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Quick Slow Cooker Beef Chili with Dark Chocolate: Easy 4-Ingredient Dinner

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This quick slow cooker beef chili with dark chocolate is a dump-and-go weeknight hero. The dark chocolate adds a deep, savory richness that makes this chili taste like it simmered for hours, with only five minutes of prep.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds (680g) ground beef (85/15)
  • 28 ounces (794g) canned diced tomatoes (fire-roasted preferred)
  • 15 ounces (425g) canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 15 ounces (425g) canned black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 ounce (28g) dark chocolate (70% cocoa), broken into pieces
  • Optional toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, fresh cilantro, diced avocado, pickled jalapeños

Instructions

  1. Dice the onion and mince the garlic (3 minutes).
  2. Drain and rinse the beans (2 minutes).
  3. Add everything to the slow cooker: ground beef (raw), diced tomatoes with juices, both beans, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Break up the ground beef with a spoon.
  4. Add the dark chocolate pieces, tucking them into the mixture without stirring completely.
  5. Stir everything together until spices are distributed (1 minute).
  6. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
  7. About 30 minutes before serving, break up any large chunks of beef with a spoon and stir to incorporate the melted chocolate.
  8. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt if needed.
  9. Serve hot with desired toppings.

Notes

Don’t brown the beef first; the slow cooker breaks it down fine. Use good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa) for best results. For a thicker chili, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes. Chili tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

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

Find it online: https://cooksyla.com/quick-slow-cooker-beef-chili-with-dark-chocolate-easy-4-ingredient-dinner/