Slow Cooker Black Bean Taco Chili

By Rachel // February 19, 2015 // 89 comments //

Hearty slow cooker back bean chicken taco chili. Perfect cold weather comfort food!

Hearty slow cooker black bean taco chili recipe from @bakedbyrachel

What is it about the Target dollar section that is so appealing? It’s not super amazing stuff. Just cutesy, random things that we’re suddenly convinced we need. MUST have that tiny bottle of goo-gone because there might be a random sticky spot at some unknown time in the future. Of course, by then the bottle will probably go missing, stored in some odd location after reorganizing. That never happened, seriously, it’s just something I imagine is likely.

But then, there are the things like those cute metal mailboxes that I had every intention of making into adorable Valentine mailboxes for the kids… years ago. I’m not even kidding. They’ve been in a bag, in the basement, for years. I figured they’d be cute. I could be crafty and fun and leave little notes and surprises for the kids. Uhhh that hasn’t happened, obviously. Fail.

And today, it got me. However, I went in with a goal in mind, which is basically never the case. I hoped to find things for the upcoming school vacation week, crafty doodads and such to entertain the kids while we’re still snowed in and looking for inexpensive things to occupy us. $1 paint sets – score! Spiderman, Frozen, etc. That’ll last for all of 30 minutes, but that’ll be $3 well spent…. unlike those mailboxes.

Hearty slow cooker black bean taco chili recipe from @bakedbyrachel

Here’s a super easy and flavorful, must make dinner! It’s like your favorite homemade taco turned into a hearty chili recipe. Shredded chicken, veggies and beans, seasoned to perfection and topped off with cheese – it’s delicious! A perfect cold weather crowd pleasing dish… made even easier in the slow cooker!

The slow cooker is absolutely my favorite Winter-time appliance. If you’re not using one, you must! It’s a game changer.

Be sure to add this hearty slow cooker black bean taco chili to your dinner plans!

Hearty slow cooker black bean taco chili recipe from @bakedbyrachel

Print Recipe

Slow Cooker Black Bean Taco Chili

Hearty slow cooker back bean chicken taco chili. Perfect cold weather comfort food!

Prep Time10

Cook Time4

Total Time4 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Dinner, Slow cooker

Servings: 4 plus

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb chicken breast *See notes
15 oz corn drained
15 oz black beans drained and rinsed well
15 oz petite diced tomatoes drained
1 C yellow onion chopped
1 C green bell pepper chopped
1 jalapeño diced
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 1/2 - 3 C chicken broth
Monterey Jack cheese optional
Tortilla chips optional
Sour cream optional

Instructions

To the bowl of a 5-6 quart slow cooker, add raw chicken breasts, beans, vegetables, spices and chicken broth. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8. Remove chicken breasts to shred, then return to slow cooker.
Serve with optional shredded cheese, tortilla chips and optional sour cream.

Notes

Recipe serves roughly 4-6.
*Use skinless, boneless chicken breasts, fully thawed.

An original recipe from Baked by Rachel

Items used in this recipe:

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This post contains affiliate links.

89 Responses to “Slow Cooker Black Bean Taco Chili”

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1

Miki — February 19, 2015 at 9:02 am

This is the first thing I saw this morning! Gorgeous!
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  Rachel — February 19, 2015 at 11:28 am
  
  Thanks Miki!
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Sandy @ RE — February 19, 2015 at 9:56 am

Love this, Rachel. SO healthy and hearty!
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  Rachel — February 19, 2015 at 11:29 am
  
  Thanks Sandy! :)
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Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie — February 19, 2015 at 3:37 pm

Between the dollar spot and their target cartwheel app that store convinces me to buy all kinds of things I didn’t know I needed. However I do legit need this chili.
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  Rachel — February 19, 2015 at 3:53 pm
  
  I haven’t caved with that app yet. I’m trying to resist because I’m sure it won’t help me save, just spend more.
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Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie — February 19, 2015 at 3:55 pm

True. I think so far it’s helped me save because I try to only buy things I had already had on my shopping list. But there were a few splurges along the way. And some steals! Hot combat boots for $6.75!!
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Emily @ Life on Food — February 20, 2015 at 6:32 am

I avoid Target whenever possible because it is such a danger. I just heard one might move in very close to my house. A very scary thought. This soup looks so warm and comforting. And I love those white bowls. I have a thing for white ceramics.
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  Rachel — February 20, 2015 at 7:28 am
  
