Taco Chili is a hearty, flavorful dish with Mexican ingredients. A fun twist on typical taco night with plenty of delicious topping options.
If you love Taco Soup, this is the perfect Dinner Recipe to try next. This chili-style take on taco soup is a fun twist that’s perfect for family dinner, potlucks or game days.
This Homemade Chili is the ultimate weeknight dinner. It’s a no stress one-pot meal, that you can set and forget in the slow cooker. Even if it’s your first time making chili, this slow cooker recipe will still seem so easy. In fact, it will probably become a go-to for a simple and hearty meal. If you want a quicker version, look for the instant pot directions later in the post.
Just like classic chili or soup, this recipe is even better with the right sides. Try making some Homemade Cornbread to serve with it. The slightly sweet bread will perfectly combine with the spices in the chili.
If your family is a fan of taco night, then this recipe is a great way to keep them happy while mixing things up. Giving everyone a bowl of chili is also much less messy than having everyone put together their own tacos. With just the crock pot, there is a lot less cleanup to worry about.
This kid-friendly recipe is a fun change to a typical chili recipe. With the rich combination of taco seasoning and ranch seasoning, it has all the flavor of a taco soup but made into a thick more filling homemade chili. Put out your favorite taco fillings as toppings for an even more perfect dinner that everyone can customize themselves.
More Chili Recipes
Texas Chili
Oklahoma Chili
Beef and Beer Chili
Tommy’s Chili (Copycat)
Homemade Chili Seasoning
You can find a store-bought Taco Seasoning that will work perfectly in your chili. However, if you’d rather not run out to the store you can just as easily make some homemade chili seasoning with simple pantry ingredients. Make a whole batch of Chili Seasoning mix to keep on hand the next time you want to make this Chili Taco Soup recipe.
- Add ¼ cup chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon cayenne powder, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 teaspoons paprika, 3 tablespoons ground cumin, 1 tablespoon Kosher salt. 2 teaspoons black pepper to a food processor.
- Blend the taco seasoning until it’s all mixed and you don’t see bits of oregano.
- Use 3 tablespoons of homemade chili seasoning in the chili soup, and save the rest in a jar.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Like many classic chili recipes this one calls for ground beef, but you can easily replace the beef or just add in some extra meat. Try using ground turkey or adding some slices of chicken breast. Using chicken breast will make it more similar to classic Chicken Taco Soup.
Instead of just black beans and pinto beans, you can add kidney beans, navy beans, or even refried beans.
There are plenty of vegetables and other flavors you can add to your Taco Chili soup. Try adding hominy corn, chopped bell pepper, ancho chilis, jalapeño, fire-roasted tomatoes, and green onion. You can also add to the spice mixes already in the recipe with some more strong spices. Some good ones to add are minced garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or some extra paprika.
When it comes to toppings for this chili, you can add anything you typically put in a taco or burrito. There are classics like tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and sour cream. You could also add Fritos, cilantro, or sliced avocado.
Instant Pot Taco Chili
While Taco Chili is incredibly easy to make in the slow cooker, you can use an instant pot for faster and equally delicious results.
- Set your instant pot to sauté add olive oil, and brown the ground beef and onion.
- Once the beef is browned add the beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasoning mix to the instant pot.
- Seal the instant pot and pressure cook for 10 minutes.
- Let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes, then enjoy your Instant Pot Taco Chili.
More Chili Recipes
Philly Cheesesteak Chili (Philly Chili)
Classic Beef Chili
Slow Cooker Beef Chili
Turkey Chili
How to Store Taco Chili
- Serve: Don’t leave your Taco Chili out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. You can leave your slow cooker on a low heat to keep the chili warm and out longer.
