26 Slow Cooker Chili Recipes Perfect for a Cozy Night In

Chocolate and chili?! Sounds crazy; tastes crazy-good. Just two ounces of bitter or semisweet chocolate in this slow cooker chili adds richness without making the dish too sweet. The rich flavor and trio of beans in this beef chili make it one of our favorite slow cooker meals ever.

We'll never tire of classic slow cooker chili, but it's always fun to doctor it up. That's exactly what this recipe does, packing tender lamb shoulder, sweet potatoes, and black beans into your bowl. Just before serving, stir in a dash of hot sauce to give it some kick.

Buy It: Crock-Pot 6-Quart Slow Cooker ($50, Target)

Instead of regular tomatoes, tomatillo salsa forms the base for this white chili. This slow cooker white chili with turkey is also filled to the brim with cannellini beans and spelt, an ancient grain making a comeback. You can add a bit of tang to your bowl by sprinkling on chopped red onion (or try quick-pickling them!) before diving in.

For a classic, no-fuss slow cooker chili, give this easy recipe a try. Prep only takes 10 minutes (thanks, canned beans and tomatoes!), and your slow cooker will take care of the rest. If you want to soak up some of the extra broth, make corn bread to serve with your beefy bowl of chili.

Related: Quick and Easy Fall Dinner Recipes Ready in 20 Minutes Flat

The flavors of the fried appetizer you know and love is just as good in chili form. This easy slow cooker chili lets you choose between ground turkey or beef before adding spicy jalapeños and irresistible bacon. The cream cheese and shredded cheddar really take it to the next level. If you don't have time to wait all day, follow the instructions to make this delicious chili in your pressure cooker.

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Here's a fresh take on chili you're going to love. Tender pork loin roast spiced with warm chipotle chile (optional, but recommended) and cumin create a top-notch slow cooker chili recipe. A delicious mango garnish adds a tropical touch to this mouthwatering chili.

Related: 29 Cozy Chili Recipes to Keep You Warm All Season Long

We couldn't pack more veggies into this slow cooker chili recipe if we tried. Along with classic chili ingredients (diced tomatoes, black beans, and chili powder), this slow cooker vegetarian chili features zucchini, green bell peppers, and corn. You'll love this veggie-filled chili so much, you won't even miss the meat.

Related: Our Best Vegetarian Soup Recipes

Instead of the traditional beef, chicken is the star here. Seasoned with chili powder, cumin, fajita seasoning, and garlic, this slow cooker chili recipe packs a powerful punch. To give the chili even more flavor, try topping off your bowl with a dollop of guacamole.

Cannellini beans make this vegetarian chili slow cooker recipe hearty enough to be considered dinner. Of course, you'll get much more than just beans. We also used acorn squash and canned tomatoes to make this recipe chunky and delicious (just the way we like it!). For a cool, creamy finish, serve with a dollop of sour cream mixed with chives.

This delicious slow cooker chili recipe is perfect for your next at-home tailgate party. And if you happen to be a Texas chili fan, you'll appreciate this hearty mix is bean-free. It's still full of rich flavor thanks to dried plums and a pinch of bittersweet chocolate. Those might sound like strange ingredients for a chili recipe, but you can trust us that the result is a rich and mouthwatering chili you'll make every year.

The fast or slow in the title means you can make this chili recipe in the Instant Pot or slow cooker to fit your schedule. What makes this white chili recipe stand out from others is the addition of fresh poblano chili peppers, which adds just the right amount of mild heat.

Related: 17 Instant Pot Soups, Stews, and Chilis for a Quick Comforting Meal in a Bowl

Want to know the secret to this slow cooker chili? Unsweetened cocoa powder! The cocoa adds richness, while hot chili powder gives this dish a spicy kick. And before popping this chili in your slow cooker, quickly sauté the ground beef, onions, bell peppers, and garlic to enhance their flavors.

The warm kick in this slow cooker chili comes from cumin and green salsa. Plus, it's different from other chili recipes because it uses chicken breast instead of ground meat. If you have leftovers, you can store this slow cooker meal in the refrigerator for up to three days or freeze it for a future busy night.

