Kid-Friendly Taco-Style Beef & Bean Chili

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-06 · Updated 2026-04-06

A mildly spiced, crowd-pleasing chili with ground beef, beans, and corn—no heat but all the flavor kids love. This American-inspired slow-cooker recipe, ready in about 410 minutes, pairs ground beef, olive oil, onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 400 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1.2 lbs ground beef
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large, finely diced onion
• 1, diced green bell pepper
• 3 cloves, minced garlic
• 1 can (15 oz), drained and rinsed kidney beans
• 1 can (15 oz), undrained diced tomatoes
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup, frozen or drained corn kernels

The slow cooker we’d leave this in all day → Best Slow Cookers in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1.2 lbs ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and fully cooked (about 8 minutes). Drain excess fat.
2. Step 2: Add 1 large diced onion, 1 diced green bell pepper, and 3 minced garlic cloves to the skillet, cooking for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
3. Step 3: Transfer the beef mixture to the slow cooker. Add 1 can (15 oz) drained kidney beans, 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
4. Step 4: Stir in 1 cup corn kernels and cover. Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours until flavors are well combined and chili is heated through.