13 Keto Chili Crock Pot Recipes That Save Your Weeknight

These keto chili recipes crock pot style work because the slow cooker takes meat, chiles, and tomatoes and melds them into a thick, low-carb chili while you handle the rest of your day. Beef, turkey, chicken, and bison give each version body, while peppers and a few careful thickeners keep the bowl spoonable. The recipes below take that same base in thirteen different directions, from classic ground beef to bright green chicken.

Start with Classic Ground Beef Keto Chili for the dependable pot. Smoky Chipotle Beef Keto Chili brings heat, Green Chile Chicken Keto Chili goes bright and herby, and Slow Cooker Short Rib Keto Chili is the weekend pick.

Which Keto Chili Should You Make?

Classic Ground Beef Keto Chili

This is the chili I make when I want the standard bowl that still clocks in under six net carbs a serving. You get a deep tomato base, browned ground beef, and just enough heat from a single jalapeño to keep things interesting.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Ground beef, 85 percent lean: 900 g (2 lb)
• Yellow onion, finely diced: 150 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Jalapeño, seeded and minced: 1 small
• Tomato paste: 3 tbsp
• Canned crushed tomatoes: 400 g (1 can, 14 oz)
• Beef stock: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Chili powder: 2 tbsp
• Ground cumin: 1 tbsp
• Garlic powder: 1 tsp
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Brown the 900 g ground beef in a dry nonstick skillet over medium-high for about 8 minutes, breaking it apart until no pink remains. You’ll see liquid release and then sizzle away, which is when the meat starts to brown. Drain off the fat and transfer the beef to your slow cooker.

Step 2: Drop the heat to medium and add the 150 g diced onion and the minced jalapeño to the skillet. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens and you catch a gentle sweetness in the steam. Stir in the 3 tbsp tomato paste and let it darken for 1 minute, then scrape everything into your slow cooker.

Step 3: Pour in the 400 g crushed tomatoes and 240 ml beef stock, then add the 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp cumin, and 1 tsp garlic powder. Stir with your spoon until the tomato paste disappears. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours or high for 4 hours, and you’ll know it’s ready when the sauce clings to the back of a spoon.

Step 4: Taste and season with salt and black pepper as you like. If the chili is looser than you want, leave the lid off for 20 minutes on high. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheddar and a dollop of sour cream.

Smoky Chipotle Beef Keto Chili

This version leans on canned chipotles in adobo, and you get both smoke and real heat without a single bean in sight. I keep the tomato base a little lighter so the chipotle can carry the pot.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Ground beef, 80 percent lean: 900 g (2 lb)
• Yellow onion, finely chopped: 140 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Poblano pepper, diced: 1 medium
• Garlic cloves, minced: 5
• Chipotle in adobo, minced: 2 small plus 1 tbsp adobo sauce
• Canned diced fire roasted tomatoes: 400 g (1 can, 14 oz)
• Beef stock: 180 ml (3/4 cup)
• Smoked paprika: 1 tsp
• Ground coriander: 1 tsp
• Salt: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Scatter the 900 g ground beef into a dry large skillet over medium-high heat. You’ll hear a steady sizzle after a minute, and you can break the meat apart for 7 to 9 minutes until it gives up its fat and browns. Drain the fat and move the beef to your slow cooker.

Step 2: Keep the skillet over medium heat and add the 140 g onion, the diced poblano, and the 5 minced garlic cloves. Stir for 5 minutes, just until the onion turns glassy and you can smell the poblano. Add the 2 minced chipotles and 1 tbsp adobo sauce, then scrape the mixture into your slow cooker.

Step 3: Tip in the 400 g tomatoes and 180 ml beef stock. Add the smoked paprika and coriander, then stir until no streaks of sauce remain. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, until you can pull the mixture apart easily with the edge of your spoon.

Step 4: Turn off the heat and taste for salt. You can add an extra spoonful of adobo sauce if you want more smoke. Serve the chili in shallow bowls with lime wedges and sliced avocado.