Related: 17 Spicy Chicken Recipes That Are Better Than Takeout

For a make-ahead meal idea, consider this irresistible slow cooker chili recipe. A blend of poblano pepper, bell pepper, and garlic adds tons of flavor to ground pork before resting in your fridge overnight with the beans and spices. When game day arrives, all you have to do is plug-in your slow cooker.

Buy It: Cuisinart Mini Prep Food Processor ($35, Bed Bath & Beyond)

This chili is delicious is on its own, but the cheesy corn bread dumplings make it unbeatable. You can even make the dumplings in your slow cooker! Just add in the dough at the very end, and cook the chili with the dumplings on top for the last 20 to 25 minutes.

Related: Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes That Make Nutritious Eating Easy

If you're missing summer barbecue in the middle of winter, serve up summer flavors in this BBQ slow cooker chili. The sweet and spicy blend is full of chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and molasses. With three different kinds of beans and the addition of smoky bacon, this flavorful slow cooker chili recipe will surely become a family favorite.

Perfect for the holidays or just a cold day, this hearty chili will warm you up in a hurry. Switch up this classic chili recipe and try using chuck roast instead of ground beef. Each bite of this slow cooker chili will also have a bit of smoky kick, thanks to chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

We don't call this recipe "green chili" for nothing! Tomatillos and fresh spinach leaves help give this slow cooker chili its signature hue. Tender pork roast and navy beans make this slow cooker chili super satisfying on even the coldest days.

Related: Healthy Soups, Stews, and Chilis to Warm You from the Inside Out

Look out: This chili has attitude! Diced green chiles and picante sauce give it a spicy kick, while three different kinds of beans help make this meatless chili heartier. Of course, the deliciousness doesn't stop there. Brown rice and a sprinkle of roasted pumpkin seeds on top make this slow cooker chili recipe unlike any other.

This chili has all the flavor of tacos with none of the hassle. Add just five ingredients to your slow cooker and let them cook for a few hours, and this no-fuss chili is ready to serve! If you want to make this slow cooker chili even more tacolike, try crushing up a few hard taco shells or tortilla chips to sprinkle on top.

This slow cooker chicken chili may be simple, but it's full of flavor. Chicken and white kidney beans boost the protein count, while fresh jalapeño chile peppers give it a firey kick. If you want to take this slow cooker chili to the next level, top it off with sliced tomatoes, green onion, and cheese.

Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients. This slow cooker chili recipe is well worth your time. Allow your chili to simmer all day, then add the corn bread batter directly on top of your chili to create the perfect side dish pairing.

Test Kitchen Tip: If you're in a hurry, go ahead and skip roasting the peppers and garlic. Simply add them (chopped) along with the rest of the ingredients.

This chili is so easy, you could (almost) make it in your sleep. After cooking the ground beef and onion in a skillet, just combine the rest of the ingredients in your slow cooker, set it, and forget it. This slow cooker chili only needs five ingredients (you likely have some of them on hand already!), so it won't take you much time at all to pull together your comforting meal.

This slow cooker chili recipe will remind you of a Thanksgiving feast. Full of turkey, butternut squash, corn, and cranberries, you'll crave this chili recipe year-round. And since it only takes 25 minutes of prep, this slow cooker chili is much easier to make on a cold winter night than an entire holiday dinner.

Related: Winter Slow Cooker Recipes to Survive the Season

For a vegetarian meal that brings the heat, this is the slow cooker chili recipe for you. It's got hot pepper sauce AND cayenne pepper to tantalize your taste buds. Note: the recipe has Worcestershire sauce (which is usually made with anchovies), so make sure your sauce vegan/vegetarian for the meat-free eaters.

Full of the ground beef and red beans we love, this zesty chili has a south-of-the-border twist. Use Mexican-style stewed tomatoes and diced green chile peppers to give this chili its unique flavor (cumin and chili powder also play a part). And don't forget to add a dollop of sour cream on top.