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Slow Cooker Game Day Chili – Easy & Best Cornbread Chili Recipe

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This slow cooker game day chili is rich, smoky, and perfectly spiced, made with simple ingredients and minimal effort. It’s the perfect crowd-pleaser for game day or any cozy gathering, especially when served with sweet, buttery cornbread.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup beef broth (low-sodium)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • ¼ cup honey

Instructions

  1. Brown the Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned all over—about 6 to 8 minutes. Leave about a tablespoon of fat for flavor. Transfer the beef to a 6-quart slow cooker using a slotted spoon.
  2. Sauté the Aromatics: In the same skillet, add the diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Scrape this mixture into the slow cooker with the beef.
  3. Bloom the Spices: Reduce the heat to medium-low, add a splash of the beef broth to the skillet, and stir in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, and oregano. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour this into the slow cooker.
  4. Add the Tomatoes and Beans: Pour in the fire-roasted diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Add the drained and rinsed kidney beans and pinto beans. Stir everything together until well combined.
  5. Season and Simmer: Pour in the remaining beef broth, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Tuck the bay leaves into the chili. Stir once more, then cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
  6. Make the Cornbread (Optional but Recommended): About 30 minutes before serving, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and honey. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. Pour the batter into a greased 8×8-inch baking dish or a cast iron skillet and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted i…
  7. Finish the Chili: Remove the bay leaves from the chili. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed. If the chili is too thick, stir in a little more beef broth. If it’s too thin, let it cook uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes.

Notes

For best flavor, make the chili a day ahead and reheat. Blooming the spices in the skillet before adding to the slow cooker is key to deep flavor. Use fire-roasted tomatoes for extra smokiness. If you don’t have a 6-quart slow cooker, a 5-quart will work but be careful not to overfill. For a vegetarian version, skip the beef and double the beans. Leftover chili can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker chili, game day chili, cornbread chili, easy chili recipe, best chili recipe, ground beef chili, kidney beans, pinto beans, comfort food, crowd-pleaser

Find it online: https://bitematrix.com/slow-cooker-game-day-chili-easy-and-best-cornbread-chili-recipe/