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    🏠Home » Recipes » 101's Best Recipes

    The Best Taco Chili—Crock Pot or Stovetop

    Feb 13, 2023 · Modified: Jun 1, 2023 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · 13 Comments

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4.67 from 21 votes

    This is The Best Taco Chili recipe you can make at home. Full of spicy flavor with tender ground beef, beans, and thick tomato broth. Scale it down to make it "for two" friendly.

    Taco Soup in white bowl B
    Jump To:
    • 🐄Ingredients
    • 👨‍🍳How to Make Taco Chili
    • ✔️Tips and variations
    • ⬇️How to make this a "for two" friendly recipe
    • ❓FAQs
    • Serving and storage of leftovers
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • Recipe
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    It is the best taco chili you can make at home. It is like Taco Tuesday in a bowl. Easy and quick to make, either full size or make it smaller for two with four servings—a meal and leftovers. And done in less than an hour with only one pan if you cook on the stovetop or crock pot.

    Instead of using packaged taco seasoning, which has fillers, you make this chili with taco seasoning spices from your pantry. You can adjust the heat or spices, change the size, and even the cooking method using a crock pot or stovetop.

    You won't believe this fits your diet. It will fit a healthy diet like a low-calorie or low-fat diet or even a low-carb keto diet. You can decrease the some by using low sodium products and decreasing the salt.

    This chili is based on my Ground Beef Taco Meat, like my Taco Casserole. Or check out some other crock pot chicken recipes like Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas, Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken Tortilla Soup, and Crock Pot Chicken Tacos. This recipe is featured in Cinco de Mayo Recipes and Game Day Party Recipes.

    🐄Ingredients

    • Ground beef—leaner preferred
    • Onion
    • Jalapeno pepper
    • Canned ingredients—green chiles, black beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth
    • Pantry ingredients—chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper
    • Ranch dressing powder—optional

    👨‍🍳How to Make Taco Chili

    1. In a large pan, cook the ground beef with diced onion. Use a Dutch oven if finishing on the stovetop.
    2. When about half brown, add the spices and about half the can of tomato sauce and finish browning.
    3. Add the beef to the crock pot or leave it in the Dutch oven on the stovetop.
    4. Add rinsed black and kidney beans and all remaining ingredients to the meat.
    5. Cook on low in the crock pot for 6 hours. Or cover and simmer on the stovetop for at least 30 minutes, but 1-2 hours is better.

    ✔️Tips and variations

    • A full recipe makes about 14 cups of chili which makes 8 large servings and needs a 5-quart or larger crock pot.
    • This recipe requires ground meat, usually beef, but ground turkey or ground chicken will be fine. There will be a slight taste variation, but spices will mostly cover it.
    • Lean ground meat is preferred since we are seasoning as the meat cooking to let the flavors penetrate the meat. Most of the fat will drain but not all.
    • The spicing is a modified version of my spicy taco meat. Then I bumped up the spices even more and added a little jalapeno.
    • The maximum heat level is 6/10 on the heat-o-meter with a teaspoon of cayenne pepper and one jalapeno.
    • Add more spices or another jalapeno if you want to burn.
    • The heat level without the jalapeno and cayenne pepper will be 1-2 out of 10. You will still have great taste without the heat.
    • The dry ranch dressing adds an interesting taste and is an excellent counterbalance to the hot spiciness if you crank up the heat. Optional.
    • Optional additions: bell pepper, corn
    • Simmering longer will let the flavors come together. So you can heat it through and eat in about 10-15 minutes—it will be good but not great.

    ⬇️How to make this a "for two" friendly recipe

    1. This is an easy recipe to cut in half. A half recipe will fit nicely in a 3-quart crock pot or smaller pan on the stovetop and make 4 servings.
    2. Use the recipe card and adjust the number of servings to half.
    3. Use the amount of ingredients in the ingredient list, not the instructions—those do not adjust.
    4. Cook for the same amount of time.

    ❓FAQs

    Can I use packaged taco seasoning?

    You "can," but you will miss out on most of the great taste.

    Can I add raw ground meat to the crock pot?

    No. You will have clumps of meat and all the fatty drainage in your dish.

    The ground meat must be browned, spiced, and drained before adding it to the pot. Crock pots are great for many things, but cooking ground meat is not one of them.

    How to adjust the thickness of taco chili.

    Adjust the amount of broth to thin it more like soup. If you know you want very thick chili, leave out the broth.

    But if you need to thicken, use one tablespoon of cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of cold water. Mix well to make a smooth slurry, then stir into the chili. It will take 15-20 minutes to thicken, and you can repeat it if needed.

    Serving and storage of leftovers

    Serve topped with some shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Other possible toppings are tortilla strips, jalapeno, avocado slices, cilantro, and green onion or avocado slices. Or your favorite taco toppings.

    Side dishes would mostly be tortilla chips and salsa, but Mexican rice, refried beans, or a green garden salad also work for me.

