Slow Cooker Chili

Description

When it’s cold out, warm up with a bowl of chili! This healthy slow cooker chili is sure to awaken your taste buds without adding to your waistline.

1⁄2 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound lean ground beef, turkey or chicken (at least 90% lean)

1 red or yellow onion, peeled and diced

1 bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped

Two 15-ounce cans kidney, pinto, great northern or black beans, rinsed and drained (with no added salt)

One 15-ounce can tomato sauce (with no added salt)

Two 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes (with no added salt)

One 4-ounce can chopped green chiles (mild, medium or hot, depending on taste)

1 1⁄2 cups beef, chicken or vegetable broth/stock (low or reduced sodium)

1 1⁄2 tablespoons chili powder

1⁄2 tablespoon ground cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add ground meat, onion, pepper and garlic. Cook until meat is completely browed, crumbling the meat with a spatula or spoon as it cooks.
Drain excess fat; then transfer to a slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Add more seasoning if needed.
Optional: Add healthy toppings, like green onions or plain Greek yogurt (tastes like sour cream)!

Feel free to substitute — add more or less of any ingredient in this recipe. It’s just a guide, but it doesn’t need to be followed exactly.