  I totally understand how one being closer would be scary!
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Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness — February 20, 2015 at 7:51 am

The dollar section is totally my life. I can’t count the times I have come come and gone “why did I buy this?” It always makes sense…at the time.
But this chili? Makes sense ALL THE TIME. Pinned!
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  Rachel — February 20, 2015 at 10:18 am
  
  I feel the exact same way (about both) :)
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Julie @ Table for Two — February 20, 2015 at 11:19 am

This looks fantastic!! Love all that cheese on top and perfect for chilly days. I never go through the Target $1 section – stresses me out LOL
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Stacey @ Bake.Eat.Repeat. — February 21, 2015 at 2:57 pm

This chili looks amazing! I love slow cooker meals, especially in the winter. And yes, the dollar section at Target always gets me too, although they’re leaving Canada soon so I guess I won’t have to waste money there anymore!
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  Rachel — February 22, 2015 at 8:05 am
  
  Thanks so much Stacey! That really stinks about your Target stores!
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Lorr — February 22, 2015 at 1:14 am

Chicken breasts go into the crockpot whole? Do they fall apart as they cook?
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  Rachel — February 22, 2015 at 8:04 am
  
  The one step I left out. Sorry about that! Remove the chicken breasts to shred at the end, then return to the slow cooker before serving.
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Trinity — February 22, 2015 at 12:36 pm

Beautiful dish for those chilly days!!! Thank you for your lovely recipes!!
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  Rachel — February 23, 2015 at 7:24 am
  
  Thanks Trinity!
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Angela — February 23, 2015 at 8:53 am

I made this over the weekend and it was very good.
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  Rachel — February 24, 2015 at 7:55 am
  
  So glad you enjoyed it!
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Brielle @ Breezy Bakes — February 24, 2015 at 12:27 pm

Oh boy! This looks delicious! That chicken looks perfect. Mmm mmm!
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  Rachel — February 24, 2015 at 1:03 pm
  
  Thanks Brielle!
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13

Amber — June 26, 2015 at 7:30 pm

Anyone have the nutritional info for this chili?
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  Rachel — June 28, 2015 at 6:40 pm
  
  I do not supply that information with my recipes since I do not calculate it for my own personal use. There are free nutritional calculators available online if you do a quick search. Enjoy!
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Sara — July 31, 2015 at 10:43 am

Have you ever tried adding rice to the slow cooker with this? Or serving it with rice instead of chips? I want to try this but use rice I have instead of buying chips….
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  Rachel — August 1, 2015 at 9:04 am
  
  I haven’t personally added rice with this recipe. However, I’m sure it would go great in place of tortilla chips. :)
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Michele Liddick — August 13, 2015 at 8:13 pm

I made this slow cooker black bean taco chili today. It is fantastic!
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  Rachel — August 14, 2015 at 7:34 am
  
  So glad you enjoyed it, Michele! Thanks for sharing :)
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16

Susan Evans — August 22, 2015 at 9:54 am

Does anyone know the calorie count and nutrition composite?
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  Rachel — August 22, 2015 at 11:12 am
  
  I do not provide the nutritional information on my recipes. However, there are a lot of free online calculators available where you can plug the information in yourself. Enjoy! :)
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Cindy — November 4, 2015 at 6:26 pm

I put the ingredients in the crockpot before leaving for work. When I got home, the house smelled great!! This is a simple and delicious recipe. It’s a keeper. It’s got just the right amount of spiciness to it.
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  Rachel — November 5, 2015 at 7:32 am
  
  So glad you enjoyed it, Cindy! Thanks so much for sharing! :)
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Diane Rosloniec — November 25, 2015 at 8:38 am

This is a fabulous recipe! I made one adjustment: I didn’t add the cayenne pepper and next time will add a 1/2 a jalapeño pepper. Everyone loved it and came back for seconds! This is a fabulous Clean Eating recipe and I highly recommend it!
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  Rachel — November 25, 2015 at 11:55 am
  
  So glad you enjoyed it, Diane. Thanks for sharing! :)
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Adriana Sanchez — December 10, 2015 at 9:24 am

Made this last night. Family loved it!! So simple and clean. Yummmmmm
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  Rachel — December 10, 2015 at 4:12 pm
  
  So glad everyone enjoyed it, Adriana! Thanks for sharing. :)
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20

Deb Witt — January 10, 2016 at 11:43 am

Can this be placed in a freezer bag and frozen? Looking for freezer meals.
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  Rachel — January 10, 2016 at 11:56 am
  
  I haven’t personally tried freezing it before or after, but I imagine it would be fine. Keep in mind that it should be thawed fully before cooking as frozen food should never be cooked in a slow cooker. Enjoy!
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Andrea O. — January 17, 2016 at 5:48 pm

I made this today for dinner. It was a huge success! Absolutely delicious! This recipe is s keeper!