Green Chile Chicken Keto Chili

This one is brighter and lighter than the beef pots, built on boneless thighs and canned green chiles. You get a tangy, herb-heavy broth with none of the deep tomato sweetness, so it feels like a different dish entirely.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs: 1 kg (2.2 lb)
• Yellow onion, chopped: 140 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Garlic, minced: 5 cloves
• Canned diced green chiles: 200 g (2 cans, 4 oz each)
• Salsa verde: 480 g (2 cups)
• Chicken stock: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Ground cumin: 1 tbsp
• Dried oregano: 1 tsp
• Lime juice: 1 tbsp
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Place the 1 kg chicken thighs in your slow cooker and scatter the 140 g onion and 5 minced garlic cloves around them. Sprinkle the cumin and oregano over the top. You can leave the thighs whole because they’ll fall apart after the low cook.

Step 2: Pour in the 200 g green chiles, 480 g salsa verde, and 240 ml chicken stock. Stir once to loosen the spices, then cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 1/2 hours. You’ll know the chicken is done when it shreds under the back of your spoon.

Step 3: Lift the chicken out to a cutting board and use two forks to shred it into rough pieces. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir in the 1 tbsp lime juice. If the liquid looks thin, let it cook uncovered on high for 15 minutes while you set the table.

Step 4: Taste and add salt and black pepper until you feel the broth brighten. Ladle into deep bowls and top with crumbled cotija or sharp cheddar and fresh cilantro.

White Turkey Keto Chili

Ground turkey can dry out in a slow cooker, but here you poach it gently in a creamy green chile base so it stays tender. This is the bowl I choose when I want chili with less tomato and more richness.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Ground turkey, 93 percent lean: 900 g (2 lb)
• Yellow onion, diced: 150 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Poblano pepper, diced: 1 large
• Garlic, minced: 4 cloves
• Canned chopped green chiles, drained: 200 g (2 cans, 4 oz each)
• Chicken stock: 480 ml (2 cups)
• Full fat cream cheese, cubed: 225 g (8 oz)
• Heavy cream: 120 ml (1/2 cup)
• Ground cumin: 2 tsp
• Salt and white pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Set a large skillet over medium heat and add the 900 g ground turkey. Break it up for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pink is gone and you can see the meat start to leave a light brown crust on the pan bottom. Transfer the turkey to your slow cooker.

Step 2: Drop the 150 g onion and the diced poblano into the hot skillet and stir for 4 minutes, until the onion goes soft and you catch a peppery smell. Add the 4 minced garlic cloves and the 200 g green chiles, scrape the bottom, and tip it all into your slow cooker.

Step 3: Pour in the 480 ml chicken stock and 2 tsp cumin, then cover and cook on low for 5 hours. Uncover, add the 225 g cream cheese and 120 ml heavy cream, and whisk until the cheese melts into the broth. You want a pale, velvety sauce, so give it 10 more minutes on high.

Step 4: Taste for salt and white pepper. If the chili feels too thick, stir in a little more stock until it slides off your spoon the way you like. Serve hot with sliced radishes and a spoonful of sour cream.

Bison and Mushroom Keto Chili

Bison is leaner than beef, so you want mushrooms to bring back some juiciness and an earthy depth. I like this version for a slightly fancier pot that still takes about twenty minutes of hands-on work.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Ground bison: 900 g (2 lb)
• Cremini mushrooms, finely chopped: 250 g (2 1/2 cups)
• Yellow onion, diced: 150 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Red bell pepper, diced: 120 g (1 cup)
• Garlic, minced: 4 cloves
• Canned crushed tomatoes: 400 g (1 can, 14 oz)
• Beef stock: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Chili powder: 2 tbsp
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: 1 tsp
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Heat a large skillet over medium-high, add the 900 g bison, and break it apart for 6 to 7 minutes. You’ll see almost no fat in the pan, so move the meat as soon as it loses its pink color and transfer it to your slow cooker.

Step 2: Put the 250 g mushrooms and 150 g onion in the same pan with a splash of water if it looks dry. Stir for 5 minutes, until the mushrooms shrink and you can smell their earthy juices. Add the 120 g red bell pepper and 4 minced garlic cloves, then scrape it all into the slow cooker.

Step 3: Add the 400 g crushed tomatoes, 240 ml beef stock, 2 tbsp chili powder, and 1 tsp cocoa powder. Stir with your spoon until the cocoa no longer shows as a dark streak. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, until the bison is tender and you can taste the deep roast note.

