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Having a go-to chili recipe in your back pocket is always a good idea. Whether it’s a recipe using ground beef and pinto beans or one that incorporates chicken and black beans, chili is something that is both quick and easy to make. And slow cooker chili with bacon? It’s the perfect bowl of sweet chili for anytime of year!
Easy To Make Slow Cooker Chili With Bacon Plus A Secret Ingredient
I know that it’s now March and that means that it’s the month that is typically all about corned beef and cabbage. (At least that is happening later this week.) It’s also usually the time of year when the weather starts to warm up. But right now in St. Louis? It’s still very much cold outside. As in over the weekend it was sleeting, Monday there were snowflakes in the air and so far this week around 43 degrees has been the high. Sure the cold precipitation falling from the sky didn’t accumulate on roadways or yards, the ground is far too warm for that, but it is most definitely feeling frigid outside.
St. Louis isn’t alone in these later than usual cold fronts. And that means it’s still the perfect time of year for a delicious bowl of chili!
Just one of the many great things about fall is enjoying a bowl of soup or classic chili that’s perfect for the season. In all honesty you don’t have to wait for a cold day to enjoy either though. Chili is also a great option for cooking over the camp fire.
Don’t miss out on the other slow cooker recipes (and even some delicious Instant Pot recipes) on the Seeing Dandy blog!
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What is the secret to making good chili?
The secret ingredient for the perfect chili is dark chocolate. Just a couple squares add a great flavor. And your guests will have no idea your chili has chocolate in it!
Crockpot Chili Recipe
This is by far the best chili recipe that I’ve ever made. It’s my mom’s recipe but I switched out bacon for the ground beef and then added some sugar and brown sugar to create a sweet taste… with the secret ingredient of course! Simple ingredients and the perfect base for using different kinds of meat. Such an easy chili recipe, too. It doesn’t take a lot of time when it comes to preparation. Just dump everything into a slow cooker and allow the flavors to mix together.
Chili Ingredients:
1 yellow onion
1-2 lbs precooked bacon ( I like using precooked bacon because then I don’t have to deal with bacon grease!)
2 cans tomato sauce
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
2 cans red kidney beans (drained)
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 squares dark chocolate
1-2 cups water (if you’d like a thinner consistency)
* optional: green chiles, green onion, red pepper, etc. if you’d like to add a spicy flavor to
Using uncooked bacon? You can totally use bacon that needs to be cooked first. Especially if you want a crispy bacon. You’ll just have to
What is the best way to remove grease from bacon?
It’s actually easier than most people think to get rid of the excess bacon grease. Just cook bacon in the preferred method of your choosing (on the stove, in the oven or in the microwave) and place a square of paper towel on a plate. Then lay strips of cooked bacon on the paper towel. Top those cooked strips with another paper towel and then layer more strips of bacon. Do this process over and over again until all slices are sitting on a paper towel. Take an additional paper towel to blot the top layer of bacon.
Directions for making slow cooker chili with bacon:
- Pour tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, red kidney beans into large slow cooker (a 5-quart slow cooker is the perfect size) with chili powder, brown sugar, sugar, salt, pepper and then stir well.
- Brown diced onions and pieces of bacon on the stove top with olive oil.
- Add onions and bacons with dark chocolate to the chili mixture in the slow cooker.
- Stir well and cook on medium heat in Crock Pot or slow cooker for 3-4 hours.
Such an amazing deal on a 7 quart Crock-Pot HERE!!!
What type of toppings go well on chili?
There are so many great toppings to go with chili. Most favorites are sour cream, green onions and sharp cheddar cheese. Sprinkle some broken up tortilla chips to the top if you want a little crunch. My favorite toppings are definitely the sour cream and shredded cheese!
Best Homemade Chili
Seriously the best homemade chili! I used this slow cooker chili recipe for our church’s chili cook-off and it was a hit! It has a really great flavor and is just as delicious served the following day. Leftover chili makes for a really easy dinner tomorrow!
Now I’ll have to try making this in the Instant Pot…
Get more recipes on the blog HERE.
Pin this slow cooker chili with bacon recipe for later!
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Tara
blog owner at Seeing Dandy Blog
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This post could contain affiliate links or be sponsored which means I earn from advertising. Also as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. More details here.