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Kid-friendly slow cooker chili

Easy to prep, customizable to satisfy the whole family, and makes great leftovers for busy weeknights

By Maple Staff

Kid-friendly slow cooker chili

Prep time:

10 minutes

Cook time:

3 hours

Total time:

3 hours, 10 minutes

Servings:

Cookware:

Slow cooker, large skillet

Cost

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Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes (28 ounce)
3 cans tomato sauce (8 ounce each)
3/4 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
2 cans dark red kidney beans (15 ounce each), drained and rinsed
Salt
Pepper
Shredded cheese (optional)
‍Sour cream (optional)
Hot sauce (optional)
Fritos or tortilla chips (optional)

Why families love this recipe

This slow cooker chili recipe is great for families with kids because it’s easy to prepare, full of hearty ingredients, and mild enough for young palates. The slow cooker does all the work, and you can customize the toppings like cheese, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips so kids can make it their own. It also makes enough for leftovers, which is a big win on busy weeknights.

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Instructions:

Cook the beef
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat the oil.
- Add the ground beef, seasoning it with 1 teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of pepper.
- Cook for about 6 minutes until the beef is mostly cooked through, breaking up the meat as you go.

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Transfer beef to slow cooker
- Dump the cooked beef and its oil into the slow cooker.
- Add the onion, garlic, diced tomatoes (including juices), tomato sauce, beef broth, chili powder, paprika, cocoa powder, kidney beans, and ½ teaspoon of salt to the slow cooker. Mix well.‍

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