Slow Cooker Loaded Chili with Apple Cider
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 to 8 hours
- Total Time: 4 to 8 hours
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: American, Chili
- Cuisine: Dinner
Description
There is nothing like a hot bowl of chili on a cool fall evening. Everyone has their go to chili recipe. I honestly have several recipes I make each year. With apples entering the height of season, adding apple cider to chili makes a great combination for a sweet and spicy dish.
My garden is exploding with butternut squash. Those vines have invaded every nook of my garden box, even curling along the ground. I have more butternut squash than I know what to do with. Adding to the sweetness of the apple cider, butternut squash and sweet potatoes add their own subtle sweetness while giving the comfort that only fall vegetables can. I love to load my chili with vegetables, though. Tons of bell peppers, squash, sweet potato. It is such a healthful meal and so delicious!
I like to keep the seeds in my jalapeños to give it an extra kick. Depending on how spicy that particular pepper is can make a huge impact. Why is it that some jalapeños are more mild or more spicy than others? Regardless, I really like the balance of sweet and spicy in this dish, so I don’t seed them. If you’re not a fan of spicy, seed yours!
I know chili is traditionally loaded with beans, but I personally cannot stand the texture of most beans in dishes like this. I use black beans instead because they are smaller. They provide flavor and nutrition without being overwhelming.
What’s great is that the only hands on cooking this dish requires is frying the onions, jalapeños, and garlic and cooking the meat until it’s just starting to brown. It doesn’t matter if it’s not cooked through! After that, let your slow cooker do it’s thing. The house smells AMAZING while it slow cooks.
I know chili is filling enough on its own, and I question why I do it each and every time I make it, but I love eating chili dished over white rice. I don’t need the rice. The chili is definitely hearty on its own. Yet, I still make the rice and I just love it! For this chili, I like finding apple smoked cheddar to grate on top. If you can’t find any, no worries! Shred a cheddar of your choice and it’ll still be delicious!
Enjoy!
Ingredients
Chili
1 ½ lbs ground sirloin
1 large onion, chopped
1 TB olive oil
6 large garlic cloves, minced
2 jalapeños, minced, seeds removed if desired (I remove seeds from one and leave them in the other)
3 bell peppers of various colors, cut into large chunks
1 cup sweet potato, cut into 1” cubes
1 cup butternut squash, cut into 1” cubes
¾ cup apple cider
¾ cup beef stock
14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
15.5 oz can of black beans
1 cup sweet potato purée, or pumpkin purée
1 TB chili powder
1 TB cumin
1/2 TB brown sugar
2 tsps salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp coriander
salt and pepper
To Serve
Shredded apple smoked cheddar
Sour cream
Chopped chives
White rice, if desired
Instructions
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan. When hot, add the onions and lightly season with salt. Stirring occasionally, cook 5 minutes. Add the jalapeño and garlic. Cook an additional minute. Add the ground sirloin, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until mostly browned. Drain the pan into a colander, shaking to remove as much excess fat as possible. Set aside.
In a slow cooker, add the apple cider, beef stock, canned tomatoes, sweet potato purée, and all of the spices. Stir to combine. Add the drained meat, onions, garlic, and jalapeños. Add the sweet potato, butternut squash, and bell peppers. Stir to thoroughly combine.
Set your slow cooker to high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours.
The chili will be ready when the squash and sweet potato are fork tender.
Serve over white rice and topped with cheese, sour cream, and chives.
Enjoy!
Keywords: Chili, Apple Cider Chili, Loaded Chili, Chili with Squash