Step 4: Taste and adjust salt and black pepper. The mushrooms will have given off liquid, so if you want a thicker pot, leave the lid off on high for 15 minutes. Serve in wide bowls with shredded Monterey Jack and pickled jalapeños.

Fire Roasted Tomato Beef Keto Chili

Fire roasted tomatoes do a lot of work in this pot, giving you a charred sweetness that plain canned tomatoes cannot match. This is for tomato lovers who still want the beef to lead.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• Beef chuck, cut into 2 cm cubes: 1.2 kg (2.5 lb)
• Yellow onion, finely chopped: 180 g (2 cups)
• Poblano pepper, diced: 1 large
• Garlic cloves, crushed: 6
• Canned fire roasted crushed tomatoes: 800 g (2 cans, 14 oz each)
• Beef stock: 180 ml (3/4 cup)
• Tomato paste: 2 tbsp
• Smoked paprika: 1 tbsp
• Ground cumin: 1 tbsp
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Pat the 1.2 kg beef cubes dry with paper towels and season them with salt. Set a large skillet over medium-high, add the beef in two batches, and brown each batch for about 7 minutes until you see a deep brown crust on several sides. Move the beef to your slow cooker.

Step 2: Lower the heat to medium and add the 180 g onion, the diced poblano, and the 6 crushed garlic cloves. Stir for 5 minutes, and you’ll smell the onion sweetening. Add the 2 tbsp tomato paste and let it darken for 1 minute before scraping everything into your slow cooker.

Step 3: Pour in the 800 g fire roasted tomatoes and 180 ml beef stock. Add the smoked paprika and cumin, then stir with your spoon. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours, until the beef cubes split apart when you press them.

Step 4: Taste and add more salt and black pepper as needed. You can thicken the sauce by leaving the lid off on high for 20 minutes if it looks thin. Serve over cauliflower rice or in bowls with lime wedges and a spoonful of crema.

Cocoa Cinnamon Beef Keto Chili

Cocoa and cinnamon do not make this chili sweet, they round out the chile heat and give the sauce a dark, almost mole-like base. I keep the liquid moderate so it still reads as chili, not soup.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Ground beef, 80 percent lean: 900 g (2 lb)
• Yellow onion, finely chopped: 150 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Garlic, minced: 5 cloves
• Canned diced tomatoes with juices: 400 g (1 can, 14 oz)
• Beef stock: 180 ml (3/4 cup)
• Tomato paste: 2 tbsp
• Chili powder: 2 tbsp
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: 1 tbsp
• Ground cinnamon: 1/2 tsp
• Salt: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Brown the 900 g ground beef in a dry large skillet over medium-high for 8 minutes, stirring often. You’ll see the meat turn deep brown and leave sticky bits on the pan. Drain the fat and move the beef to your slow cooker.

Step 2: Keep the skillet over medium heat, add the 150 g onion and 5 minced garlic cloves, and stir for 3 minutes. You want the onion to barely soften. Scrape it into your slow cooker with the browned bits from the bottom.

Step 3: Add the 400 g diced tomatoes, 180 ml beef stock, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Stir until you cannot see dry cocoa. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, and you’ll smell a warm, dark note when you lift the lid.

Step 4: Stir once and taste for salt. The sauce should cling to your spoon, but if it seems too tight, add a splash of stock. Serve with sliced green onions and crumbled queso fresco.

Spicy Chicken Sausage Keto Chili

Using chicken sausage means you skip the browning step and still get big, seasoned bites of meat. I reach for a hot version so the chili builds its heat from two directions, the sausage and the chiles.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• Hot Italian chicken sausage, casings removed: 900 g (2 lb)
• Yellow onion, chopped: 150 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Jalapeño, seeded and sliced: 2
• Garlic, minced: 5 cloves
• Canned crushed tomatoes: 400 g (1 can, 14 oz)
• Canned diced green chiles: 200 g (2 cans, 4 oz each)
• Chicken stock: 180 ml (3/4 cup)
• Chili powder: 1 tbsp
• Ground coriander: 1 tsp
• Salt: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Turn your slow cooker to low and add the 900 g chicken sausage, broken into rough chunks. You do not want them too small, because they stay as bites in the final bowl. Add the 150 g onion, the jalapeño, and 5 minced garlic cloves.

