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Slow Cooker Chili Bar

Oct 12, 2021 · 16 Comments

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When you’re looking to feed a crowd and you’re just not sure what to make, I’m here to tell you that the way to go is 100% a slow cooker chili bar! The best slow cooker chili recipe is surrounded by chili toppings so everyone can make their perfect bowl of chili.

Chili bar ingredients this image

Everyone loves chili, and with a bunch of different toppings, there is something for even the pickiest of eaters!

You know at a party when everyone seems to congregate in the kitchen regardless of what’s going on in the rest of the house?  Well, with the slow cooker chili bar, you don’t have to worry about that because everything can be made ahead of time AND since it’s a slow cooker recipe, you just set it and forget it and it cooks itself.

Spoonful of chili

What ingredients do you need to make chili?

  • Lean ground beef
  • Red or yellow onion
  • Garlic cloves
  • Chipotles in adobo
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Beef broth
  • Black beans
  • Kidney beans
  • White beans – such as cannellini or navy beans
  • Chili powder
  • Cumin
  • Garlic salt
  • Hot paprika

Ingredients for slow cooker chili bar

What about the toppings for the slow cooker chili bar?

  • Tortilla chips
  • Fritos
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Lime wedges
  • Avocado
  • Cilantro
  • Corn bread muffins or these amazing dipping sticks
  • Jalapeños
  • Tater tots
  • Green onions

Slow Cooker chili bar

The chili cooks itself to perfection in the slow cooker. This – I actually have two of the exact same ones, just different colors and am thinking of getting a third, because they’re so awesome for parties.

What other slow cooker recipes are great for a party?

  • Slow cooker cheesy potatoes – only 5 ingredients
  • 3 ingredient pulled pork – perfect for sandwiches or to add on top of nachos
  • Qdoba Queso – a recipe re-creation that everyone loves

Bowl of chili with toppings

This chili has just the right combination of beans and a perfect hint of spice.  And when you’re cooking it, be sure to cook for 8 hours on low.  I find that that timing really helps the sauce thicken up and really come together.

The best ever crock pot chili for a partyNow I’d love to know – what are your favorite chili toppings?

Other recipes you might enjoy:

  • Easy Chili Con Carne Made in an Instant Pot or Crockpot
  • Vegan Red Lentil Chili
Chili bar ingredients

Slow Cooker Chili Bar

A slow cooker chili bar is perfect for a crowd and great for a party.
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Print Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours hours
Inactive Time: 13 hours hours 12 minutes minutes
Total Time: 21 hours hours 27 minutes minutes
Servings: 10 people

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients

For the chili:

  • 2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1 red or yellow onion medium, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 Tbs. chipotles in adobo chopped (I used about 1 chipotle, use more if you like spicy)
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes 15 oz. each
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 cans black beans 15 oz. each, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can kidney beans 15 oz. can, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can white beans 15 oz cans (such as cannellini or navy), drained and rinsed
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 2 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. garlic salt
  • 1 tsp. hot paprika

Chili toppings:

  • green onions
  • cilantro
  • jalapeno slices
  • avocado slices
  • cheddar cheese shredded
  • sour cream
  • tater tots or fries
  • corn bread muffins
  • tortilla chips
  • fritos

Instructions

  • Put first three ingredients in a slow cooker (ground beef, chopped onion, garlic cloves) and break up the meat either with a spoon or with your hands. I just use my hands and massage the meat to break it up and incorporate the onions.
  • Add all remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and turn on low and cook for 8 hours.
  • A few times throughout cooking, stir the chili and break up the meat.
  • Chili will thicken towards the end. Turn slow cooker setting on warm, and you can leave the chili in the slow cooker for hours and keep it nice and warm for guests. Serve with toppings of choice.
    Slow Cooker chili bar

Notes

The nutrition information presented on this site should be considered an estimate as the calculations will change based on the exact products you use in your own kitchen.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 407mg | Potassium: 866mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 797IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 6mg

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Beef, Blog Posts, Gluten-Free, How to, Main Meals, Party, Recipes, Slow cooker/crock pot chili bar, crock pot chili for a party, how to make a chili bar, party food, slow cooker chili, slow cooker party chili recipe, slow cooker recipes for a party, what to make

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rebecca says

    January 9, 2020 at 11:45 am

    Hi there, I love this idea and am going to make a chili bar for my son’s 1st birthday party. I’m curious about how many people does this chili recipe feed? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      January 21, 2020 at 8:43 pm

      So sorry i’m only responding now…i’d say this comfortably serves 8-10

      Reply
  2. Barb says

    June 23, 2019 at 1:36 pm

    The chili recipe says to drain and rinse the black beans. Am I also supposed to drain and rinse the kidney and cannelli beans also? Or do I put the juices in the cooker also.

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      June 23, 2019 at 2:01 pm

      I like to drain and rinse all the beans (you could leave the juices though and it would be fine!) I’ll edit the recipe right away, thanks for pointing that out. I think you’ll absolutely love this recipe!

      Reply
  3. Agness of Run Agness Run says

    October 18, 2017 at 11:11 am

    Yummy! This dish is so palatable and appetizing. I can’t wait to give it a try. Excellent party dish!

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      October 24, 2017 at 9:13 am

      It’s definitely awesome for a party, I think you’ll love it 🙂

      Reply
  4. Sues says

    October 11, 2017 at 11:49 am

    This is such a heavenly idea for a fall/winter party! Also kind of a fabulous idea for just me and my husband 🙂

    Reply
    • Sweetphi says

      October 11, 2017 at 12:53 pm

      My hubby has requested this just for the two of us too, in that case I just 1/2 the recipe and only make our favorite toppings (fritos and sour cream with an avocado for me lol)! Btw, I’m totally reading through your book list and totally loving it, I’m 2 books in and am finishing a 3rd tonight!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Catching up with the Kelnhofers-80 - Sweetphi says:
    February 21, 2021 at 8:58 am

    […] (chili with dippers which were rolled up tortillas filled with cheese). Yes, I could have made my slow cooker chili recipe and cheesy naan for dipping, but it was nice to not have to think about it and to have all the […]

    Reply
  2. Cheesy Jalapeno Pull Apart Bread - Sweetphi says:
    November 11, 2020 at 3:28 pm

    […] The recipe remains the same and is such a good bread for having as a side to soups (especially this easy chili con carne or show cooker chili.) […]

    Reply
  3. Recipes to Make with Canned Food - Sweetphi says:
    March 18, 2020 at 10:03 am

    […] Slow cooker chili […]

    Reply
  4. Catching Up With The Kelnhofers-25 - Sweetphi says:
    February 9, 2020 at 1:27 pm

    […] How to Make a Slow Cooker Chili Bar […]

    Reply
  5. The Best BBQ & Sides for a March Madness Party - Sweetphi says:
    December 4, 2019 at 9:38 pm

    […] How to make a slow cooker chili bar for a party […]

    Reply
  6. Football Party Snack Ideas- Qdoba Chips and Dips - Sweetphi says:
    December 1, 2019 at 4:38 pm

    […] How to make a slow cooker chili bar for a party […]

    Reply
  7. Easy Chili Con Carne - made in an Instant Pot or Crockpot - Sweetphi says:
    September 17, 2019 at 5:42 pm

    […] ever had chili con carne? It’s super flavorful beef chili with no beans! And while I love a slow cooker chili with beans, sometimes you just want something quicker and different. So today I’m going to […]

    Reply
  8. Easy Sweet Potato Cornbread Muffins - Sweetphi says:
    November 5, 2018 at 3:05 pm

    […] Slow cooker chili […]

    Reply

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