These Low Calorie Chili Recipes can be made in the slow cooker, instant pot, or on the stove top. I have supplied the directions to make all 10 healthy chili recipes 3 ways.
No matter how you want to make low calorie chili (vegetarian, meaty, or no bean) you’ll find the best healthy recipe below.
At just 82 calories for 2 cups, this low calorie healthy recipe for chili is a great option for all diets.
Low Calorie Chili
What You’ll Find in this Article:
Ingredients in Healthy Chili Recipes
I have 10 amazing chili recipes for you to try here, but they all start with the basic recipe. The great thing about the basic healthy chili recipe is that it’s packed with metabolism boosting ingredients that help boost weight loss and fat burning.
Basic Healthy Chili Ingredients:
- Olive Oil Spray – my #1 low calorie tip! It gives off a fine mist instead of a heavy drizzle.
- Onion – naturally boosts metabolism, gives lots of flavor for just 7 calories per serving.
- Red Bell Pepper – boosts metabolism, and red will hide well in the sauce. So it’s a “hidden veggie” in this recipe.
- Garlic – naturally boosts fat loss and adds loads of flavor for almost zero calories!
- Jalapeño – raises metabolism for hours and increases fat loss!
- Salt – you can omit if sodium is an issue. Add lime juice and or zest in it’s place.
- Chili Powder – another metabolism boosting ingredient, plus it adds flavor and color to the chili.
- Cumin – adds loads of flavor and naturally boosts metabolism.
- Bay Leaf – just soaks in the chili, then you remove and discard. It’s zero calories and boosts flavor!
- Can of Chopped Tomatoes – boosts metabolism and keeps the calories low!
- Can of Black Beans – adds protein and increases fat loss.
- Can of Kidney Beans – adds even more protein and also boosts fat loss!
More Ingredients for Healthy Chili Recipes:
Chicken Chili Recipe:
- Basic Chili Recipe (Above)
- 1 cup shredded chicken
Chili Recipe Vegetarian:
- Basic Chili Recipe (Above)
- 1 additional cup of chopped veggies mushrooms, butternut squash, bell pepper
Chili Recipe with Beans:
- Basic Chili Recipe (Above)
- 1 additional can of beans Pinto, Kidney, Black beans
Turkey Chili Recipe:
- Basic Chili Recipe (Above)
- 1 pound of ground turkey
Spicy Chili Recipe:
- Basic Chili Recipe (Above)
- 1 additional jalapeño (optional)
- 1 tablespoon of crushed red pepper optional
- 1 additional teaspoon cayenne powder optional
Chili Recipe Black Beans:
- Basic Chili recipe (Above), omit kidney beans
- 1 additional can black beans
Chili Recipe Steak:
- Basic Chili Recipe (Above)
- 1 pound chopped steak
Beef Chili Recipes:
- Basic Chili Recipe (Above)
- 1 pound ground beef
Pork Chili Recipe:
- Basic Chili Recipe (Above)
- 1 cup cooked shredded pork
No Bean Chili Recipe:
- Basic Chili recipe (Above), omit beans
- 1-2 pounds ground meat beef is traditional
Healthy Chili Toppings
These chili toppings are all healthy options, and whether you choose one, or all of them. You can still be sure you are serving a healthy chili recipe!
Toppings for Chili Bar:
- 1/8 cup shredded cheddar cheese (adds 46 calories)
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (adds 0 calories)
- 3 crumbled Low Calorie Tortilla Chips (adds 20 calories)
- 1 tablespoon Greek Yogurt (adds 5 calories)
- 1/4 avocado (adds 60 calories)
- 1 tablepsoon salsa (adds 4 calories)
- 1/4 jalapeño (adds 1 calorie)
How to Make Low Calorie Chili Recipes
You can make these healthy chili recipes 3 ways. On the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or in an instant pot. I have included directions for all 3 methods below. So choose your favorite and enjoy.
How to Make Healthy Chili Recipes:
Stovetop Directions: (Main Recipe)
- To a large pot, over medium heat, add the oil, meat, onion, bell pepper, and cook until the meat is browned, and the vegetables are softened.
- Add garlic, and jalapeño, and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add in chili powder, cumin, bay leaves, and mix.
- Mix in the tomatoes, increase the heat to medium high, and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 3 to 5 hours. Stir often to avoid burning.
- 30 minutes before serving, remove the bay leaves and add the beans.
- Cook uncovered until the beans are warm, and the liquid has mostly evaporated. Serve with desired topping.
Crock Pot Directions:
- Preheat Slow Cooker on high for 5 minutes, covered.
- Brown veggies and optional meat, 10-15 minutes depending on your slow cooker.
