This sweet and tangy Dr Pepper Chili is a delicious crock pot recipe that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner. It’s quick to prepare and slow-cooked to perfection, allowing the bold flavors to meld together for a rich, hearty dish.
Easy Dr Pepper Chili in the Crock Pot
Crockpot meals are my favorite- especially when I’m tired or short on time! My kids are in school and always on the go so that means I am, too. A meal like hearty Dr Pepper Chili is perfect to set in the morning and enjoy at dinner when it’s finished cooking. There’s minimal hands-on time but you still end up with a tasty home-cooked meal to fill hungry bellies. My favorite part is the rich sauce! It hits all the notes- sweet, smoke, spice, and tang! Try our Dr Pepper Pulled Pork, Dr Pepper Baked Beans, Dr Pepper Ribs, Dr Pepper Meatballs and Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce if you’re interested in more recipes with Dr Pepper.
Why You’ll Love This Dr Pepper Chili
- It makes great leftovers. This Dr. Pepper chili reheats so well making it perfect to save for lunch the next day. It also works great incorporated into another meal to create a new delicious dinner. Sometimes I make extra so I can save the leftovers and skip cooking!
- Perfect for freezing. It freezes well, too. Make an extra batch and keep it in the freezer for a night that you don’t want to cook or you’re short on time. Thaw and reheat it for a quick and tasty meal.
- Customizable. You may make changes to the ingredients to suit your preferences! Try this recipe with different ground meat, without beans, or with different spices to create a whole new flavor profile.
Ingredients Need
All of the items listed below are crucial in creating a balanced chili recipe- with the secret ingredient of Dr Pepper soda! The exact measurements are listed below.
- Ground beef: I like to use lean ground beef for the chili so there’s not a lot of excess grease to drain from the skillet which keeps it from having a strong fatty flavor.
- Peppers and onions: One of my favorite shortcuts is frozen peppers and onions. I don’t have to worry about their freshness and they are chopped to save time. Plus, I add them straight from the freezer! If you want to use fresh, you may. It equals about 1 bell pepper and half an onion.
- Garlic: The strong and pungent flavor of garlic adds depth of flavor while also enhancing the flavors of the other ingredients. It’s my favorite item to cook with.
- Beans: I use both kidney beans and black beans in this chili recipe. You may use any combination of beans you prefer. Sometimes I like to use pinto beans instead of black beans.
- Diced tomatoes: I like Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles.
- Tomato sauce: Canned tomato sauce has minimal seasoning and a smooth texture which I love for this chili recipe.
- Chili seasoning: Try any brand of chili seasoning you want! You may even use your favorite homemade blend if you prefer. This Homemade Chili Seasoning Recipe is my go-to, it’s a simple blend that includes chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper.
- Chipotle sauce: I add a couple of tablespoons of the sauce from a can of Chipotle in adobo. It’s a little smoky and spicy and adds great balance to the Dr. Pepper Chili. You may use your favorite hot sauce instead.
- Brown sugar: This adds sweetness and a subtle molasses flavor depth and balance. You may also use honey!
- Dr. Pepper: You can’t have Dr. Pepper chili without the soda! I use classic but you may try this recipe with zero sugar or diet, too.
How to Make Dr Pepper Chili
It takes two basic steps to put your chili together; combine and cook! It’s the perfect quick and easy recipe that will save you tons of time in the kitchen.
- Combine the ingredients. Add all of the chili ingredients to the bottom of the slow cooker. Stir them until they are well mixed.
- Cook. Pop the lid on and cook the Dr. Pepper chili mixture for 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
- Serve. Ladle some into a bowl and top it with your favorite toppings! I love sour cream, jalapenos, and a little cheese!
Tips for Success
- Chili dogs or fries. Serve this Dr. Pepper chili on hot dogs or French fries. Spoon some over a grilled hot dog for a tasty twist. Add it to plain fries or these Bacon Cheese Fries.
- Side dishes.
- Make it on the stove. Brown and drain the beef in a large saucepan or skillet. Then, add the remaining ingredients. Cover and let it simmer over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes. Then, it’s ready to eat!
- Try the Instant Pot. You may brown your beef on the saute setting in your Instant Pot. Stir in the other ingredients and cook it on manual pressure for 10 minutes. It’s an easy and quick one-pot recipe.
Proper Storage
Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Place it in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
Reheat it in the microwave or a saucepan over medium heat for best results. Either method takes just a few minutes.
More Chili Recipes
- Wendy’s Chili Recipe
- White Chicken Chili
- Instant Pot Three Bean Chili Recipe
- Cincinnati Chili
- Hot Dog Chili Recipe
Dr Pepper Chili
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef browned and drained
- 1 cup frozen chopped peppers and onion
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 15 ounces red kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chilis
- 28 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 ounce chili seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons sauce from chipotles in adobo
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 12 ounce Dr Pepper
Instructions
- To your slow cooker add all the ingredients.
- Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.
Last Step:
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Notes
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Top with cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, onions, anything you like to top your chili with.
Nutrition
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2 comments on “Dr Pepper Chili”
I was skeptical of this recipe but was it ever good! So glad I made it, it was absolutely delicious and will definitely be making it again.
Thank you Blanka!