Slow Cooker Spiced Lamb Chili
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Ground lamb browned with garlic and onions, slow-cooked with tomatoes, beans, and bold spices. A twist with smoky chipotle pepper replaces the usual jalapeño in the base. Cook low and slow to let flavors deepen. Cheddar and fresh sliced jalapeños finish it off. Rich aroma builds as it simmers. Notes on timing, texture, and substitutions included. Serves about 12 cups with a hearty, textured bite that’s not mushy or bland.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
12 cups
#American Southwest
#slow cooker
#lamb
#chili
#chipotle
#spices
Lamb, not beef. Ground, browned with garlic and onions—aroma thick in kitchen. Don’t rush—low and slow wins. Chipotle replaces jalapeño inside pot; smoky heat seeps. Beans stay tender, not mushy. Stir once, twice maybe, break up clumps. Liquid thickens, coating chunks, savory and bold. Cheese melts on top; jalapeño slices shard fresh heat. Leftover? Better the next day. Foolproof if you follow cues—sizzle, smell, soft meat, sauce thick. Easy pantry staples with twist on heat and texture. Not fancy, just honest. Something friendlier than stew, more bite than soup.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground lamb, grass-fed if possible
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cans (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) dark red kidney beans, rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed
- 1 cup beef broth, low sodium
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced plus 1 tbsp adobo sauce
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ancho chili powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Cheddar cheese, shredded, for topping
- Fresh jalapeños, sliced, for topping
About the ingredients
Fat content in lamb dictates if you drain or add oil. Look for 80/20; too lean dries out chili. Fresh garlic essential for flavor in browning stage; powdered can’t do the trick. Fire-roasted tomatoes contribute distinct smoky flavor; if unavailable, normal diced plus smokey paprika suffices. Beans rinsed good to cut excess salt and starch clumps. Substitute chipotle with serrano or smoked paprika if desired chilliness varies. Beef broth adds depth; water dilutes. Spices balanced to avoid choking flavor but enough earthiness and warmth. Salt added cautiously—you can always top your bowl later. Cheese sharp, aged cheddar preferred; cuts richness but melds creaminess. Jalapeños slice thin—fresh crunch to reset palate.
Method
- Heat olive oil over medium-high in large skillet. Toss in chopped onions first. Stir, sweat till translucent and edges browning—sweet, nutty onion aroma fills air.
- Add minced garlic after onions soften. Stir quick, garlic browns fast, 30 seconds max. Avoid bitter burned flavor.
- Ground lamb next. Break apart chunks, let meat brown without crowding pan—no steaming here. Listen for sizzle, see edges caramelize. Pink patches vanish, fat renders. Drain excess grease if heavy but keep some fat for flavor punch.
- Transfer browned lamb, onions, garlic mixture directly into slow cooker basin. No heating the crock pot yet (trust me).
- Pour cans of fire-roasted tomatoes, both beans, beef broth over meat mix. Add chipotle peppers with adobo sauce. The smoky heat replaces typical jalapeño in the pot, sharper depth. If no chipotle, sub 2 fresh serrano peppers chopped fine.
- Sprinkle cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, ancho chili powder over everything. Season lightly with salt and fresh ground black pepper—you can adjust later.
- Using a wooden spoon, mix well to combine all chunks with liquids. No stubborn clumps hiding.
- Set crock pot on low. More patience here. Plan for 4 to 5 hours. Skip starting it for shorter when pressed, but minor flavor sacrifice. Stir at least once midway to break any settled bits, help mingling.
- Listen for soft bubbling sound after first hour—sign the magic starts. The smell richens like campfire smoke and braised meat mingled.
- Texture check after 4 hours: meat should shatter easily under fork, beans intact but tender. Sauce thickened slightly, not watery.
- If still too thin, take lid off near end, switch heat to high for last 20 minutes. Keep checking so it doesn’t dry out.
- Ready servings with shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top. Fresh sliced jalapeños raw or quick pickled add crunch and bite. Sour cream optional but overused elsewhere, skip here to let bold flavors sing.
- Leftovers almost better next day when spices fuse solidly—makes great freezer stash.
- Common snag: lamb too lean? Add splash olive oil during browning to prevent dryness. Meat too greasy? Drain early and rinse beans well to reduce sodium.
- No slow cooker? Finish in oven-safe pot covered at 275°F for 3 hours, stir every 45 mins.
Cooking tips
Brown lamb with onions and garlic in olive oil for full aroma and taste. Don’t crowd pan or steam meat. Drain excess fat if puddles form. Transfer meat mixture to crock pot before pouring liquids and adding beans and spices. Stir well to blend; don’t leave chunks hiding in bottom. Set crock pot on low for 4 to 5 hours; stir once midway to prevent sticking, promote mingling. Listen for bubbling—not boiling. Check tenderness visually: lamb breaks with fork, beans tender but whole. If sauce thin, finish uncovered on high for 15-20 minutes, watch carefully. Salt final after cooking. Serve with shredded cheddar and sliced jalapeños for crunchy heat contrast. Leftovers improve as flavors marry overnight.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Brown lamb in batches. Don’t crowd pan or steam meat. Listen for sizzle, see edges caramelize. Pink spots vanish; fat renders. Drain excess grease if puddles form. Keep some fat for flavor punch. Adds richness, no greasy heaviness. Salt later, not now.
- 💡 Onions soft but not brown. Sweat ‘em translucent first. Then garlic quick. Garlic browns in 30 seconds—too far and it turns bitter. Smell nutty, sweet onion aroma before adding garlic. Toss garlic fast; no burning or bitter notes. Timing matters here for base flavor.
- 💡 Chipotle peppers replace jalapeño for smoky heat. Diced plus adobo sauce adds depth. No chipotle? Use fresh serrano chopped fine. Or plain jalapeño if milder heat needed. Smoked paprika sprinkle helps mimic fire-roasted flavor if canned tomatoes lack smoke.
- 💡 Slow cooker on low 4-5 hours. Stir once halfway. Avoid lid lifting too often; every peek costs heat loss. After hour one, listen for soft bubbling, not boil. Smell shifts to campfire smoke and braised meat mingled. Texture check: lamb shatters easily, beans tender but intact.
- 💡 If sauce too thin near end, remove lid, switch to high heat 15-20 mins. Watch closely to avoid drying out. Final seasoning done after cooking; salt pinch can always be added later. Top with sharp cheddar shredded finely. Fresh jalapeños sliced thin add fresh heat with crunch.
Common questions
How to stop gamy taste in lamb?
Brown well, high heat. Fat renders. Onion and garlic scented first. No crowding pan—steam kills crust and traps gaminess. Drain excess fat but keep some. Fresh garlic browns quickly, bitter burnt ruins batch.
Swap for chipotle peppers?
Serrano peppers chopped fine work good substitute. Adobo sauce adds smoky heat so add smoked paprika without chipotle. Fresh jalapeño milder. Adjust chili powder too if heat changes. Fire-roasted tomatoes help smoky depth.
Meat too dry or greasy?
Adjust fat content of lamb first. 80/20 ideal. Too lean? Drizzle olive oil during browning. Too greasy? Drain fat early. Rinse beans well to reduce salt and starch—affects thickening, texture. Stir midway to prevent settling.
How store leftovers?
Refrigerate in airtight container 3-4 days. Freeze portions up to 3 months works too. Reheat gently to avoid drying. Flavors deepen overnight. If freezing beans swell less but texture stays hearty. Stir after reheating.
