Taco Chili

5 from 1 vote

Simmer a pot of easy taco chili on the stovetop or in the Crock Pot for a cozy, satisfying dinner with just 15 minutes of prep!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword easy taco chili, taco chili, taco chili recipe, taco chili with ranch dressing mix

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings cups

Calories 264kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

2 lbs. ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
3 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed (about 3 teaspoons total)
1 (1 ounce) packet taco seasoning
1 (1 ounce) packet Ranch seasoning and salad dressing mix
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, not drained
1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chiles, not drained
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, not drained
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Optional garnish: sour cream, diced avocado, grated cheddar cheese, sliced green onion, fresh cilantro, Fritos or tortilla chips

Instructions

STOVETOP:

Brown the ground beef and onion in a large Dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 more minute. Drain off the fat.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer gently for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary (it might not need any).
Ladle into bowls and garnish with toppings of choice.

CROCK POT:

Brown the ground beef and onion in a large Dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 more minute. Drain off the fat.
Transfer the beef mixture to a slow cooker. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on LOW heat for 4-6 hours or on HIGH heat for 2-3 hours. If you want a thinner chili, you can always add extra water or beef broth to the pot as the chili is cooking. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary (it might not need any).
Ladle into bowls and garnish with your favorite taco toppings.

Notes

Use a can of chili beans -- not regular canned beans. The chili beans add a thick sauce to the pot, and also give the chili tons of extra flavor and kick.
If you're preparing a slow cooker taco chili, you probably will not need to add any extra water, beef broth, or chicken broth to the chili. If you're making the dish on the stovetop, you may want to add an extra cup of liquid to thin the chili as it cooks.
Stir the pot occasionally while it simmers on the stovetop in order to prevent anything from sticking or scorching on the bottom.
Wait to season the chili with additional salt and pepper until the end of the cooking time. The seasoning packets include plenty of salt, so you might not want any more.
Garnish with your favorite toppings, or set up a "toppings bar." The options are endless, including: sour cream or Greek yogurt, sliced green or pickled red onions, grated cheese, sliced black olives, fresh cilantro, guacamole or diced avocado, and corn chips.
Less Meat: if you prefer a chili with more beans and less meat, use just one pound of ground beef and add a 16-ounce can of drained and rinsed black beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans.
No Beans: swap out the chili beans and add a can of sweet corn. You may need to thin the chili with some water or broth, since you won't have the extra sauce from the can of beans.
Substitute ground turkey or ground chicken for the ground beef.
Chicken Taco Chili: sauté the onion and garlic as instructed, and add 4 cups of cooked, shredded or diced chicken to the pot along with the rest of the ingredients.
Use a homemade taco seasoning mix and some dried herbs in lieu of the prepared seasoning packets.

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