For years I have made this crockpot chili recipe. Even with groceries so high this meal is around $1.14-$1.37 per serving! If you add beans then the price would even be cheaper, but I’m the only one in my family that likes beans in their chili, so I leave them out.
It is such a cheap and easy recipe, especially when using a crockpot. I simply add all the ingredients to the crockpot in the morning and by evening we have a delicious meal. Usually, we eat our chili with saltine crackers or cornbread muffins. Then, the next day we will have Frito chili pie with the leftovers.

Can you put raw ground beef in a crockpot or slow cooker?
Yes, for years I would brown my ground beef before I added it to my crockpot to make chili. And, one day I was talking to Kylee about it and she said well, we cook raw chicken in the crockpot and I thought I’d try it. And, it cooks perfect. I add my ground beef frozen to the crockpot, add my tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and spices and let it cook.
What happens if you don’t brown ground beef before adding to crockpot?
If you add your ground beef raw or frozen to your crockpot there are 2 important details that you will need to know. The first detail is that the meat stays clumped together, but what I do is I’m usually at home, so half way thru cooking I’ll take a spoon and stir up the chili – breaking up the clumps. The second detail is that there is no way to drain your grease off of your meat, so you will need to make sure to use a lean ground beef or venison.
Of course, you always have the option to brown your meat before adding to your crockpot. 🙂
What goes in crockpot chili recipe?
- Ground beef, ground chicken, ground turkey or venison
- Diced tomatoes
- Tomato sauce
- Chili mix packet
- If you have no chili mix packet, you can use: chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt and black pepper
- Optional toppings for chili: sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions, or jalapenos
- Additional chili ingredients that are optional: onions, green bell peppers, jalapenos, broth, cocoa, sugar, brown sugar
Leftovers – Frito Chili Pie!

How do I make chili?
Step 1
Gather your ingredients: ground beef, spices, tomato sauce and diced tomatoes

Step 2
Add frozen or thawed meat to the crockpot
Mix spices in with tomato sauce and add to the crockpot
Add diced tomatoes to the crockpot

Step 3
Cook chili on low for 6-8 hours. If meat was raw, stir halfway between cooking times to break up the meat.
Cook chili on high for 4-5 hours. If meat was raw, stir halfway between cooking times to break up the meat.

How long can you cook chili in a crockpot on low? How long can you cook chili in a crockpot on high?
On a low setting it will take 6-8 hrs to cook chili. If the meat was added the crockpot frozen then 8 hours, if not 6 hours on low will cook the chili. On a high setting it will take 4-5 hours to cook chili. I cooked mine in 5 hours and I added my ground beef to the crockpot while it was frozen. Remember, if the meat was raw, to stir half in between cooking times to break up the meat.
Does chili taste better in a crockpot or slow cooker?
Yes, the flavor improves with a long, slow simmer.

Can you cook chili in the crockpot all day?
Yes, you can cook chili in the crockpot all day. Usually, I will start my chili in the morning and simmer all day on a low setting.
Should chili be thick or soupy?
This is a controversial question in our house, LOL! Because, Gerald likes his chili thick and I like mine with a lot of tomato sauce, so it’s soupy. So, to spoon up with a saltine cracker! YUMMY! There is not a wrong answer, everyone likes their chili different, some like thick chili and some like soupy chili! LOL
However you choose to make your chili, I believe that this is the best chili recipe ever! And, you can’t beat the price, plus it’s the easiest chili recipe to make.
Cheap & Easy 4 Ingredient Crockpot Chili Recipe: Less than $1.50/serving

This is the easiest chili recipe that you will ever find! Plus, at less than $1.50 a serving that is amazing!
Ingredients
- 3 lbs of lean ground beef, chicken, turkey or venison
- 1 chili seasoning packet or spices (amounts in notes)
- 2 - 15 oz cans of tomato sauce
- 1 - 28 oz can diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Add frozen or thawed lean ground beef, chicken, turkey or venison to the crockpot
- Mix chili seasonings together with the tomato sauce and pour into crockpot
- Add diced tomatoes to the crockpot
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours
- Half way thru cooking, take a spoon and breakup the meat and stir chili
Notes
Chili seasonings:
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Try some of our other recipes!
- Baked Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls with Cilantro Lime Ranch
- Easy Garlic Bread Casserole
- The Easiest Chicken Pot Pies
- Easy Dorito Chicken Casserole
- Savory Brown Sugar Meatloaf
Plus, Dessert recipes!
- Super easy banana pudding recipe: only 4 ingredients
- Red Velvet Poke Cake
- Granny Eppler’s Peach Cobbler
- Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
- Pistachio Cookies
- Cranberry Pecan White Chocolate Chip Cookies
