Slow Cooker Paleo Chili (Whole30)

Howdy. This no bean slow cooker, Paleo chili is, quite possibly, the best chili recipe. Just add the ingredients, set it, and forget it. The end result is a thick and hearty bowl of goodness with enough veggies to qualify as healthy. Keto, Whole30 and dairy-free too!

WHAT MAKES A CHILI?

A common question floating around the internet is, “Is chili without beans still chili?” And let me tell you…people get really angry about this topic. There are thousands of forums and articles debating this subject.

If you ask someone from Texas, they would say chili doesn’t have beans. Whereas, people from Missouri can’t imagine chili without beans.

I’m from Missouri and grew up eating chili with ketchup in it. Yes. Ketchup. My moms chili recipe was made up of ketchup, beans, beef and sugar. My family didn’t like vegetables so those were limited in the chili.

Until developing this hearty slow cooker paleo chili recipe, I had never had a no bean chili before. I made this no bean paleo chili because my body does not digest beans well.

If you’ve never had a no bean chili, you are missing out on a new world of chili.

Chili is one of my favorite meals. Especially when made in the slow cooker. It’s so satisfying to throw a whole bunch of ingredients into one big crock pot and not touch it again for 6-8 hours.

Let’s get to making the chili!

CHILI INGREDIENTS

Before getting started, set out all the ingredients that you will need for this chili recipe on your kitchen counter. This will help you get the recipe in the slow cooker quick!

Produce:

• medium white or yellow onion
• garlic cloves
• bell peppers
• carrots

Meat:

• ground beef
• thick cut bacon

Canned Ingredients:

• diced green chiles
• diced tomatoes
• tomato sauce

Spices & Broth:

• chili powder
• garlic powder
• cumin
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• salt
• coffee
• bone broth

HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER PALEO CHILI

STEP 1: BROWN BEEF

Add a tablespoon of oil to a skillet on medium-high heat. Saute the minced garlic and onion in a skillet for 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent. Add in the ground beef to the skillet and break into large pieces with a spatula or wooden spoon. Let the beef brown for several minutes.

STEP 2: COOK BACON

Scoop beef mixture into the slow cooker, and cook chopped bacon in the same skillet until it meets your desired crispness. Add bacon into the slow cooker.

STEP 3: ADD OTHER INGREDIENTS

Add the rest of the ingredients: bell peppers, carrots, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, bone broth, water, coffee, and spices to the slow cooker. Set slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4-6 hours.

TIPS FOR HEALTHY CHILI:

These healthy chili tips are not absolutely necessary, especially if you don’t have the funds to buy organic. But, if you prioritize food quality, I recommend the below:

• Buy grass-fed, organic beef (buy from your local farmers, or online from Butcher Box).
• Opt for nitrate and sugar free bacon. Applegate and Perderson’s Farms have great options.
• Pick organic bell peppers (Bell peppers are on EWG’s Dirty Dozen, meaning they are sprayed with toxic pesticides.)
• Choose organic diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce (Tomatoes are on EWG’s Dirty Dozen, meaning they are sprayed with toxic pesticides.)
• Choose organic bone broth (I recommend Bonafide Provisions, Bare Bones, Kettle & Fire, or Pacific bone broth.)

Chili Q & A

Q: Do I need to brown the beef before putting it in the slow cooker?

A: Yes. I recommend browning meat in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker. It will add a richer flavor to the chili once it is finished. If you do not brown the beef as the first step, the ground beef could clump inside the slow cooker as it is cooked.

Q: How long should I cook the chili for?

A: Cook the chili on low for 6-8 hours, or on high 4-6 hours.

Q: How should I store leftover beef chili?

A: I recommend storing leftover chili in a airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 5 days or store in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Q: Can I meal prep this chili?

A: Yes! I do. It’s one of the most simple foods to meal prep. Before placing your chili into glass meal prep containers, wait for chili to cool off in the slow cooker.

Q: Can I leave chili in a slow cooker overnight?

A: I know doing this would be so convenient for a lot of people, but I would have to say no. After seeing how the dad died on the show This is Us, I can’t recommend doing that due to it possibly starting a house fire. I stopped watching the show right there. It was too sad.

WHAT TOPPINGS ARE GOOD FOR CHILI?

The toppings that I recommend for this paleo chili are chopped green onions, chopped white onions, sliced avocado, cooked crumbled bacon, hot sauce, cilantro, or Siete tortilla chips!

SLOW COOKER CHILI VARIATIONS:

• Turkey or Chicken: Use ground turkey instead of ground beef.
• Add beans: kidney beans, chili beans, black beans.
• Vegetarian/Vegan: leave out beef and bacon, add in more veggies (sweet potato, celery, zucchini, squash, more diced tomatoes, green Chile peppers, carrots, or bell peppers.)
• More heat: Add in jalapeno peppers, Serrano peppers, chipotle peppers, chili powder, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, sriracha, etc.
• More sweetness: I recommend adding natural sugars in, such as maple syrup, or honey. I don’t think you’ll need any more sweetness though as this chili is pretty dang sweet already from the tomatoes!

Enjoy friends!

Print