In Texas, chili is pretty much a given as far as local cuisines go. And there’s no rule that says it’s just for cold weather either! I can remember when I first moved to Texas in junior high, I had my first chili pie (whoa, that’s a rhyme). Our local neighborhood pool had a concession stand and that’s where I first tasted one. Whoever thought to combine crunchy corn chips and spicy chili was a genius! This Slowcooker Cowboy Chili Frito Pie recipe is not super spicy and you can adjust the heat as needed but decreasing the chili powder or using a smaller jalapeno pepper. But even a spice wimp like me (yep, I don’t love the super spicy stuff) can handle the heat in this chili recipe.
I know the corn chips aren’t the healthiest, but this Slowcooker Black Bean Chili sure is! I love that it has so many good-for-you ingredients like peppers, garlic, onion and tomatoes. And even though my family is not normally a fan of beans, they don’t seem to mind the addition of the black beans and I like that they’re getting the extra fiber and protein!
This is a modified version of Cowboy Chili that I made a few years ago. I’ve tweaked some of the ingredients and also adapted it for the slowcooker. So that’s a double bonus for a hot summer day! You can keep the heat out of the kitchen but enjoy all the tasty goodness.
Slowcooker Cowboy Chili Frito Pie
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. lean ground beef
- 1-1/2 cups chopped onion
- 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 2 medium yellow bell peppers, chopped
- 1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. dried oregano leaves, crushed
- 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
- 1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
- 1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (14-1/2 oz.) petit diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (14 to 14-1/2 oz.) ready-to-serve beef broth
- 12 oz. dark beer
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 2 cans (15 oz. each) black beans, rinsed, drained
- 4 cups corn chips
- 1 cup shredded cheddar jack blend cheese, optional
Instructions
- In large pan, brown ground beef over medium heat 8 to10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking up into ¾-inch crumbles. Remove from pan with slotted spoon and set aside. Pour off drippings.
- In 6-7 quart slowcooker, combine cooked ground beef and remaining ingredients, onion through black beans. Stir to combine.
- Cook in slowcooker 6-8 hours on LOW or 3-4 hours on HIGH.
- To serve, layer ½ cup corn chips in a bowl and top with chili. Add cheese if desired.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving Size | |
| Amount Per Serving | As Served |
| Calories 481kcal Calories from fat 127 | |
| % Daily Value | |
| Total Fat 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat 5g | 25% |
| Transfat 1g | |
| Cholesterol 74mg | 25% |
| Sodium 871mg | 36% |
| Carbohydrate 55g | 18% |
| Dietary Fiber 15g | 60% |
| Sugars 16g | |
| Protein 36g | |
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
| Calories | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | Less than | 65g |
| Sat Fat | Less than | 25g |
| Cholesterol | Less than | 300mg |
| Sodium | Less than | 2,400mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 300g | |
| Dietary Fiber | 25g | |
We usually like to enjoy our chili pies with some fresh, seasonal fruit on the side to complete our meal. Have you ever had a chili pie?
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