- When you prepare chili, do you prefer to include beans for texture or leave them out to keep it low-carb (or keto-friendly)?
- How do you decide between ground beef, turkey, chicken or pork for a chili base? What’s your favourite and why?
- When topping a chili bowl, which toppings are “must-haves” for you (cheese, sour cream, avocado, onion, cilantro, jalapeños)?
- For a keto diet, how important is it for you that the dish stays under ~10 g net carbs? Would you adjust vegetables or toppings accordingly?
- Would you serve this chili as a main meal, meal-prep option, or as part of a larger spread (e.g., with cauliflower rice, keto bread, salad)?
Ingredients
For the Chili Base:
- 1 lb ground beef (or optionally ground turkey, chicken or pork)
- 2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (no added sugar)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth (or chicken broth)
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp oregano
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Toppings:
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tbsp sour cream
- ¼ avocado, diced
- 1 tbsp chopped red onion
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- (Optional: sliced jalapeños or a drizzle of hot sauce for extra heat)
Instructions
- Cook the meat:
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the ground beef, season lightly with salt & pepper, and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat if needed (especially if using a higher-fat beef).
- Add veggies & spices:
- Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and chopped green bell pepper to the pot with the beef. Cook about 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and stir well to coat the meat and veggies with the spices.
- Build the chili base:
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and beef (or chicken) broth.
- Bring to a gentle simmer. Let it cook uncovered for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens slightly and the flavours meld. Taste and adjust seasoning (salt & pepper) to your preference.
- Serve the bowls:
- Spoon the hot chili into bowls.
- On top of each bowl, add the shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced avocado, chopped red onion, and fresh cilantro. Add sliced jalapeños or a drizzle of hot sauce if you like extra heat.
- Nutrition note:
- This style of chili — no beans, modest onions/peppers, and mostly lean ground meat + toppings — is consistent with keto-friendly approaches. For instance, a “no-bean” keto chili recipe lists most servings at ~4.8 g net carbs. Another similar recipe shows ~5.11 g carbs per serving.
- Traditional bean-including chilis can have much higher carb counts (e.g., ~22 g net carbs or more) due to beans alone.
- Tips for success:
- Choose leaner meat if you want to reduce fat, though some fat is helpful for flavour and satiety in keto.
- Use canned tomatoes without added sugar to keep carbs lower.
- If you’d like a thicker chili, simmer a bit longer with the lid off to reduce liquid, or add a small amount of tomato paste.
- For meal-prep: This chili stores well in the fridge for ~3-4 days and freezes well for future portions.
- For toppings: Avocado, cheese and sour cream add fat (helpful in keto) and flavour — adjust portions based on your macros.