1. Crumble the raw ground beef into the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, breaking it up with a spoon or your hands so it’s in small pieces.
2. Add the chopped onion over the beef, spreading it out evenly.
3. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and the chili beans with their sauce.
4. Sprinkle the chili seasoning packet over the top, then gently stir everything together until the beef, beans, tomatoes, and onions are well mixed.
5. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours, or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the beef is fully cooked through and the flavors have blended. Stir once or twice during cooking if you’re nearby, breaking up any larger pieces of beef.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, adding a pinch of salt or a bit more chili seasoning if you like more kick. Ladle into bowls and serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Variations & Tips
If you like a little more heat, add a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies in place of one can of regular tomatoes, or stir in a pinch of cayenne or crushed red pepper along with the seasoning mix. For a slightly sweeter, very Midwestern-style chili, add a tablespoon or two of ketchup or a small spoonful of brown sugar before cooking; many church potlucks around here have a version like that. You can swap one can of chili beans for kidney beans or black beans if that’s what you have in the pantry. If you prefer to drain off some fat, brown and crumble the ground beef with the onion in a skillet first, then drain and transfer to the slow cooker before adding the remaining ingredients. To make it stretch for a larger crowd, stir in an extra can of beans or a handful of dry macaroni during the last 30–40 minutes of cooking (add a bit of water if it gets too thick). Leftovers keep well in the fridge for several days and freeze nicely, so consider making a double batch for future easy suppers.
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