    Store leftovers sealed in an airtight container for 4 days in the refrigerator or frozen for 3-4 months. Good in the fridge for 3-4 days and good in the freezer for 3-4 months.

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    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    101's Best Recipes, Chili Recipes, Crock Pot Recipes, Healthy Recipes, Low Fat Recipes, Mexican Recipes, Small Crock Pots Recipes
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    ingredients for taco soup

    Use the ground meat and beans of your choice. Lean ground beef with black and kidney beans are suggested.

    chopped onion on black board

    Prep a medium onion with a medium chop and one jalapeno pepper by mincing (optional.)

    raw burger with chopped onion in frying pan

    In a large pan, cook 1 pound of lean ground beef with diced onion. Use a Dutch oven if finishing on the stovetop.

    mixing taco spices in silver bowl

    While the beef is starting to cook, combine the spices: 3 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano, ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper.

    browning meat in skillet with spices and onion

    When beef and onion have cooked for 6-8 minutes and just browned, drain fat. Add the spices and about half the can of tomato sauce. Continue to cook until beef is well browned–about 10 minutes total cooking time. Add the beef to the crock pot or leave it in the Dutch oven.

    rinsing beans under running water

    Rinse 1 can of black beans and 1 can of kidney beans, and add to the pot. You may substitute any beans you want.

    adding all ingredents to the crock pot

    Add all remaining ingredients: 1 small can of green chilies, 2 cans diced tomatoes, the remaining tomato sauce, the diced jalapeno, ½ envelope of dry ranch dressing mix (optional), and a 14 oz can of beef broth. The beef broth may be omitted if you want this thick.

    ladle of taco soup

    Cook on low in the crock pot for 6 hours or 3 hours on high. Or bring to a boil on the stovetop, turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes, but 1-2 hours is better.

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    Recipe

    Kick Tail Taco Soup from 101 Cooking for Two

    The Best Taco Chili—Crock Pot or Stovetop

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    This is The Best Taco Chili recipe you can make at home. Full of spicy flavor with tender ground beef, beans, and thick tomato broth. Scale it down to make it "for two" friendly.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4.67 from 21 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 6 hours hours
    Total Time: 6 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 8

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric
    • 1 lb ground beef - lower fat preferred
    • 1 onion - medium chopped
    • 1 jalapeno pepper - optional, minced
    • 3 tablespoons chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon oregano
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper - optional
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 4 oz green chilies
    • 14 oz black beans - drained and rinsed
    • 14 oz light kidney beans - drained and rinsed
    • 28 oz diced tomatoes
    • 14 oz tomato sauce
    • 14 oz beef broth - Optional-leave out if you want very thick
    • ½ envelope ranch dressing powder - Optional
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Use the ground meat and beans of your choice. Lean ground beef with black and kidney beans are suggested.
      ingredients for taco soup
    • Prep a medium onion with a medium chop and one jalapeno pepper by mincing (optional.)
      chopped onion on black board
    • In a large pan, cook 1 pound of lean ground beef with diced onion. Use a Dutch oven if finishing on the stovetop.
      raw burger with chopped onion in frying pan
    • While beef is starting to cook, combine the spices: 3 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano, ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper.
    • When beef and onion have cooked for 6-8 minutes and just browned, drain fat. Add the spices and about half the can of tomato sauce. Continue to cook until beef is well browned–about 10 minutes total cooking time. Add the beef to the crock pot or leave it in the Dutch oven.
      browning meat in skillet with spices and onion
    • Rinse 1 can of black beans and 1 can of kidney beans, and add to the pot. You may substitute any beans you want.
      rinsing beans under running water
    • Add all remaining ingredients: 1 small can of green chilies, 2 cans diced tomatoes, the remaining tomato sauce, the diced jalapeno, ½ envelope of dry ranch dressing mix (optional), and a 14 oz can of beef broth. The beef broth may be omitted if you want this thick.
      adding all ingredents to the crock pot
    • Cook on low in the crock pot for 6 hours or 3 hours on high. Or bring to a boil on the stovetop, turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes, but 1-2 hours is better.
      ladle of taco soup
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

    Your Own Private Notes

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    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips

    1. As written, this needs a larger crock pot of 5-quarts or more. The half recipe will fit in a 3-quart.
    2. This is a relatively easy recipe to cut in half. See the recipe post for instructions.
    3. Use the beans and ground meat of your choice.
    4. Please do not use packaged taco seasoning.
    5. This is 6/10 on the heat-o-meter with the jalapeno and the 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
    6. If you want less heat, cut back the cayenne pepper and/or eliminate the jalapeno pepper. You will still have great taste without the heat.
    7. When browning the meat, when you get it all broken up and starting to brown, drain and add the spices. This will lock the flavor in the meat and not drain off with the fat.
    8. You can cook for a shorter period of time since everything is safe, but it is better if cooked for full time so the flavors come together.
    9. The optional ranch dressing powder adds an interesting taste of cool vs. spicy heat. Recommended if you have elected higher heat with the jalapeno and max cayenne pepper.
    10. Good refrigerated for 3-4 days and frozen for 3-4 months.