- Add in the spices for chili recipe, the tomatoes, and any liquid your chilli recipe calls for.
- Cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8-10 hours.
- Add in Beans for chili recipe, cook on High for 30 minutes, uncovered to warm the beans and evaporate some of the liquid.
Instant Pot Directions:
- Sauté veggies and meat on sauté setting medium, until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the spices for chili recipe, the tomatoes, and 1 cup of water or any liquid your chili recipe calls for.
- Cover and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes, natural release for 10 minutes, then manual release.
- Add in beans for chili recipe, sauté medium heat for 5 minutes to reduce liquid and heat beans.
Low Calorie Chili Recipes
With so many healthy chili recipes, I can’t imagine you are on the look out for more recipes. But just in case, I have supplied you with more low calorie dinner recipes below.
More Low Calorie Dinner Recipes:
Low Calorie Chili
With 10 low calorie chili recipes to choose from I know you'll find one you love. From vegetarian, and vegan chili recipes, to chicken chili recipes for leftover shredded chicken, and even protein packed steak chili recipes. You can have 2 cups off the basic chili recipe for just 82 calories!
Ingredients
Basic Chili Recipe:
- Olive oil spray
- 1 pound lean ground meat turkey, chicken, beef optional
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 jalapeño seeded and minced
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 bay leaves
- 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, drained
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Chicken Chili Recipe:
- Basic Chili Recipe Above
- 1 cup shredded chicken
Chili Recipe Vegetarian:
- Basic Chili Recipe Above, omit meat
- 1 additional cup of chopped veggies mushrooms, butternut squash, bell pepper
Chili Recipe with Beans:
- Basic Chili recipe Above
- 1 additional can of beans Pinto, Kidney, Black beans
Turkey Chili Recipe:
- Basic Chili recipe Above
- 1 pound of ground turkey
Spicy Chili Recipe:
- Basic Chili recipe Above
- 1 additional jalapeño (optional)
- 1 tablespoon of crushed red pepper optional
- 1 additional teaspoon cayenne powder optional
Chili Recipe Black Beans:
- Basic Chili recipe Above, omit kidney beans
- 1 additional can black beans
Chili Recipe Steak:
- Basic Chili recipe Above
- 1 pound chopped steak
Beef Chili Recipes:
- Basic Chili recipe Above
- 1 pound ground beef
Pork Chili Recipe:
- Basic Chili recipe Above
- 1 cup cooked shredded pork
No Bean Chili Recipe:
- Basic Chili recipe Above, omit beans
- 1 pounds ground meat beef is traditional
Instructions
Basic Chili Recipe Stovetop Directions: (Main Recipe)
- To a large pot, over medium heat, add the oil, meat, onion, bell pepper, and cook until the meat is browned, and the vegetables are softened.
- Add garlic, and jalapeño, and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add in chili powder, cumin, bay leaves, and mix.
- Mix in the tomatoes, increase the heat to medium high, and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 3 to 5 hours. Stir often to avoid burning.
- 30 minutes before serving, remove the bay leaves and add the beans.
- Cook uncovered until the beans are warm, and the liquid has mostly evaporated.
- Serve with desired topping.
Crock Pot Directions:
- Preheat Slow Cooker on high for 5 minutes, covered.
- Brown veggies and optional meat, 10-15 minutes depending on your slow cooker.
- Add in the spices for chili recipe, the tomatoes, and any liquid your chilli recipe calls for.
- Cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8-10 hours.
- Add in Beans for chili recipe, cook on High for 30 minutes, uncovered to warm the beans and evaporate some of the liquid.
- Serve with desired topping.
Instant Pot Directions:
- Sauté veggies and meat on sauté setting medium, until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the spices for chili recipe, the tomatoes, and 1 cup of water or any liquid your chili recipe calls for.
- Cover and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes, natural release for 10 minutes, then manual release.
- Add in beans for chili recipe, sauté on medium heat uncovered for 5 minutes to reduce liquid and heat beans.
- Serve with desired topping.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 2cupsCalories: 82kcalCarbohydrates: 14.6gProtein: 5.2gFat: 0.4gSaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 108mgPotassium: 266mgFiber: 6.1gSugar: 2.1gCalcium: 48mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Nutrition and Calories in Chili
The nutrition label is based off the basic chili recipe, with no added meat. And the serving size is two cups!
Low Sodium Tip: Get low sodium beans and omit the salt. Add in 1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice just before serving.
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Article History:
- Originally written and published June 17, 2020 by Audrey Johns
- Updated on September 15, 2023 by Audrey Johns
I made the basic chili recipe and it was awesome and full of flavor. I did add some chicken broth because I prefer a little more liquid in my chili.
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