(I used the red pepper flakes, and I thought it was a great addition to the flavor!)
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  Rachel — January 18, 2016 at 7:20 am
  
  SO glad you enjoyed it, Andrea! Thanks so much for sharing.
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Christina — July 18, 2016 at 7:25 am

Are they canned beans or dried?
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  Rachel — July 18, 2016 at 1:22 pm
  
  Canned beans are used.
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23

Madi — August 11, 2016 at 2:02 pm

Such a good recipe. Totally forgot the bell pepper and my house isn’t a huge fan of onion, but I put an entire medium yellow onion in and absolutely no complaints. Thanks for sharing this!
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  Rachel — August 12, 2016 at 7:15 am
  
  So glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing, Madi!
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Lorrie Smith — September 9, 2016 at 9:56 pm

Made this today. After I shredded the chicken and added it back to the crock-pot I added a can of (drained and rinsed) red kidney beans. Letting the chili cool down before I store it in the frig for the night. Tomorrow it should be extra flavorful because the ingredients will have had a chance to marry and mellow. Can’t wait to try it! Make homemade tortilla strips and have lots of Monterrey Jack cheese to add to the mix, as well as, fresh avocado slices and some Mexican creama!
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  Rachel — September 11, 2016 at 8:34 am
  
  I hope you enjoyed it! :)
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25

Ashlyn — September 30, 2016 at 2:55 pm

I made this the other day & it is so delicious! I cooked it in a crock pot for 12 hours to really soak in the flavors. I also made a vegan version, with meatless chicken strips from Trader Joe’s. Yum!!
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  Rachel — October 1, 2016 at 12:49 pm
  
  So glad you enjoyed it, Ashlyn!
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26

Latravia — October 10, 2016 at 7:41 pm

My 9 year old daughter who is a picky eater was the first one to get some and she loved it!!! I just took my first bite and fell in love. I’m a fall enthusiast and this is a perfect for a fall evening.
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  Rachel — October 11, 2016 at 10:49 am
  
  I’m so glad to hear you both enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing! :)
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Renee — October 15, 2016 at 9:25 pm

This is really good! I used 3 jalapeños because my husband and I like a little more spice! I had used the 3 cups of chicken broth, but next time I might use less. It was a little more like a soup than a chili with the extra broth. I loved how the corn remained crunchy and the chicken really broke up on its own once it was done!!
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  Rachel — October 17, 2016 at 7:16 am
  
  I’m glad you both enjoyed it, Renee! Thanks for sharing. :)
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Connie Tomten — October 16, 2016 at 12:40 pm

Wonderful meals, like your site alot!
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  Rachel — October 17, 2016 at 7:15 am
  
  Thanks, Connie!
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29

Brittany — November 3, 2016 at 12:08 pm

This looks delicious! How many chicken breasts did you use?
Thanks!
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  Rachel — November 4, 2016 at 7:23 am
  
  That will vary depending on their size. Typically it will be 2-3 breasts depending on how large they are.
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Ruth — November 13, 2016 at 7:17 pm

Nice recipe, and flavor is very good. I just wonder if an ingredient is missing; it is definitely more like soup than chili. There is nothing to ” bind” the broth. Do you have any suggestions?
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  Rachel — November 14, 2016 at 7:15 am
  
  There are many types of chili with varying consistencies. There isn’t anything missing here. If you like it thicker, just grab more of the solid ingredients over the broth. I’m glad you enjoyed it! :)
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  Ashley — November 17, 2016 at 7:13 pm
  
  I just made this tonight and added some of the shredded cheese and a couple tbsp of all purpose flour to the crock pot at the end of the cooking time. It made it thicker. It’s a delicious recipe! But I am the same and like it a bit thicker.
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31

Stephanie — December 27, 2016 at 2:56 pm

Ok to use frozen chicken breasts?
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  Rachel — December 28, 2016 at 8:14 am
  
