Looking for a family-friendly chili even picky eaters will love? This slow cooker high protein chili is loaded with ground beef, beans, and corn for a whopping 36 grams of protein per serving! Slow cooking allows the rich, savory flavors to come together, and it’s the easiest method ever. Just toss all the ingredients in the crock pot then serve for an easy meal the whole family will love! {Dairy-free & gluten-free}
Table of Contents
Slow Cooker High Protein Chili
There’s nothing more comforting than a big bowl of homemade chili, and this simple recipe is seriously the best!
Not only is this high protein chili super tasty, it’s also loaded with protein from the meat and fiber from the beans, corn and other veggies. This makes it incredibly filling and satiating, helping you stay full for longer and less likely to graze on snacks all day.
Plus, it’s not spicy, so it’s totally kid-friendly and you can adjust the heat according to your personal preferences. It’s a go-to recipe for us and we could easily eat it every week!
For more delicious chili recipes, be sure to check out my Vegan 3-Bean Chili, Quinoa Chili with Meat, One Pot Turkey Chili and Lentil Bean Chili too!
Why We Love This High Protein Chili Recipe
- Slow cooks in the crockpot all day for a nice, hot dinner after a long day
- Makes a large batch perfect for leftovers or serving a crowd
- Amazing for meal prep
- Great flavor loved by both kids and adults
- Formulated by a Registered Dietitian to be nutritionally balanced
- Contains 36g protein and 14g fiber in each serving!
- Uses a bunch of pantry staples, so you can make it even when the fridge is looking a little bare
Ingredient notes
- Beef: I typically use extra lean ground beef to reduce saturated fat. Use grass-fed ground beef if you can find it. You can also sub in lean ground turkey or chicken if you’d rather avoid red meat.
- Fresh Vegetables: Onion, red bell pepper and garlic provide some extra flavor and nutrients. You can use also use a yellow, orange or green bell peppers or add some extra veggies.
- Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder is the secret ingredient that will make your chili world class. It adds a wonderful richness and balances out any bitterness.
- Canned Tomatoes: When making chili I like to use diced or crushed fire-roasted tomatoes as they provide a deeper flavor. You can also sub in regular diced tomatoes as well.
- Tomato Sauce: For a richer tomato flavor and thicker base.
- Green Chiles: Canned green chiles add a great flavor and mild heat without being overly spicy.
- Broth: A low sodium beef broth works best for this recipe, but you could use chicken or vegetable broth too.
- Beans: This recipe uses canned black beans and red kidney beans. You can also sub in pinto beans or other beans you have on hand. Use no salt-added or low sodium ones if possible and rinse well to lower salt content.
- Corn: Corn kernels add a nice sweetness, color and texture. You can use frozen, fresh or canned.
- Seasonings: My homemade chili seasoning blend uses chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper (optional), and salt and black pepper.
How to Make High Protein Chili
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook ground beef until browned, about 5-6 minutes.
- Drain off any fat. Add the garlic, onion and red pepper and cook until tender and fragrant. You can also do this step in the slow cooker if it has a saute function.
- Transfer beef and vegetables to the slow cooker. Add spices, cocoa powder, fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chilis, broth, beans and corn. Stir until combined.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Adjust broth depending on how thick you like your chili. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with desired toppings.
Expert Tips
- Adapt the level of spice according to your personal preferences. If you want a mild chili, skip the cayenne or only add a small pinch. For more heat, add in extra cayenne or chili powder if you wish.
- Adjust the amount of broth depending on how thick you like your chili. I prefer a more thick and hearty chili, so I generally only add about 1/4 cup of broth, but feel free to add more if you prefer a thinner chili.
Tips for Making Kid-Friendly Chili
- Keep it mild: If the chili is too spicy, it may deter kids from wanting to eat it. Instead, start off mild since you can always add more spice later on, but it’s difficult to take it away once it’s been added. I like to stick to two tablespoons of chili powder and skip the cayenne pepper for a non-spicy chili perfect for kids.
- Make veggies subtle: If your kids are particular about vegetables, I recommend still adding them to get them used to the taste, but chop them up very finely, not in large chunks. You can even shred the onion to make it more subtle.
- Add corn: I don’t know about you, but my kids love corn! Adding corn to the chili not only adds a touch of sweetness, but also incorporates some texture and color that makes chili more yummy and fun to eat.
- Add tasty toppings: You can never go wrong with extra toppings! My kids love shredded cheese, diced avocado and crumbled tortilla chips on their chili. If your kids are old enough, set up a chili bar and let them add their own toppings!
Storage & reheating guidelines
Refrigerator: Let your chili cool to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to four days.
To freeze: Place the cooled leftover chili in an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
To reheat: Reheat the chili on the stovetop on a medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. You can also place it back in the slow cooker on the warm setting for several hours or microwave it on full power for 2-3 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
I love using my slow cooker to make this as it’s so hands off, but you can totally make this on stovetop too. In a large pot, drizzle in some olive oil and brown the beef and soften the vegetables. Add all of the other ingredients and stir to combine. Gently simmer over low heat for around 20-30 minutes (or longer), stirring occasionally until you achieve your desired thickness.
I like to use unsweetened cocoa powder to my chili to add extra depth of flavor and richness. It also adds umami tones, and livens up the flavor of the spices, while incorporating some extra antioxidants. Grated dark chocolate can also be used.
I personally prefer to make chili in the slow cooker rather than the stovetop. The cooking time is totally hands off leaving me to get on with the rest of my day. Additionally, the slow cooking at a low temperature really allows the flavor of all of those spices to develop for a rich and tasty meal.
You don’t need to brown the meat but I highly recommend doing it! Browning the beef before adding it to the rest of the ingredients helps to create a much richer flavor and also provides the opportunity to drain off any excess grease. It’s definitely worth the few extra minutes.
