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Slow Cooker Chipotle Beef Chili

If you love a little smoky heat, this chipotle beef chili is calling your name! The chipotle peppers give it that perfect kick without being overwhelming, and the slow cooking process makes the beef so tender it practically melts in your mouth. Fair warning: this one always disappears fast at our house!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pounds beef chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 1 jalapeño seeded and diced
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 3-4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce chopped (plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce)
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder trust me on this!
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • Sour cream shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and sliced green onions for serving

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the beef cubes on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned beef to your slow cooker.
  2. In the same skillet, sauté the onion and jalapeño until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Transfer to the slow cooker.
  3. Add the chopped chipotle peppers with adobo sauce, crushed tomatoes, pinto beans, kidney beans, beef broth, chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder, oregano, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir everything together really well.
  4. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 5-6 hours, until the beef is incredibly tender and shreds easily with a fork.
  5. Give it a good stir before serving, breaking up any larger pieces of beef. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed—you might want to add more adobo sauce if you like it spicier!
  6. Serve hot with dollops of sour cream, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and sliced green onions on top.