I think the key is really cutting back the liquid in any recipe.
Most things we’ve made have been very bland. I think it’s an art, and you have to work it out with all the new generations of crockpots. They seem to cook a lot hotter now, even when they’re supposed to be ‘slow’.
With a crockpot it is best to season the food near the end of the cooking time, with the exception of onion and garlic. Long cooking times tend to destroy the flavors of most herbs and spices.
Chile powder, though, gets more intense.