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Easy Slow Cooker Beef Chili with Dark Chocolate

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This rich, hearty chili uses dark chocolate for depth and a slow cooker for convenience. A seven-year-old’s genius idea makes it the easiest, most delicious chili you’ll ever make.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs (900g) ground beef (85/15)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 14.5 oz (410g) canned diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 8 oz (240g) canned tomato sauce
  • 15 oz (425g) canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 15 oz (425g) canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup (240ml) beef broth, low-sodium
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 oz (55g) dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher), roughly chopped
  • Optional toppings: shredded cheddar, sour cream, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, crushed tortilla chips

Instructions

  1. Prep the aromatics: Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
  2. Combine everything in the slow cooker: Add ground beef (raw), diced onion, minced garlic, diced tomatoes (with juice), tomato sauce, drained kidney beans, drained pinto beans, and beef broth.
  3. Add the spices: In a small bowl, mix chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle over the ingredients and stir until evenly distributed. The meat will break apart as you stir.
  4. Add the chocolate: Break the dark chocolate into small pieces and scatter over the top. Do not stir in yet.
  5. Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
  6. Break up the meat: About halfway through cooking (3 hours on LOW or 1.5 hours on HIGH), use a wooden spoon to break the ground beef into smaller crumbles.
  7. Check and adjust: Before serving, taste and add more salt if needed. If too thick, stir in a splash of beef broth. If too thin, cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
  8. Serve with toppings: Ladle into bowls and let everyone customize with shredded cheddar, sour cream, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, and crushed tortilla chips.

Notes

Don’t brown the beef—it keeps the texture kid-friendly. Use a slow cooker liner for easy cleanup. Let the chili rest on ‘warm’ for 30 minutes before serving for deeper flavor. If you forget the chocolate, a teaspoon of cocoa powder works in a pinch. The chili is even better on day two.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker chili, beef chili, dark chocolate chili, easy chili, weeknight dinner, comfort food

Find it online: https://dahliadishes.com/easy-slow-cooker-beef-chili-with-dark-chocolate/