  Ingredients, especially meat, must always be fully thawed before adding to the slow cooker.
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32

Sherry — December 27, 2016 at 10:58 pm

Can I use a high pressure cooker instead? Or normal pot on the stove? If so, what should I be aware of?
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  Rachel — December 28, 2016 at 8:13 am
  
  If you do either, I do not have directions for you as this was written specifically for the slow cooker. Good luck! :)
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Yvonne Lopez — January 24, 2017 at 5:02 pm

I made this last night and meal prepped with it for the week. So yummy :) You wouldn’t happen to know the nutrition for this would you?
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  Rachel — January 25, 2017 at 7:22 am
  
  So glad you enjoyed it, Yvonne. As for the nutritional info, I don’t offer that but there are free calculators online you can use.
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34

Fulisa Shepherd — February 2, 2017 at 2:16 pm

This is wonderful! Just the right amount of zing. Thank you for sharing.
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  Rachel — February 3, 2017 at 7:14 am
  
  I’m glad you enjoyed it!
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35

Enjoli — February 8, 2017 at 3:17 pm

Delicious! Next time I will add kidney beans as well! Awesome flavor!
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  Rachel — February 9, 2017 at 2:00 pm
  
  I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing :)
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Carmen — March 1, 2017 at 11:05 am

We love this chili! I add some cumin and double the recipe. It freezes beautifully and we get 5-6 meals! It’s become one of my go-to recipes. Thank you!
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  Rachel — March 2, 2017 at 8:33 am
  
  So glad you’ve enjoyed it! :)
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Cynthia — July 21, 2017 at 12:43 pm

Just made this morning for lunch today for my daughter’s and I. So delicious and healthy!! Thank you so much!!
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  Rachel — July 21, 2017 at 2:27 pm
  
  So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing, Cynthia! :)
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Debra Haselton — September 3, 2017 at 4:31 pm

I recently ‘found’ your blog and love it!
I made this chili and it was fantastic! Great flavor and so easy!
I also made your Lemon Glazed Zucchini bread as it seemed a little different than the other zucchini breads I’ve tried. It was delicious with the bright lemon flavor added. It was a good ‘dessert” accompianment to the chili!

I’m looking forward to trying some of your other recipes and I know I also will enjoy your home and decor posts!

Warm regards,
Debra
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  Rachel — September 4, 2017 at 7:42 am
  
  So glad you enjoyed it, Debra!
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  Sindy kelley — October 10, 2017 at 11:06 am
  
  Can you substitute something else for the black beans
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  Rachel — October 11, 2017 at 6:54 am
  
  Any other bean would be the best option. Enjoy :)
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brad — March 27, 2018 at 1:46 pm

Great recipe! I’ve made it a staple in our house. I sub a 28oz can of Hominy for the corn. Makes it taste like a bowl of chicken tamales.
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  Rachel — April 2, 2018 at 6:58 am
  
  So glad you’ve enjoyed it, Brad! :)
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Lelei — September 16, 2018 at 1:53 pm

Made this for the first time yeasterday and it came out delicious. I used 3 chicken thighs instead of skinless chicken breast and it came out amazing. Plan on making for my son’s first birthday party.
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  Rachel — September 24, 2018 at 7:01 am
  
  So glad you enjoyed it! :)
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Apryl — December 17, 2018 at 9:35 pm

If I use canned chicken breasts instead of frozen how long would you suggest to cook?
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  Rachel — December 19, 2018 at 6:04 am
  
  Fully thawed boneless chicken breast should be used for this recipe for best results. Enjoy!
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haley — April 24, 2019 at 6:16 pm

this recipe is so fantastic! thank you!
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  Rachel — May 8, 2019 at 6:30 am
  
  So glad you enjoyed it!
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Katie SR — January 4, 2020 at 10:54 pm

Big thanks…this soup is ALWAYS a hit and I make it all.the.time. Much appreciated!!
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  Rachel — January 5, 2020 at 1:44 pm
  
  So glad you’ve enjoyed it, Katie!
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Joy — October 4, 2022 at 9:54 pm

My whole family loves this! Looks like the recipe serves 4+. Can you share the approximate serving size?
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  44.1
  
  Rachel — October 5, 2022 at 5:42 am
  
  So glad everyone enjoyed it! I do not have an exact serving size for you.

Slow Cooker Black Bean Taco Chili