Slow-Cooker Beef Chili with Kidney Beans

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-14 · Updated 2026-04-14

A deeply flavored, one-pot chili simmered to perfection in a slow cooker, featuring tender beef and kidney beans with warm spices. This American-inspired slow-cooker recipe, ready in about 380 minutes, pairs ground beef, onion, garlic for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 410 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 lb ground beef
• 1 medium, diced onion
• 2 cloves, minced garlic
• 1, diced bell pepper
• 1 can (15 oz), drained and rinsed kidney beans
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Brown 1 lb ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
2. Step 2: Add 1 medium onion, diced, and 2 cloves garlic, minced, to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 1 bell pepper, diced, and cook for 2 more minutes. Add 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed, 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, 6 oz tomato paste, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, and 1 1/2 cups beef broth.
4. Step 4: Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, then transfer the mixture to a slow cooker.
5. Step 5: Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or until flavors are fully integrated and beef is tender.