Soul food ingredients and flavors enhance this chili recipe that can be made in the slow cooker or electric pressure cooker.

PIN FOR LATER
Updated 2020 with Instant Pot instructions
I’m combining two things I love with this recipe – soul food & chili. I’ve said this several times before – chili was made for the low & slow method of the slow cooker or electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot).
Soul Food Ingredients
Make no mistake, this is chili recipe. But I added some of my favorite soul food ingredients: pork, chicken, black-eyed peas and hot sauce. I know the combination of both pork & chicken might not work for some people. If you don’t eat red meat, use all chicken. If you can’t find ground chicken, use ground turkey. Or ground beef. You can make this recipe work for you.
What Type Of Black-Eyed Peas To Use
This recipe calls for cooked black-eyed peas so you will need to use pre-cooked, frozen, or canned peas. I used canned black-eyed peas that were drained & rinsed. If you you’re using frozen, stir them in the last 3o minutes of cook time for the slow cooker or at the end if you’re using the pressure cooker.
Serving & Storing The Chili
Topping suggestions for this chili include cheese, sour cream, green onions, or chopped herbs. Store the leftover chili in the frig for up to 3 days or the freezer for 4-6 months.
Other chili recipes you might enjoy:
Slow Cooker/Instant Pot The Best Turkey Chili
Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili (Paleo, Whole30)
Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Old Fashioned Chili
Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Indian Chili (Paleo, Whole30)
Slow Cooker Chunky Beef Chili (Paleo, Whole30)
Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Bean-Free Chili (Low-Carb, Paleo, Whole30)
I use a 6-quart slow cooker or Instant Pot for this recipe.

PIN FOR LATER

{VIDEO} Slow Cooker Soul/Instant Pot Soul Food Chili
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 mins
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 lb ground pork
- 15 ounces cooked black-eyed peas
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon oil
Instructions
Slow Cooker
Optional but recommended step: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken & ground pork and cook 3-5 minutes, (crumbling the meat as it cooks) until no longer pink. Drain excess grease before adding the meat to the slow cooker.
- Add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Stir to mix well.
- Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6.
Electric Pressure Cooker
- Turn on the pressure cooker and select Sauté. Once hot add oil, ground chicken, ground pork, and diced onion to the pot. Cook 5-7 minutes, crumbling the ground meat as it cooks. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. You might need to do this in batches. Drain fat excess grease if needed.
- Stir in black-eyed peas, hot sauce, chili powder, salt, paprika, thyme, pepper, garlic salt, and onion powder.
- Pour diced tomatoes & tomato sauce on top. Do not stir.
- Close lid and seal valve. Cook high pressure for 20 minutes. Natural release pressure for 5 minutes then quick release any remaining pressure. Stir before serving.
Notes
The chili will thicken as it cools
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Blacked eyed peas in chili? Yes please!!
★★★★★
Thank you for sharing your recipe! I have the ingredients in my slow cooker right now. Should I add water or broth?
Nope, no broth or water needed, it will cook down. Enjoy!
Thank you.. I was wondering the same. Cooking mine now! (Fingers crossed) 😉
This says that it serves 4. If I wanted to double it, would I need to make two separate batches?
Yes I would. My 6-quart slow cooker was pretty full with just one batch. Enjoy!
THis sounds delicious and hearty. And I love that you kicked it up a notch by adding some soul to it. Yum!
This is a completely new version of chili for me! Sounds delicious!
This looks delicious! Can it be made without a slow cooker?
Thank you! Yes, you can make this in a pot or dutch oven. The instructions pretty much stay the same except you don’t cook it as long. An hour or so on low, stirring occasionally should do the trick. Enjoy!
Oh yum!!! This looks fantastic!
Your selection of beans is wonderful! This is so unusual, and I love it! I’ve pinned it for quick reference.
I love a good slow cooked chili!
oooh this looks awesome. I really should take advantage of my slow cooker more often!
Your aerial photo of the ingredients in the crockpot is a masterpiece in itself and sold me on this! Making it!
You had me at soul food. Looks absolutely amazing!
Awesome! I’ve never had a chili with lima beans and back eyed peas. Fantastic. I will have to try this.
I love a good hearty chili and your recipe looks so good and easy to make. Can’t wait to try it 🙂
The slow cooker is a great way to make chili. This beefy chili is packed with beans, veggies, and spice. This spicy and satisfying chili is made in the slow cooker. Start it before you head off to work, and return to a homemade meal ready to eat! I like to put two scoops of sour cream in my bowl.
I love chili! It’s great year round, I’ll have to try out this recipe!
Your chili looks so good! I would make them for dinner tomorrow. If we have left overs (I doubt that), I will keep it in the freezer to reheat on Saturday and enjoy it with tortilla chips. Delicious!
Great pictures! Makes me want to put together some chili myself now. Always one of my favorite meals on a cool fall day or cold winter evening.
I love love soul foods and make them often as it’s always cold in the UK so they are always perfect year round those I have not tried in a slow cooker before
That chili has some great color! I’ve never seen a chili made with some of those ingredients.
This recipe is perfect for Sunday’s family dinner. I’m sure my family would love it. I’m glad you shared the recipe.
Oh I love chili! I’m going to save it for those cooler fall days when you just feel like something warm in your stomach.
This sounds like the perfect chili! It has everything you could want from a hearty, filling meal in it.
I’m usually not a big fan of chili, but this does look excellent! I like the variety of beans in there, and the seasonings sound good. We are vegetarian but I’d just sub in a mock meat 🙂
This looks so yummy. I never thought to put ground pork in chili, but I am sure it makes it delicious.
This is a great way to presednt a recipe. And such a good one, too!
That looks absolutely amazing especially on a cold summer day like today. Yes…we are having a cold summer day! I use slow cookers in the summer. The’re a life saver when we want to just relax. Thanks so much for sharing this delicious recipe!
The soul food chili would be something I would love. It’s soothing and really rich in taste. No wonder your recipe is such a hit.
Now this sounds delicious, it amazes me all the bits you can do with a slow cooker, I really need to get more adventurous with mine.
This is definitely something I want to try. I like anything you can do in the slow cooker because it’s less work for me and it tastes so good.
Chili is one of our favorite winter meals. I can’t wait for fall when we start making it again 🙂