LOW CARB KETO CHILI RECIPE

A few months ago our daughter-in-law, Michelle, invited us over for a chili dinner. We never, ever pass up an invitation to dinner at the Robach house. Michelle is mother to our three teenage grandsons, wife to our son, Eric, and works full-time. Like most moms these days, she’s become a master in time management. This crock pot chili recipe is a huge time-saver for her, and by the way, she’s not only a fabulous cook, but the best DIL ever!

Stove top chili has been a staple in the Robach family, but when we saw that hers was being prepared in a crockpot, we were intrigued. She sautéed onions and garlic in a saucepan, then added ground meat and cooked until browned. She put the meat mixture in a crockpot, added spices, beans, tomatoes, and her special ingredient: a can of V8. It was so delicious we asked for the recipe.

BEANS OR NO BEANS

Michelle’s chili recipe included beans, and we’ve got to say, we enjoyed every one of them, but made sure we only scooped up a few. They’re high in protein, folate, fiber, and antioxidants. The problem for a keto or low-carb diet: they’re also high in carbohydrates. One cup contains around 25 to 32 net carbs. We’ve eliminated the beans in this recipe for that reason. Adding one cup will jump up a serving another 4 to 5 net carbs. If you are going strict keto, avoid using them altogether.

INGREDIENTS

Olive Oil – Use a high-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil (first cold-pressed) which is rich in flavors of fresh herbs and fruit, where a cheap oil simply tastes like oil.

Onions – We use either scallions (green onions) or a sweet onion like Vidalia, but whatever variety you prefer will do just fine.

Garlic – Thanks to daughter, Amy, we found peeled, fresh garlic, a huge time-saver as we seem to spend way too much time getting all the dry little peels off the bulb.

Ground beef – We’ve always used ground beef for our chili, but ground turkey or chicken work great too.

Jalapeño – We love our dishes spicy, so we added a chopped and seeded jalapeño to the chili, and saved a few extra slices for garnish. 

Spices – We’ve ramped of the flavors of this keto-friendly chili recipe with chili powder, ground cumin, salt and pepper, a touch of cinnamon, and optional cayenne pepper.

Tomatoes and Tomato Paste – Adds flavor and body to the chili.

Light Beer –  One 8 ounce can of V8 vegetable juice adds 9 carbs, so we opted for other liquids instead. Husband loves Corona Premiere: 90 calories and 2.6 grams of carbs per bottle. We only needed a cup, and he was more than happy to drink the rest. You can substitute the beer for beef broth, also low in carbs.

PREPARATION

Sauté: Onions and garlic in pre-heated pan over medium-high heat

Ground meat: Cook until browned throughout. Drain fat.

Add: Spices and peppers. Stir until combined.

Stir in: Tomatoes, tomato paste, and liquid (beer or broth).

Cook: In crock pot 3 to 4 hours on high, or 8 to 10 hours on low. See NOTES for stove top and Insta Pot cooking methods.

TOPPINGS

Top chili with your choice of cheeses, (we love sharp cheddar), full-fat yogurt or sour cream, chives, peppers, a sprinkle of crushed red peppers, or hot sauce. Served in a bowl or on top of a grilled hotdog, this delicious keto chili keeps you full for hours.

TIPS

This recipe is for thick and hearty chili. To make a thinner chili, add water or beef broth until you reach the desired thickness.

If you’re pressed for time, replace the spices with 2 packaged chili seasoning mixes. Our favorite is McCormick HOT seasoning mix.

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to a week, and in the freezer for months. Freezer bags come in handy for storage. Like so many foods, chili leftovers really do taste better after a day or two, when flavors have a chance to meld and mellow.

MORE EASY KETO LOW CARB ENTRÉES

Easy Cheesy Spaghetti Bake

Easy Skillet Chicken Caprese with Spinach

Amy Robach’s Chicken Herb Burgers

Easy Keto Sage Butter Pork Chops