Easy Slow Cooker Chilli Con Carne Recipe

Slow cooker chilli con Carne. Thick, hearty, slow-cooked chilli with a spicy kick. Perfect for leftovers and freezer filling.

5 from 1 vote

Course: slow cooker

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 5

Servings: servings

250 g (1 cups) lean mince beef
100 g (3 ½ oz) smoked pancetta
1 (1) red onion, diced
4 cloves (4 cloves) garlic
3 (3) stalks celery, sliced
400 g (2 ½ cups) tin chopped tomatoes
400 g (14 oz) tin kidney beans in chilli sauce, if using regular beans be sure to drain and rinse them
200 ml (6 ¾ floz) water
1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) dried thyme
1 ½ teaspoons (1 ½ teaspoons) chilli powder
2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) cumin
1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) cocoa powder, reserve for stirring in right at the end
toppings: avocado, cheese, sour cream or Greek yoghurt, tortilla chips, red onion, coriander, spring onion

Heat a tiny drop of olive oil in a nonstick frying pan, or the bowl of your slow cooker if it can go on the hob. Once the oil is hot, add in the pancetta and cook until deeply golden and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pancetta from the pan and drain on some kitchen towel. Drain away all but about 1 tablespoon of the fat and fry the beef until crispy and golden.
Sautee the onion, celery and garlic in the frying pan or in the bowl of your slow cooker. Once the vegetables are tender stir the beef, pancetta, and vegetables together in the slow cooker.
Add in the tinned tomatoes and beans. If you're using the new Aldi mixed beans with spicy tomato sauce then add in the whole tin. If using regular kidney or mixed beans, be sure to drain and rinse them first.
Season with chilli powder, cumin and dried thyme. Go easy with the salt at this stage. You can taste and adjust after the cooking time.
Cook on low for about 4-5 hours or longer. Alternatively, it's no problem to cook this chilli on high for about 3 hours. Once the chilli is cooked, stir in a tablespoon of cocoa powder. Be sure it's unsweetened!

This chilli (like all chilli) benefits from time and heat, so leaving it in the slow cooker for up to 8 hours will only bring out more of the flavour.
Tomatoes- I use crushed tomatoes on juice, but you can use the new tinned cherry tomatoes that Aldi stocks. And if your tinned tomatoes have seasoning, absolutely not a problem. They’ll just add to the flavour.
Pancetta- A completely optional ingredient, but brings a salty smokiness to the whole chilli.

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