Chili (Italian Sausage Slow-Cooker)

slowcookersausagechili Chili season is upon us and this recipe for Slow Cooker Beef and Italian Sausage Chili fits the bill. It’s simple to make, is loaded with hearty ingredients and has a bit of spice, just the way chili should be. And who doesn’t love a good “set it and forget it” recipe? A hearty yet rich slow cooker chili recipe that's perfect for game day or a cold night. When cooking chili you want to cook it low and slow. This will not only help it develop a depth of flavour but it will also keep it thick instead of a runny like traditional soup. What’s great about the slow cooker is that you can set it and forget it for a few hours.

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
2 (15.5 oz) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
3 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground

To Serve:
freshly shredded cheese
sour cream or Greek yogurt
freshly sliced green onions
freshly chopped avocado
tortilla chips

Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir Italian sausage, onion and bell pepper. Break up sausage with a wooden spoon. Cook until sausage is browned and crumbly about 10 minutes.

Combine all ingredients into the slow cooker and stir. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours.

Serve topped with cheese, sour cream, green onions, avocado and tortilla chips.

Makes 6 servings.

Cook's Notes:

Chipotle peppers add depth of flavour and a nice heat. This can be adjusted to how spicy you like your chili. This is still pretty mild. The heat builds slightly more the second day.
Don't have a slow cooker or crock pot. You can make this recipe stove top. Just let it simmer on the stove for at least an hour. The longer it sits the thicker and more flavour it develops.