cream, tortilla chips or corn tortillas, and a squeeze of lime (optional).

Increase the amount of masa flour if you feel that the chili needs to thicken even more.

You can substitute corn starch for masa harina, but the flavor will be altered slightly. Use the same amount corn starch as the masa harina.

If you don't have masa harina, you can use ¼ cup of tomato paste to thicken the chili. If you like a thicker consistency, feel free to add more.

Feel free to use regular paprika instead of smoked paprika for a less 'smoky' flavor.

Nutrition information does not include toppings.