How to Make Chili Less Spicy
The easiest way to make a milder chili is to add less spice. Omit the cayenne and add two tablespoons of chili powder. If you’ve gone a bit overboard on the spices and it’s too hot for your tastes, try stirring in some honey which can take the edge off. You can also serve it with some sour cream or Greek yogurt to reduce the heat.
What to Eat with Chili
This high protein chili recipe is delicious by itself, served in a bowl with your favorite toppings. For a more filling meal, serve it with any of the following:
- Cornbread (try this Cornbread Recipe without Buttermilk!)
- Brown rice
- Couscous
- Quinoa
- Tortilla Chips
- Coleslaw (try this Cranberry and Walnut Coleslaw)
- Cinnamon Sweet Potato Fries
- Cheesy Cauliflower Bites
Toppings for Chili
This chili recipe tastes even more amazing when served with extra toppings!
Here are some ideas:
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sliced green onion
- Diced avocado
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Squeeze of lime juice
- Chipotle Guacamole
Variations & Substitutions
- Use a different meat: I love the rich flavor of extra lean ground beef, but ground chicken, turkey, or bison will work great too.
- Make it meat-free: Skip the ground beef and add in another can of beans, or use a plant-based option like textured vegetable protein. Swap the beef broth for vegetable broth and you have a delicious vegetarian chili on your hands.
- Add different veggies: Homemade chili is a great way to use up veggies in your fridge. Carrots, mushrooms and diced sweet potatoes make excellent additions!
- To add a kick of sweetness: Add a bit of honey, maple syrup or brown sugar to the chili.
More Hearty Soups & Chilis
- High Protein Lasagna Soup
- High Protein Taco Soup
- White Chicken Chili with Salsa Verde
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili
- Hearty Italian Sausage Spinach Soup
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
High Protein Chili {Kid-friendly, Slow Cooker}
Video
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 28 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 4 ounce can green chilis
- 1/4 cup low sodium beef broth (or more if you prefer a thinner chili)
- 1 15 oz can low sodium black beans
- 1 15 oz can low sodium kidney beans
- 1 cup corn kernels
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook ground beef until browned, about 5-6 minutes.
- Drain off any fat. Add the garlic, onion and red pepper and cook until tender and fragrant.
- Transfer beef and vegetables to the slow cooker. Add spices, cocoa powder, fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chilis, broth, beans and corn. Stir until combined.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
- Adjust broth depending on how thick you like your chili. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with desired toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
- Adjust the amount of broth depending on how thick you like your chili. I prefer a more thick and hearty chili, so I generally only add about 1/4 cup of broth, but feel free to add more if you prefer a thinner chili.
- Adapt the level of spice according to your personal preferences. If you want a mild chili, skip the cayenne or only add a small pinch. For more heat, add in extra cayenne.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in April 2022 and the text and photos were updated in December 2024.
Adult-friendly chili too! Love it! Just wanted to make sure about the cooking times. I assumed you meant “or” between the high and low slow cooker times?
So happy the adults loved it too! And yes, I did mean “or.” I made that fix :) Thanks so much for catching that and I appreciate the kind review!
Do I have to add the cocoa powder? Or can I use without?
You can make it without too! The cocoa just adds some extra richness and depth of flavor :)
This will be my go-to recipe, so good. Added diced mushrooms and omitted the corn.
Love the addition of the mushrooms! So happy you found a new go-to for chili :) Thanks so much for the kind rating and review!
This recipe is perfect! My husband does not like soups and my boys are picky eaters but they LOVED this chili and requested that I make it weekly now! It’s hearty, flavor packed and the taste lingers in your mouth. Thank you!
That’s amazing – so happy your husband and boys enjoyed it! Love when you find a recipe that’s a winner with the whole family! I appreciate the kind review :)
The cocoa is there, but it’s very subtle. The spice is slightly above American-restaurant level. It’s good, with a well rounded and arrogant personality.
This chili will leave smug little cocoa scented sticky notes telling you how special it is. Annoying as this behavior is, it’s not wrong.
You get the award for the most creative comment I’ve ever received! I’ve never seen chili described in such a poetic fashion, but I love it! I appreciate the well thought out review and rating :)
Am I missing when to add the cocoa powder?
I apologize – you add it in with the rest of the spices. I just updated the recipe card. Thanks for catching that!
What is the serving size per serving
I haven’t measured it out exactly, but the serving size would be about 1 – 1 1/2 cups of chili. Hope that helps!
Do you know about how many ounces, are grams is a serving size?
I haven’t measured it out exactly but about 8-12 ounces would be a serving size. Hope that helps!
Are beans and corn to be drained?
Yes, the beans are to be drained and rinsed. I used frozen corn so didn’t drain it, but if you use canned, then you’ll have to drain it as well. Hope that helps!
Love this recipe, I’ve made it multiple times. I am wondering though, could you make this without the meat?
Thanks!
So happy you’ve been enjoying the recipe! You could definitely make it without the meat if you want to keep it plant-based. You could even add in an extra can of beans to substitute for the meat :)
Adding sweet potatoes is awesome to this recipe for when I don’t add ground beef
Love that tip! Thanks so much for sharing :)
Looks delicious! Can bone broth be substituted for more protein?
Yes, for sure! Hope you enjoy :)
Hi! I’m assuming it’s one cup per serving? Looking forward to making this next week
Hi Stephanie! Yes, a serving would be about 1-1.5 cups. Hope you enjoy the recipe! :)
This chili was so flavorful and delicious! I made it when my parents came over for dinner and everyone loved it!!
So happy it was a hit! This one is always a favourite in our house too! Thanks so much for reporting back :)