Crock-Pot Sweet Chili Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What to add to chili to make it sweeter? ›

Some sweet chili recipes add as much as ½ cup of brown sugar to the pot! I have found that just a dash of maple adds the perfect hint of sweetness without it becoming a sugar-packed meal.

The real key to great chili however is brown sugar! In fact, brown sugar is what gives the chili a subtle sweetness you never even knew you were missing.

Chili is perhaps the ideal slow-cooker dish because its flavor improves with a long, slow simmer.

Spices– chili powder, ground cumin, sweet paprika, and ground coriander. Brown Sugar– this is a must when making chili! It adds a sweetness that really balances the flavor.

Stir some puréed pumpkin into your chili just after sautéing your aromatics (onions, garlic, etc...) and before adding any liquid. This will deepen and sweeten its flavor, making it a great balance for all the chile peppers and heat.

Only Add Flavorful Liquids

Instead of adding water to your chili, add some more flavor with chicken or beef broth, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or even beet or wine. Each one of these options brings out different notes and levels of sweetness that will enhance your culinary creation.

Insufficient seasoning, such as chili powder, cumin, paprika, and salt, can lead to bland chili. Chili relies on a combination of spices and seasonings for its distinctive flavor. Be sure to taste your chili during the cooking process and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Can I overcook chili in a slow cooker? Yes, but it would take a while. I have cooked this chili for 9 hours on low and it was delicious but ever-so-slightly burnt on the top.

Mix in a scoop of cornstarch, all-purpose flour, or oats.

Rather than adding it directly to the chili (which can create clumps) make a slurry. In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water, then stir this into the pot of chili. For 1 tablespoon of flour, use 2 tablespoons of water.

The slightly tart flavor will add brightness and complexity to your tried-and-true chili recipe, while the thick texture creates heartiness and a creamy mouthfeel.

Why is sweet chili so good? ›

It is a delicious and refreshing sauce that goes great with rice, noodles, burgers and even tacos. This sauce is the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and spicy and has an exotic flavor using red chillies and garlic.

Add some sugar to balance the heat and acidity of your chili

When cooking with tomatoes specifically, Cook's Illustrated suggests adding either sugar or baking soda to decrease the acidity of the tomatoes you're cooking with–yet sugar also provides a multi-dimensional complexity of flavors.

However, if you find you are plum out of lemons and your chili is skewing toward the sweet end of the culinary spectrum, you can substitute a little vinegar to help rescue its taste. Just remember to start with a small amount so you don't ruin your pot of chili altogether.

Add a touch of sweetness

Chili is rich, deep and often spicy, so adding a sweet ingredient is a great way to create balanced flavor. We've found that adding diced carrots is the easiest way to add natural sweetness, but you can also use vegetables like sweet potatoes or winter squash.