Experience bold flavors with this slow-cooker spicy chili, and you’ll definitely say, “Wow, this is seriously delicious!” This recipe is a perfect blend of richness, heartiness, and just the right amount of spice. It has become my favorite, and I can’t wait for you to savor every spoonful!
Looking for an easy-to-make yet incredibly delicious spicy chili that’s perfect for your slow cooker? Start the night before and have a big bowl of sausage and bean chili ready for lunch or dinner.
Is it necessary to cook it for so long? Well, not really. But if you want the most delicious and flavorful spicy chili, letting it slow cook is the way to go. All the ingredients combine beautifully into a perfectly infused sauce with great texture. This allows for the flavors to meld together and for that umami flavor to activate, enhancing the dish’s overall depth of flavor.
Fall and Winter are ideal for breaking out your favorite chili recipe! We’re talking hearty, savory, saucy chili that satisfies your senses and warms your belly.
Ingredients for spicy chili
- Hot Italian sausage – great flavor and spice, I love Publix’s brand
- Beef bone broth – low sodium, this is the best part of this spicy jalapeno chili. It enhances the sauce and enhances the depth of flavor
- Beans – chili beans (red beans), black beans, and pinto beans
- Canned tomatoes – crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste, and chili tomatoes – I love that it has some of those chili spices
- Seasonings – chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and hot sauce
- Vegetables – yellow onion, sweet onion, green and red peppers, chili peppers, jalapeno, garlic – hello flavor!
- Sugar – sugar will make a huge difference in reducing acidity without actually sweetening the sauce
I want to try this slow cooker chili but I can’t eat spicy foods! 🙁
For those of you who are sensitive to spicy foods, I completely understand. I sometimes struggle with handling heat and often need to modify recipes to reduce the spiciness. Therefore, if you follow this recipe, you will have a spicy crockpot chili, but don’t worry; you can easily remove the spicy peppers and spices to make it milder. The best part is that the chili will still have fantastic flavor, even without the heat!
How to make Spicy Chili
Do you love quick and easy recipes? Uh, yeah, me too! Mind you, there’s a bit of prep, but once it’s in the pot you don’t have to think about it again until the next day!
Step 1: Prep your veggies. Chop the onions, the peppers (green and red bell peppers, chili pepper, and jalapenos), and the garlic. Set aside.
Step 2: Heat a large skillet with olive oil. Split the hot Italian sausage and remove it from the casing. Crumble into the hot oil and brown. Continue by adding in the chopped veggies and sautee for just a few minutes. We’re just releasing some of the sweetness of the onions and heat from the peppers by doing this, and making it more fragrant. Push sausage and veggies to the side and add in the tomato paste, cooking until a deep brown.
Remember, if you like things a little less spicy, be sure to remove the seeds from the peppers. You’ll still get that delicious flavor without the heat!
Step 3: Turn your slower cook on High. Pour in the broth, tomatoes, sauces, seasonings, beans (no need to soak first, but do rinse), cooked sausage, and veggies.
Step 4: Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours. I’m just saying, the longer the better.
Tip: Don’t forget to add in the sugar. It is a key ingredient to cut the acidity from the tomatoes. If you’re like me, you get heartburn. And I mean, lava stomach. That’s from the tomatoes, for me, anyway. Sugar makes a huge difference!
Frequently Asked Questions
How to store chili
Allow chili to cool before storing in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to enjoy this spicy chili again, simply pull it from the freezer the night before. Heat the chili completely on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Combat the cold weather with this Damn Good Spicy Chili recipe. Even better is to whip up a batch of my Creamed Corn Muffins for an absolutely scrumptious meal.. yum!
You’ve got to check out these stick-to-your-ribs meals:
Let me know in the comments if you tried this chili recipe. Be sure to tag #ladleandgrain on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
Damn Good Spicy Chili
Course: All Recipes, soups, dinner, mainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes4-6
hoursTry this slow-cooker spicy chili for bold flavors that are seriously delicious! The perfect blend of richness, heartiness, and spice.
Ingredients
2 medium onions, diced
1 small green pepper, diced
1 small red pepper, diced
2 red chili peppers, sliced and chopped
2 jalapenos, diced
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 hot Italian sausages, casing removed
1 carton beef bone broth
1 can chili beans
2/3 cup dry black beans (or 1 can)
2/3 cup dry pinto beans (or 1 can)
1 can chili tomatoes
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can stewed tomatoes, hand-crushed
1 can tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
2-3 tbsp brown sugar
- Chili Seasonings
4 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
hot sauce, to taste
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Heat a large skillet with oil. Add in the sausage and cook until brown and crispy. Add in the chopped peppers and onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add in the garlic until just fragrant.
- Push the sausage and veggie mix to the side of the pan and add in the tomato paste. Cook until dark brown and mix into the sausage and veggies. Deglaze the pan with a cup of bone broth.
- Turn the slow cooker on and add in the canned tomatoes and the beans, sauces, remaining broth, sugar, and seasonings. Then add in the sausage and veggie mix. Stir and cover.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-6 hours.
If cooking on the stove top, use a large pot instead of the skillet. Add step 3 straight into the pot and simmer on medium for 2 hours.
Notes
- Remove seeds from spicy peppers for less heat, or keep in for more.
Yum! I’ve been searching for a spicy chili recipe and love that this one uses hot sausage instead of beef. Trying this tonight!