Over the years I’ve made countless varieties of chili recipes, but this one is hands down my favorite. Why? Because it tastes great, it’s easy to make, and it fits a slow carb diet.
Make a large batch. The leftovers just get better and better and it makes for great portable slow carb lunches.

Jump to: Recipe | Substitutions | Step by Step Illustrations | Slow Carb Accompaniments
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Ingredients & Substitutions:
I used a “smoky” spice in the chili to add depth and complexity. Smoked paprika is great for a milder version and smoked chipotle is good for a spicy version.

There is a huge range of heat and spiciness within different chile powders. Our peppers at HeathGlen Farm lean toward the hotter end of the heat scale.
As with all spices, aim for the freshest spice you can find. They lose their potency on the store shelves over 6 months or so.
Another ingredient that can add depth to the chile would be sun dried tomatoes. I used tomato paste to get the more robust flavor, but sun-dried tomatoes can be a great substitute (or addition).
If you are in the mood to dry your own tomatoes, check out: how-to on drying your own tomatoes.
Chili lends itself to flexibility. Around the Thanksgiving holiday cooks are often looking for ways to use leftover turkey that may be a bit on the dry side. This slow cooker chili with leftover turkey is a good substitution for the beef in a chili recipe.
Step by Step Illustrations:
Here are the steps lined out with photos. For the details of the recipe itself, see the recipe card below.







Low Carb Accompaniments for Chile
These are my favorite accompaniments for chili if you aim to stay on the slow carb lifestyle:
- Sliced avocados
- thinly sliced scallions
- hot sauce
- cheddar cheese
- sour cream

Slow Carb Chili for the Slow Cooker
Equipment
- measuring spoons and cups
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions chopped
- 6 garlic cloves finely chopped (can use 2 1/2 tsp bottled garlic in oil)
- 1-2 Tablespoon chili powder I used a spicy chipotle
- 1 Tbsp cumin freshly ground if possible
- 2 ½ tsp freshly ground coriander
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp smoked paprika spice can use dried red pepper flakes or smoked chipotle for more heat
- 2 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 14 oz tomato sauce
- 15 oz black beans drained and rinsed
- 15 oz red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 2 Tbsp Tomato paste
Instructions
- Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook stirring frequently until soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).3 Tbsp olive oil, 2 medium onions
- Add garlic, and the rest of the spices and stir thoroughly into the onions to coat. Cook only for about 1 minute (until fragranand then add the ground beef and cook together about 5-8 minutes, or until ground beef is no longer pink.6 garlic cloves, 1-2 Tablespoon chili powder, 1 Tbsp cumin, 2 1/2 tsp freshly ground coriander, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp smoked paprika spice, 2 lb. lean ground beef
- Scrape the mixture into the slow cooker and add the salt, tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans and tomato paste. Mix everything together well in the slow cooker, Cover and cook over low heat for 6-8 hours1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 28 oz can diced tomatoes, 14 oz tomato sauce, 15 oz black beans, 15 oz red kidney beans, 2 Tbsp Tomato paste
- Serve with your choice of low carb accompaniments: sour cream, avocado, green onions, aged cheddar cheese
Nutrition
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[…] One of my favorite ways of using dried tomatoes is in crockpot chile. Click here for a great recipe for crockpot chile. […]