    To adjust the recipe size:

    You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Nutrition Facts
    The Best Taco Chili—Crock Pot or Stovetop
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 291 Calories from Fat 81
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 9g14%
    Saturated Fat 3g15%
    Cholesterol 49mg16%
    Sodium 922mg38%
    Potassium 1040mg30%
    Carbohydrates 30g10%
    Fiber 11g44%
    Sugar 7g8%
    Protein 24g48%
    Vitamin A 1291IU26%
    Vitamin C 18mg22%
    Calcium 96mg10%
    Iron 5mg28%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Main dish
    Cuisine : Mexican

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    Publishing Note: Originally Published: January 13, 2012. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

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    1. Darr

      December 28, 2020 at 10:20 am

      Reading the post and came across the two dogs at the bottom....Okay.
      Make this to go and wrap them up, will do a pick up as soon as possible...
      How absolutely beautiful can you get? Love, love them and thank you for sharing them with us....
      Darr

      Reply
    2. Vickie

      January 14, 2018 at 10:44 am

      Thank you. Appreciate the quantity breakdown information, good to know for the future.
      GREAT suggestion on the lemon bars. Looks easy!
      Vickie

      Reply
    3. Vickie

      January 13, 2018 at 7:41 am

      Want to make this for a "girls" weekend, " ", meaning we are way past that age designation, but what the heck, you are only as young as you feel.
      Just want to make sure this recipe really does feed, more than 2-4. There will be 5 of us, and if it's as good as it sounds, I'm sure there will be seconds, all round!
      Have a great celery, fennel, and green apple salad with a walnut Dijon vinaigrette that I think would make a great accompaniment to this soup.
      Looking for a light lemon-y desert, any ideas?

      Reply
      • DrDan

        January 13, 2018 at 8:18 am

        The total volume is 12-14 cups. So a bowl of soup is considered 1 1/2 cups so 8 plus bowls. Also look at the lemon bars. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/yummy-lemon-bars/
        Have a good weekend.
        Dan

    4. Karen

      January 12, 2018 at 10:45 am

      We love, love, love this recipe! Thanks for republishing; reminds me that I haven't made it in awhile.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        January 12, 2018 at 10:50 am

        Hi Karen,
        I couldn't do a soup week without it. You will notice a slight change in technique. I drain the meat just as it is barely browned before the spices. I found that I was doing it that way. I wanted to get rid of the fat but not drain any spice. Before, I wasn't draining.
        Thanks for the note and enjoy the soup.
        Dan

    5. Jim Comer

      February 03, 2017 at 5:52 pm

      I am a big chili lover and love to try different recipes. Will try this for sure in a crock pot for 6 hours. Correct. Jimmy C.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        February 03, 2017 at 7:07 pm

        Hi Jimmy, 6 hours on low is fine. You can do 8 like most other chili recipes but not really needed.
        Dan

    6. marms

      January 29, 2017 at 11:42 am

      This looks great although I have no idea what "Kick tail" means. Must be an Americanism.. I'm making a version of this today, with what I have. or as a friend of mine says "what you got". I virtually never make a recipe the same as what I see, or the same way twice, because "what I got' varies. I do have cayenne pepper, chipotle hot pepper powder, Anjou fresh peppers and chipotle peppers in adobe sauce. Yee haw. What will mine be called? Canuck Woman's What You Got Chili.

      Other substitutions here: Bison, and because it's so lean I add lots -- 1/4 cup at least, olive oil, and I will use half the amount of beans, or maybe none and more vegetables. ZUcchini for sure, I see one looking forlorn in my vegetable bin.

      Thanks again for another superb recipe.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        January 30, 2017 at 1:11 pm

        All chili should be to use what you got just like soups. But I remember reading some Mark Bittman recipes that say just use what you have. I was more inexperienced then and it gave too little guidance to the beginners who are the majority of my readers. You have been around cooking enough to feel comfortable adding and subtracting. All recipes are just guidelines anyway.

        Kick Tail is an old Americanism meaning excellent or great. I suspect it is too old of a phrase to use here and I may change the recipe name.
        Dan

    7. Mishele

      January 28, 2017 at 4:37 pm

      Looking forward to trying this recipe ... Garlic powder is on the recipe twice, is this a typo or does it in fact call for 2 tsp of powder?

      Thanks,

      Reply
      • DrDan

        January 28, 2017 at 10:05 pm

        Garlic Powder only once so 1 teaspoon only. Fixed and thanks for the proof read.
        Dan

    8. Chris

      January 14, 2012 at 11:14 am

      Wow, a 6? That's high praise and it looks wonderful. The ranch dressing is an interesting spin, I hadn't tried that before.

      Reply

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