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Slow cookers. Amazing, right? Dump everything in there in the morning. And by dinner time, it’s ready to go. It’s an awesome kitchen tool. Especially for chili. Slow cooking chili makes the spices and flavors so rich and perfectly blended. Not only is chili easy to throw together before you head out for the day, it’s also Paleo!
Most chili has beans…lots of beans. But not this one. This chili is Paleo. It has amazing flavor and it’s perfectly Paleo. Even if you’re not on the Paleo diet you’ll love the flavor of this simple and healthy chili (and the ease that it comes together).
Why Paleo Chili?
We’re trying out the Paleo diet for a few weeks, and I wanted some chili! It’s as simple as that, really. I’m not a fan of smacking a label on my face saying “I only eat ___ or I’ll never eat ____” (because I put a lot of value in the words I use). Also, I’m human. The minute after I tell someone I never eat X, it’s quite possible that I’ll just nibble on some. Just because it sounded good. Then I feel like a hypocrite.
So we’re testing this Paleo thing out. And we’re trying to avoid beans, legumes, grains, sugars, etc.. The whole shebang. If you’re interested in how this experiment goes, leave a comment below or email me. I’m happy to share more as we get farther into it.
WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE
What do I love about this chili?
- The flavor combinations of the spices
- The hearty protein in the ground beef (and bacon…yumm)
- Lots of veggies
- I love that I don’t have to stress about dinner in the afternoon. I can just throw it together in the morning and forget about it.
It’s a flavor packed bowl of health. Yum!
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
There are three steps to making this recipe.
- Cook the bacon (tip: cook your bacon on a sheet pan in the oven (400 (F) for 10-20 minutes…it won’t splatter all over your stove, and it’ll shrink a lot less)
- Chop your veggies
- Put everything in your crock pot
- Turn the crock pot on
- Let it cook for a few hours (5-6 on low) and enjoy!
Throw it all in the slow cooker
This chili only takes 15 minutes of hands on time. Put the bacon in the oven (or use some that you cooked earlier in the week) and chop your veggies.
Then add everything to the slow cooker. Push a button and it’s done a few hours later!
Questions about Paleo Crock pot Chili
Will any Slow Cooker work?
In my 4 quart slow cooker, this filled the bowl about half way. So as long as your slow cooker can hold 2 quarts or more, it will work!
Next time I’m going to double it and freeze some for later. My crock pot has a timer on it, which is handy if you won’t be home all day to turn it off when it’s done. This is the style that I have (see the buttons and the timer on it?).
Do I have to use ground beef?
Nope! You can use ground chicken, ground pork, or ground bison. I prefer ground meat in this chili though. Make do with what you have!
What about the bacon?
As I was researching slow cooked chili, I learned that if you throw the bacon in raw, it will probably get mushy in the slow cooking process. So I cooked the bacon first. If you don’t have bacon, or don’t want to use it (but, I mean…why wouldn’t you!!?) you don’t have to. You’ll likely need to add more salt though. Taste it at the end and add salt if needed.
What if I don’t have all the ingredients?
I made this chili with simple ingredients, so I think you’ll have everything you need already in your cupboard. But if you don’t, try to make do with what you have.
If you want more spice to your chili, add some cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce.
Do kids like this chili?
Mine do! I know how hard it is to make food and have your kids throw a fit as soon as they see it on the table. But I really think you (as the parent) have more control than you might think.
For example, if you can find a way to involve them in the cooking process, they’re SO MUCH MORE LIKELY TO LIKE THE FOOD. Seriously. Anytime I make something new, I try to ask my kids (before it’s on the table) to come be my taste-testers. They get to have an opinion of if they like how it tastes or if it needs more salt, or something else.
Related: How to teach your kids about healthy food and Tips for helping your picky eaters eat healthy food
Looking for other Simple and delicious recipes?
Want a salad to go with this chili? Make one of these salad dressings: Best Caesar Dressing, 4 Ingredient Honey Mustard, Tasty Avocado Lime Dressing
Want something sweet and healthy after dinner? Try this 3 ingredient avocado pudding, or This dark, rich, and healthy brownie.
Dinners: Cinnamon GInger Soup, or Chickpea Curry later this week.
PrintPaleo Crock Pot Chili
A healthy and delicious Paleo crock pot chili to make tonight!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: soup, chili
- Method: crock pot, slow cooker
Ingredients
Meat:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 8 oz bacon
Veggies:
- 8 oz bell peppers
- 1/2 large yellow onion
- 4 medium-large carrots
Spices & Flavor:
- 1 cup water
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 4 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp parsley
- 1/4 tsp dill
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Cook your 8 oz of bacon (stovetop or in the oven)
- Chop your 4 carrots (1/2 inch discs work well)
- Chop and de-seed the bell peppers (8 oz). One inch strips work well.
- Dice the half onion
- Mix tomato paste, spices, and water in mixing bowl.
- Add everything to the crock pot (raw ground beef, cooked bacon, chopped peppers, chopped carrots, chopped onion, and your tomato paste/water/spice mixture).
- Turn on your crock pot and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
- Taste and add salt, or hot sauce, as needed.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Cooking bacon in the oven reduces grease splatter and shrinkage.
- Substitute for different veggies if you’d like!
Keywords: chili, crockpot, weeknight meal, slow cooker, paleo
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