Small Batch Slow Cooker Beef Chili With Bacon

Savor the rich flavors of slow cooker beef chili infused with crispy bacon in this small batch recipe. Perfectly portioned for two – four servings. Then just add your favorite toppings!

I’m writing this from the local coffee shop where I’m enjoying some special time with my daughter, Nicole. What could make the day more wonderful? Well, how about knowing that there’s a tasty beef chili with bacon simmering away in the slow cooker back home, and I don’t have to worry about dinner? 😉

It’s easy to find yourself spending a lot of time at home during the winter (especially all those days when you end up getting snowed in!), so today Nicole suggested we go out for a little bit and work on our blogs from the coffee shop. Before we headed out, I prepared this beef chili and set it to cook in the slow cooker.

Gluten Free Ground Beef Chili With Hot Dogs is one of the first recipes I published here on the blog. I usually make a massive pot on the stovetop dishing out chili like there’s no tomorrow.

Easy small batch chili

But, for those quieter evenings when there will just be a few of us, and I don’t want to go overboard with the cooking, I’ve got this small batch slow cooker chili with bacon on standby, the ideal portion for a laid-back night for two or four.

And it’s even more awesome in the slow cooker. Simmering meat and fresh veggies low and slow all day in their natural juices is a nutritious way to cook. And the clean up is so fast and easy too.

Want more fuss-free slow cooker inspiration? Browse through my flavorful slow cooker recipes designed to make mealtime effortless and delicious.

It only takes about twenty minutes to prep the veggies and meat for the slow cooker. And then by the evening, voilà! You’ll have one of the best nutritious and hearty dinner meals.

Or set it in your slow cooker overnight, and in the morning you’ll have one of my favorite pack-and-go lunches to bring to the office.

With no beans, this naturally gluten free chili is low carb and paleo too!

Indulge in a variety of mouthwatering dishes with my handpicked compilation of 22 Keto Low Carb Ground Beef Recipes, all centered around the versatility of ground beef without sacrificing your diet goals.

For the best tasting meat, I recommend grass-fed. It’s healthier and contains more nutrients than its grain-fed counterpart. I was able to find grass-fed ground beef on sale at the supermarket (yay!). If you can’t find it in your supermarket, you may be able to locate a local farm in your area at this site.

And if you’re a chili fan like me, don’t miss the crowd-pleasing Game Day Chili Dip for a fun, cheesy twist, or try Crockpot White Chicken Chili for a creamy, white-bean variation.

By the way, these Skinny Low Carb Taco Bowls are like chili’s zesty cousin loaded with all the same bold flavors, but served up in a whole new way with all the tasty taco fixings!

Are these pictures making you hungry, yet? 🙂

Here’s how you can whip up this chili in your own kitchen!

Instructions

*Free printable recipe card is available at the end of the post.

Links may be affiliate links which means I will earn a small commission if you buy the item at no extra cost to you.

I use my two and a half quart slow cooker when I make this small batch chili. It’s similar to this one. I do my prepping in a separate skillet.

First, cook the bacon (no nitrate bacon is best). I make the whole 8-ounce package of bacon. Then I put it in the refrigerator to be cut up and added to the chili later.

Don’t drain the pan you used to make the bacon. Add your diced onions and bell peppers to that pan. Today I have red bell peppers. They’re the sweetest, but you can go with a green bell pepper if you prefer. Let them sauté in the bacon fat for about 10 minutes. Yum.

Next, add the ground beef, breaking up the meat with a spatula and incorporating the peppers and onions. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Then transfer the mixture to your slow cooker.

Now stir in the crushed tomatoes, garlic, and spices with the meat in the slow cooker. Stir it all up. Set your slow cooker to low for 6-7 hours, and that’s it.

Just before you’re ready to serve, stir in a tablespoon of Bragg’s apple cider vinegar for a real flavor boost. It’s one hundred percent gluten free, and one hundred percent nourishing to your body. Read more about apple cider vinegar here.

Now for the bacon. Chop up your cooked bacon and stir that in too. Serve warm with your favorite toppings!

Pro tips and recipe notes

Popular toppings include a scoop of sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, diced avocado, or meaty sautéed mushrooms. Sometimes I stir in goat cheese or some Jalapeño peppers. 

Leftover chili can be refrigerated for four to five days when stored in an airtight container. It reheats beautifully. For longer storage, you can allow the chili to cool completely, wrap it tightly, and freeze it for two to three months.

Next time you have a busy day (maybe you’re heading out with friends or going to the gym or shopping) and you don’t want to worry about dinner, this beef chili will come to the rescue. Just prep the meat and veggies and let your slow cooker do its magic.

More slow cooker recipes

Ham Bone Soup – This Slow Cooker Ham Bone Soup is the easiest and most delicious way to turn your leftover ham bone it into a hearty soup with zero fuss.

Amazing Slow Cooker Pot Roast You’ve Got To Try – When I was growing up, pot roast was my favorite meal. This recipe handed down from my mom is a real specialty you’ve got to try.  

How To Make Amazing Pork Chops In Your Slow Cooker – These low-carb pork chops are mouthwateringly tender and cooked over a bed of sweet carrots and onions in the most intense savory gravy.

Slow Cooker Braised Short Ribs – This is one of the most popular recipes on the blog. Seared beef short ribs simmer in your slow cooker in a beautiful red wine sauce until the meat is so tender and juicy, it literally falls right off the bone. 

Slow Cooker Beef Brisket – If there’s any cut of meat that the slow cooker seems to have been designed for, it’s beef brisket. Slow cooking results in a really tender, super juicy, incredibly flavorful beef that easily pulls apart with a fork.

Love this recipe? Pin it!

Print Pin Save Saved Recipe!

4.75 from 4 votes

Small Batch Slow Cooker Beef Chili With Bacon

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Savor the rich flavors of slow cooker beef chili infused with crispy bacon in this small batch recipe. Perfectly portioned for two - four servings. Then just add your favorite toppings!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 6 hours hours

Total Time 6 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 355kcal

Author Barbara Bianchi

Ingredients

• 8 ounces no nitrite bacon
• 1 onion diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

Herbs and Spices

• 1 clove of garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste

Finish for a flavor boost

• 1 tablespoon Bragg's apple cider vinegar

Instructions

• Cook bacon and drain on a paper towel. Then place the bacon in the fridge to be cut up and added to the chili later.
  8 ounces no nitrite bacon
• Add your diced onion and bell peppers to the same pan. And sauté in the bacon fat for about 10 minutes.
  1 onion , 1 red bell pepper
• Then add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Break up the meat with a spatula and incorporating the peppers and onions. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Then transfer the mixture to your slow cooker.
  1 pound ground beef
• Now stir in the crushed tomatoes, garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, coriander, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir it all up. Set your slow cooker to low for 6-7 hours.
  28 ounce can crushed tomatoes, 1 clove of garlic, 1 tablespoon oregano, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste
• Just before you’re ready to serve stir in apple cider vinegar and cooked chopped bacon. Serve and enjoy.
  1 tablespoon Bragg's apple cider vinegar

Notes

Popular toppings include a scoop of sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, diced avocado, or meaty sautéed mushrooms. Sometimes I stir in goat cheese or some Jalapeño peppers. 

Leftover chili can be refrigerated for four to five days when stored in an airtight container. It reheats beautifully. For longer storage, you can allow the chili to cool completely, wrap it tightly, and freeze it for two to three months.

Nutrition

Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 38.5g

did you make this recipe? If you found this recipe helpful, please leave a quick comment and a ★★★★★ rating. It really helps others find this recipe and means a lot to me. Thanks so much!