Step 2: Pour over the 400 g crushed tomatoes, 200 g green chiles, and 180 ml chicken stock. Sprinkle in the 1 tbsp chili powder and 1 tsp coriander. Stir everything with your spoon, then cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 1/2 hours.

Step 3: Uncover and stir, using your spoon to break apart any sausage chunks that clumped together. You’ll see the oil from the sausage rise to the top, which is normal. If the chili looks thin, leave the lid off on high for 12 minutes.

Step 4: Taste and add salt only if the sausage has not already seasoned the pot enough. Serve in bowls with shredded sharp cheddar and sliced avocado, or spoon it over roasted spaghetti squash if you want a bigger dinner.

Chicken Jalapeño Popper Keto Chili

This one turns the flavors of a jalapeño popper into a creamy, spicy chili with big shreds of chicken. You get sharp cheddar, jalapeño heat, and a little smoke from paprika all in one bowl.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts: 900 g (2 lb)
• Yellow onion, chopped: 140 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Fresh jalapeños, seeded and sliced: 4
• Chicken stock: 360 ml (1 1/2 cups)
• Canned diced green chiles: 200 g (2 cans, 4 oz each)
• Full fat cream cheese, cubed: 225 g (8 oz)
• Shredded cheddar cheese: 170 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Ground cumin: 1 tbsp
• Smoked paprika: 1 tsp
• Salt: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Place the 900 g chicken breasts in your slow cooker and scatter the 140 g onion and the 4 sliced jalapeños over them. Sprinkle with the 1 tbsp cumin and 1 tsp smoked paprika. You want those spices right on the meat so they season the broth from the start.

Step 2: Pour in the 360 ml chicken stock and 200 g green chiles. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hours, until the chicken shreds easily when you press it with your spoon.

Step 3: Lift the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with two forks. Return it to the slow cooker, then add the 225 g cream cheese and 170 g cheddar. Stir for 4 minutes on high, until the cheeses melt into a creamy sauce and you see no white streaks.

Step 4: Taste and add salt if the cheddar did not bring enough. If it curdles at all, a splash of stock and a quick whisk will bring it back while you keep it on low. Serve hot with extra sliced jalapeños and a few crushed cheese crisps.

Slow Cooker Short Rib Keto Chili

Short ribs turn into spoon-tender chunks that give this chili a silky, beefy depth no ground meat can match. It is the most hands-off fancy pot I know, and your slow cooker does almost all the work.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Bone-in beef short ribs: 1.4 kg (3 lb)
• Yellow onion, chopped: 180 g (2 cups)
• Poblano pepper, diced: 1 large
• Garlic cloves, smashed: 6
• Canned crushed tomatoes: 400 g (1 can, 14 oz)
• Beef stock: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Tomato paste: 3 tbsp
• Chili powder: 2 tbsp
• Ground cumin: 1 tbsp
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Season the 1.4 kg short ribs all over with salt and black pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high and brown the ribs in batches for about 8 minutes total, turning until you see a dark crust on the meat. Move them to your slow cooker.

Step 2: Keep the skillet over medium heat and add the 180 g onion, the diced poblano, and 6 smashed garlic cloves. Stir for 5 minutes, and you’ll smell the onions soften. Add the 3 tbsp tomato paste and let it darken for 1 minute, then scrape it all over the ribs.

Step 3: Pour in the 400 g crushed tomatoes and 240 ml beef stock. Sprinkle in the chili powder and cumin, then cover and cook on low for 9 hours or high for 6 hours. You’ll know the ribs are ready when the meat nearly falls off the bone at a nudge.

Step 4: Lift the ribs out, strip the meat from the bones, and shred it into large pieces with your forks. Return the meat to the sauce, stir, and taste for salt. Serve in low bowls with pickled red onions and a spoonful of lime crema.

Venison Keto Chili

Venison is lean and can taste a little strong, so I use a bold spice base and a spoonful of tomato paste to keep it round. This version asks for nothing fancy beyond the meat itself.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Ground venison: 900 g (2 lb)
• Yellow onion, diced: 150 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Garlic, minced: 5 cloves
• Canned diced tomatoes with green chiles: 400 g (1 can, 14 oz)
• Beef stock: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Tomato paste: 2 tbsp
• Chili powder: 2 tbsp
• Ground cumin: 1 tbsp
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: 1 tsp
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add the 900 g venison, breaking it up for about 6 minutes. The pan will look dry, which is normal, so you can add 2 tbsp water if it starts to stick too hard. Move the meat to your slow cooker.

