What’s thick, rich and smoky, loaded with meat and seasoned with the ultimate Tex Mex seasoning blend? The Best Texas Style Chili Recipe, that’s what. It’s all meat, all the time with this one. No beans, no fillers, no added sugar.
Which makes it perfect if you’re following a keto diet or if you’re just an every day carnivore. It’s smoky and stick-to-your-bones delicious.
Following a low-carb diet can be challenging at times. I mean, one can only consume so much cauliflower rice, am I right? The key is to fill up on satisfying foods so that you don’t feel deprived.
And there is nothing more satisfying than this keto turkey chili recipe. You’re going to need an extra big spoon for this one!
What is Texas Style Chili?
True blue Texas chili is missing two things: beans and tomatoes.
This chili recipe is missing beans. But it still includes tomatoes. Which is why I’m calling this low carb turkey chili “Texas style” and not simply “Texas chili”. I don’t want to get in trouble with any hard core chili experts out there.
In my research, I found plenty of recipes calling themselves Texas-style that still include tomato sauce or tomato paste, so I feel like I’m pretty safe. Plus, the tomatoes in this Best Texas Style Chili Recipe are bomb. I can’t imagine it without them.
If you like your chili with hearty black beans and kidney beans and don’t mind the extra carbs that they add, try my Blue Ribbon Ground Turkey Chili.
What’s in this Texas Style Chili Recipe?
So, we know there are no beans in this chili. So what is in it? Here’s what you’ll need:
- Ground beef or turkey. I use lean ground turkey in my traditional chili recipes because I don’t eat beef. But I know people who have made this low carb chili recipe with beef and reported it was – obviously – amazing. If you’re using the 92% lean ground turkey, drizzle a little olive oil into the pan when browning it. A little fat never hurts.
- Onions
- Bell peppers
- Chopped tomatoes. These are a slightly larger cut than diced tomatoes, and really add to the heartiness of this keto chili recipe. In a pinch, you could substitute diced tomatoes.
- Ancho chili powder. Not to be confused with regular chili powder, ancho powder has a smoky, rich flavor that has only a mild level of heat. It gives this chili its smoky flavor profile.
- Garlic
- Cayenne pepper
- Smoked Paprika
- Onion Powder
- Cumin
- Worcestershire sauce
- Masa flour. This is simply corn flour. You won’t taste it in the chili, but it helps to really thicken it up. Masa flour is a great way to thicken up lots of dishes and still keep them gluten free. We’re adding just one tablespoon of masa flour to the entire pot of chili, so it has a negligible impact on net carbs.
Don’t be intimidated by what looks like a long list of ingredients! The bones of this chili recipe are simply meat, tomatoes, onions and peppers. The rest of the ingredients are just spices.
How to make the best no-bean chili
The key to the out-of-this-world flavor in this no-bean chili is to be constantly seasoning the meat throughout all the stages of cooking. Here’s what it looks like:
First, season the meat as you’re browning it. Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder to taste as you go. Don’t worry about measuring anything out, just sprinkle!
Do the same thing when you add in the peppers and onions. Just season, season, season.
When you’ve got your meat, onions and peppers cooked and seasoned, that’s when you’ll do the big dump of spices that are in the actual recipe. Yes, the measurements in the recipe are in addition to the sprinkles you’ll be doing throughout the cooking time. You’ll find all the details in the recipe card below.
Finally, stir the tomatoes in. Now, just let this bold, smoky Texas-style chili simmer.
How to serve this Texas Style Chili
As with any good chili recipe, the longer you let the flavors mellow together, the better it will be. Let this chili simmer on low heat right in the pot, or transfer it to a slow cooker or crock pot on the lowest setting.
Garnish your bowl of Texas Style Chili with your favorite toppings. Mine are grated cheddar cheese, sour cream and green onions.
We love to enjoy chili with cornbread and tortilla chips. Try my recipes for Honey Cornbread and Homemade Tortilla Chips. Both go great with this Texas Style Chili.
There is truly nothing like the comfort of a big bowl of this Texas Style Chili! And when you make it, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!
For more comfort food recipes, try these:
- Blue Ribbon Ground Turkey Chili
- Pasta alla Vodka with Sweet Peas & Bacon
- Easy Homemade Chicken Ramen
For more keto recipes, try these:
Best Texas Style Chili Recipe (No Beans)
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. ground beef or turkey 85% – 92% lean
- 3 yellow onions grated
- 3 green bell peppers finely diced
- 26 oz. canned chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup +1 Tbsp. ancho chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp. paprika
- 1/2 Tbsp. smoked (Spanish) paprika
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 Tbsp. onion powder
- 2 Tbsp. dry minced onion
- 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 1 Tbsp. salt
- 2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 Tbsp. masa flour
Instructions
- Brown the meat in a large stock pot over medium heat. Season to taste with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder as it cooks. Stir in 1 Tbsp. of the Worcestershire sauce. Remove meat from the pot.
- Grate the onions using a box grater or food processor. Add them to the pot with the diced bell peppers. Saute until soft.
- Stir in the minced garlic. Season again with salt and pepper. Stir in the dry spices and the remaining Worcestershire sauce.
- Pour in the tomatoes and masa flour. Stir well to combine. Simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes and up to several hours.
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