Slow Cooker Chocolate Chili

It’s been cold here in Minnesota. Chili is a great way to warm up, and it’s so easy to make. This is my recipe, and even though it may seem odd to add cocoa to tomato sauce, it works really well.

Chili is one of those foods that people need to find a flavor balance with – if you like it hot, add more chili powder and chipotle. If you can’t handle the heat, add less. And if you like it sweet, add some brown sugar.

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Slow Cooker Chocolate Chili

This is a dark, complex flavored chili, but it's not difficult to make. Dump everything in the slow cooker, set it and forget it! Atleast until you get home, or the delicious scent drives you to spoon up a bowl full.

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

American

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

8 hours

Servings

bowls

Ingredients

• 4 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 2 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 15 oz can great northern beans drained and rinsed
• 1 15 oz can pinto beans drained and rinsed
• 1 large onion diced
• 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey, if preferred
• 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin dried, ground
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger dried, ground
• 1 pinch pepper flakes dried
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper dried, ground
• 1 dash chipotle pepper a dash is 1/8th of a teaspoon
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon dried, ground
• 1 large clove garlic minced

Course Main Dish Cuisine American Prep Time 30 minutes Cook Time 8 hours Servings bowls Ingredients 4 15 oz can tomato sauce 2 15 oz can diced tomatoes 1 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed 1 15 oz can great northern beans drained and rinsed 1 15 oz can pinto beans drained and rinsed 1 large onion diced 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey, if preferred 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin dried, ground 1/2 teaspoon ginger dried, ground 1 pinch pepper flakes dried 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper dried, ground 1 dash chipotle pepper a dash is 1/8th of a teaspoon 1 teaspoon cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon dried, ground 1 large clove garlic minced

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients except for the ground beef and onion to your slow cooker pot. Set the heat on low. While the slow cooker heats up, brown the burger in a frying pan, and add the onions to it as it starts to cook. When the burger is thoroughly cooked, add it to the slow cooker, stir everything together, and then walk away. Let the chili cook for 8 hours. After 3 hours, taste it to see if it needs any more seasonings added. When it's done, dish some up, and eat!

Recipe Notes

This is my recipe that I've come to love over the last few years. My crock pot is a 6 quart.  If you want it to turn out well, you MUST taste it, as it's cooking. That way you can judge how hot or mild it is, and change it up, if you'd like. I like my Chili smoky with just a little bit of heat. This freezes well if you have leftovers.

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