Easy Mexican Chili

This is the set-it-and-forget-it chili for busy weeknights. Brown the ground beef, dump everything into the slow cooker in the morning, and come home to a pot of thick, Mexican-style chili that’s been simmering all day.

Canned green chiles give this a milder, more Southwestern heat than the usual chili powder-heavy approach. Combined with kidney beans, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and marjoram (an unusual but smart herb choice for chili), the flavors build slowly over 8-10 hours into something deeper than any quick-cook version.

The tomato paste thickens everything during the long cook so the finished chili is hearty and scoopable, not soupy.

Kitchen Tips

• Brown and drain the beef before adding it to the slow cooker. Skipping this step leaves excess grease floating on the surface after hours of cooking.
• Don’t lift the lid during cooking. Every peek drops the temperature and adds 15-20 minutes to the cooking time.
• Remove the bay leaf before serving. A forgotten bay leaf in someone’s bowl is never a welcome surprise.
• A touch of sugar in the chili isn’t sweetness for its own sake. It balances the acidity of the canned tomatoes.

Variations

• Use ground turkey instead of beef for a leaner version.
• Add a can of corn in the last hour for color and sweetness.
• Top with sour cream, shredded cheddar, and sliced jalapenos for a loaded bowl.