- Store: Let the Chili recipe cool before you store it in the fridge. Kept in an airtight container, it will last well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: If you want to make your Tex-Mex Chili ahead, you can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it defrost in the fridge, then reheat it on the stove top.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 30 ounces black beans , rinsed and drained
- 15 ounces pinto beans , rinsed and drained
- 29 ounces diced tomatoes , do not drain
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 4 ounces diced green chiles
- 1 packet ranch salad dressing mix
- 1 packet taco seasoning , or 3 tablespoons homemade Taco Seasoning
Optional toppings:
- tortilla chips
- sour cream
- cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook and crumble beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 8-10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a 5-qt. slow cooker.
- Rinse and drain beans. Add to beef, along with diced tomatoes and green chilies, tomato sauce, onion, the dressing and seasoning mixes.
- Cook, covered, on low until flavors are blended, 6-8 hours. Serve with toppings as desired.
Video
Nutrition
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Photo used in a previous version of this post.
This had so much flavor and I loved that I could start this in the morning and then it be ready for dinner. Topped mine with sour cream and tortilla chips. So good!
My family LOVED this taco chili. We will be making this chili on repeat!
I made this for dinner tonight, followed the recipe and I am here to tell you, make it now!! It is delicious!! Definitely a keeper recipe!!!
Disregard my previous comment/question regarding liquid. Eating it now and enjoying and very tasty!
Just making this now and it seems very dry… Is there supposed to be more liquid in here besides the 8 ounces of tomato sauce and the can of diced tomatoes and juice? Thank you
I noticed in the video that you cooked the Taco Chili on HIGH, not LOW as the recipe is printed. Which?
Hi! We did high because we cook in batches, but for that time frame you should use low. Sorry for the confusion!
This chili was delicious. Whole family loved it. So flavorful. Thank you for the recipe. Will be making it often.
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it!
What a fun twist on Taco Tuesday! I love the idea of having a toppings bar to allow everyone to customize their own bowl too.
Definitely! Thanks for the 5 stars, Lynn.
Taco soup is one of my favorite soups! I can’t decide if it’s because of all the different flavors or because it’s so hearty and filling, unlike some other soups.
You definitely won’t leave the dinner table hungry.
It says in the directions “Rinse and drain beans and hominy. ” but there is no hominy in the ingredients…
what is it 1 can? Help us out 😉
I’m so sorry. I’ve edited the recipe card to read correctly now.
To add to my previous question: the instructions mention adding the “canned tomatoes and green chiles,” which would appear to refer to a can of Ro-Tel, but later in the instructions, it says to “puree green chiles and remaining tomatoes.” So this is another point of confusion. Could you please correct the recipe and clarify both ingredients and the instructions. I was planning to make this recipe right now, but it’s kinda confusing.Thanks!
I’m so sorry about that. I’ve edited the recipe card to read correctly. I tried a few different variations this chili and it looks like my recipe card was a mash up of all of them. Definitely need more coffee before hitting the post button.
A couple of questions….the instructions call for hominy, but it is not listed in the ingredients. Also, the instructions mention “remaining diced tomatoes,” but nothing was previously said about dividing them. ???
I’ve edited it to read correctly now. Thanks for letting me know.
Hi! I’m not sure about your instructions below. How much of the green chilies and remaining diced tomatoes due you use in the blender.
Thanks so much!
Rinse and drain beans and hominy. Add to beef, along with canned tomatoes and green chilies, tomato sauce, onion, the dressing and seasoning mixes and pepper. Puree green chilies and remaining diced tomatoes in a covered blender until smooth; stir into beef mixture.
I’ve edited the recipe card to read correctly now. Thank you for letting me know it wasn’t correct.
Not sure how much hominy is needed? Not listed in ingredients.
Sorry about that. I’ve edited the card to read correctly now. Thanks for letting me know.
Hello! This dish sounds delicious! I have two questions, what is hominy? I noticed it’s listed in the directions, but not in the ingredient list. Second, should I half the tomatoes and green chilies so that some can be added initially, then purée the additional chilies and tomatoes? This step was unclear to me. Thank you!
I completely mashed up all my attempts at this recipe, so sorry. I’ve edited the recipe card to read correctly now. Thanks for your patience. I really hope you enjoy it!