Step 2: Lower the heat to medium, add the 150 g onion and 5 minced garlic cloves, and stir for 4 minutes until the onion softens. You’ll notice the garlic mellowing. Scrape the mixture into your slow cooker.

Step 3: Add the 400 g can of tomatoes with green chiles, 240 ml beef stock, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp cumin, and 1 tsp cocoa powder. Stir until the cocoa and tomato paste disappear. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, until the venison is tender and you see a dark, thick sauce.

Step 4: Taste and season with salt and black pepper, and you’ll find the long cook has mellowed the meat. Ladle into bowls and finish with sour cream and minced white onion.

Turkey Pumpkin Keto Chili

Pumpkin puree gives the chili a velvety thickness without a single starchy bean, and it pairs with turkey for a milder, slightly sweet pot. This is the one I make when the weather turns and I want something that feels seasonal but still easy.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• Ground turkey, 93 percent lean: 1 kg (2.2 lb)
• Yellow onion, chopped: 150 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Garlic, minced: 5 cloves
• Canned pumpkin puree: 250 g (1 cup)
• Canned fire roasted diced tomatoes: 400 g (1 can, 14 oz)
• Chicken stock: 360 ml (1 1/2 cups)
• Chili powder: 1 tbsp
• Ground cumin: 2 tsp
• Ground cinnamon: 1/4 tsp
• Salt: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Set a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the 1 kg ground turkey. Break it up for 7 minutes, until no pink remains and you see a few brown bits forming. Transfer the turkey to your slow cooker.

Step 2: Add the 150 g onion and 5 minced garlic cloves to the skillet and stir for 4 minutes, just until the onion turns translucent. You’ll smell the garlic sweetening. Scrape it all into the slow cooker.

Step 3: Add the 250 g pumpkin puree, 400 g fire roasted tomatoes, and 360 ml chicken stock. Sprinkle in the chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon, then stir with your spoon until the pumpkin blends into the liquid. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hours.

Step 4: Stir the chili and taste for salt. The pumpkin will have thickened the sauce, but if you want it looser, add a splash of stock. Serve with a spoonful of sour cream and a scatter of roasted pumpkin seeds.

Lamb and Eggplant Keto Chili

Lamb brings a rich, slightly grassy flavor that takes well to warm spices, and eggplant melts into the sauce as it cooks. This is the chili I make when I want a big vegetable hit without any beans.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Ground lamb: 900 g (2 lb)
• Eggplant, cut into 2 cm cubes: 400 g (1 lb)
• Yellow onion, chopped: 150 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Garlic, minced: 5 cloves
• Canned crushed tomatoes: 400 g (1 can, 14 oz)
• Beef stock: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Tomato paste: 2 tbsp
• Ground cumin: 1 tbsp
• Ground cinnamon: 1/2 tsp
• Salt and black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Set a large skillet over medium-high and add the 900 g ground lamb. Break it up for 7 to 8 minutes, until the meat browns and you see the fat glisten in the pan. Drain most of the fat, then move the lamb to your slow cooker.

Step 2: Tip the 400 g eggplant cubes into the same skillet and stir for 5 minutes, until the edges soften and you smell a mild, creamy note. Add the 150 g onion and 5 minced garlic cloves, cook 3 minutes more, then scrape it all into your slow cooker.

Step 3: Add the 400 g crushed tomatoes, 240 ml beef stock, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp cumin, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Stir with your spoon until the spices disappear. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, until the eggplant has nearly collapsed into the sauce and the lamb is tender.

Step 4: Stir and taste for salt and black pepper, and you can add a splash of stock if the eggplant has thickened things too much. Ladle into bowls and finish with chopped fresh mint and a spoonful of plain yogurt.

The biggest thing across every pot is a good sear or browning on whatever meat you use, because that crust is where the chili gains its long-simmered flavor.

Don’t rush it, and don’t lift the lid more than you need to. Pick the recipe that matches what’s in your fridge right now, get the slow cooker running, and let dinner take care of itself. You’ll eat well tonight.