Slow Cooker Chili Cheese Dip Recipe | Perfect Game Day Recipe

The holidays are behind us, but I am definitely not ready to stop getting together with my friends and family. We have lots of plans for social events for the next couple of months- including family coming to stay with us, game nights with friends, girls’ nights, and football viewing parties. And one of the best parts about all of those? The food!

If you’re hosting any type of get together in these next few still-cold months, you need this recipe. It’s a super simple appetizer that’s always a hit, and it’s so easy to put together.

It’s perfect for your next football viewing party {Big Game party anyone??}, birthday party or game night! Keep reading to find out how to make it in just a few simple steps.

What is chili dip? How is it different than chili?

Chili is mainly beans and meat, and while it may have cheese in it, it’s more of a stew. Chili dip on the other hand is a cheese dip that has similar flavors and ingredients to chili, but is ultimately a delicious cheese dip that pairs well with chips and other dippable foods.

What makes chili dip different than a cheese dip is the addition of beans {in this case, specifically chili beans} as well as chili seasoning. It also has ground beef, but many cheese dips have beef as well {like my Hamburger Cheese Dip}.

Is chili better in the slow cooker? Why make Chili Cheese Dip in the crock pot?

There are so many great reasons to make this Chili Cheese Dip in the slow cooker instead of on the regular stovetop!

Chili itself benefits from slow cooking because letting the ingredients simmer allows them to cook to a great texture and absorb all of the flavors. You can cook it low and slow on the stovetop as well, but it requires a bit of babysitting to make sure it doesn’t burn and that you’re being safe with your cooktop.

Another benefit is that it’s almost completely set it & forget it. Once you brown that ground beef in a skillet and add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker, all you have to do is place the lid and walk away. {Okay there’s ONE stir an hour in but that’s all, I promise!}

Finally, slow cooking is the preferred method if you’re making this recipe for a get-together because you can even serve it directly from the crockpot if you’d like. Rather than getting another dish dirty to serve it in, you can use one vessel for both cooking and serving.

Can you prep Crockpot Chili Dip the night before? How do you store make ahead chili dip?

On the same note as above, this dish is great for get-togethers because you can prep it the night before if you’re really pressed for time!

Keep in mind that this recipe only requires a few minutes of prep and then you can set it and forget it for three hours- but if your get-together is early or you won’t have time to prep it three hours before the party, you can get it ready the day before.

For that, I’d recommend fully making the recipe as described the night before. Then you have two options- the first is to wait for the slow cooker to fully cool down and store the dip in the fridge still in the crockpot {remove the main pot from the holder}.

The other option is to remove it from the crockpot and store it in food storage containers overnight, then wash your slow cooker and put the dip back into it a little while before your party and heat it back up.

Which method you choose will depend on your timing- if you’re in a hurry and can’t wait for the crockpot to cool down enough to put it in the fridge, you can put the dip in a container at any time. But if you have time, you can save yourself from some extra dishes by just waiting.

What Supplies Do You Need to Make Slow Cooker Chili Cheese Dip?

To make Crockpot Chili Dip, you’ll need:

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• Slow cooker
• Recommended: Slow Cooker Liners
• Skillet
• Cooking spoon
• Optional: Tiered serving dish or Chip and Dip Serving Tray

Step by Step Guide

Ready to cook? Grab the printable recipe at the bottom of this post and come back here to get started!

Hungry for More?

Want more delicious party recipes? Try these:

• Red Onion & Corn Guacamole
• Mini Pizza Bites
• Game Day Nacho Tacos
• Crockpot Pepsi Ribs
• Football Party Ideas + Recipes