Keto Chili: Best Side Dish Options

what to eat with keto chili

Keto chili is a hearty, flavorful, and comforting dish perfect for cold weather. It is a low-carb, high-fat, and medium-protein meal, typically made without beans or legumes to keep the carbohydrate count low. While keto chili is delicious on its own, there are several sides and toppings that can enhance your dining experience. For a classic combination, serve it with keto cornbread. For a creamier texture and tangy flavor, add a dollop of sour cream. Shredded cheddar cheese is another popular topping that adds a sharp, savory note to the dish. If you're looking for a crunchy contrast to the tender chili, consider making keto tortilla chips or strips to scoop up the hearty stew. For a more substantial meal, increase the protein content by using ground beef, chicken, turkey, or pork, or add diced chicken thighs or steak for a fattier option. Finally, don't be afraid to experiment with spices and herbs to customize the heat and flavor profile to your liking.

Characteristics Values
Carbohydrates 3-27g
Protein 27g
Fat 21g
Calories 357kcal
Servings 8
Cookware Crockpot, Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, Stovetop
Preparation Time 45 minutes - 14 hours
Main Ingredients Ground Beef, Chicken, Turkey, Pork, Beans, Vegetables, Olive Oil, Onion, Bell Peppers, Garlic, Tomato Sauce, Tomato Paste, Spices
Sides Keto Cornbread, Sour Cream, Cheese, Tortilla Chips

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Keto tortilla chips

Ingredients

To make keto tortilla chips, you will need almond flour and mozzarella cheese. It is important to use blanched almond flour to achieve the right texture. Pre-shredded mozzarella or freshly shredded mozzarella can be used, but other types of cheese such as tasty cheese or cheddar cheese should be avoided due to their higher fat content. For added flavour, garlic powder, chilli powder, and cinnamon can be added.

Method

To make the chips, first preheat your oven to 180C/350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, add your almond flour and set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt your mozzarella cheese in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until fully melted. This should take around 1-2 minutes. Add the almond flour, salt, and any desired spices to the melted cheese. If the cheese is very hot, let it cool slightly, then knead the mixture by hand until a smooth dough forms.

Roll out the dough thinly and evenly to a thickness of around 1/8". Cut the dough into triangles and place them on the lined baking sheet. Bake the tortilla chips for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Once cooked, remove from the oven and let them cool completely. Season with salt to taste.

Storage

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Keto cornbread

Ingredients:

  • Almond flour: Superfine blanched almond flour is recommended as it gives the bread its distinctive yellow colour.
  • Keto sweetener: Use a powdered variety so that it mixes easily. You can substitute this with a granular sweetener or any low-carb sugar substitute.
  • Eggs: Use room temperature eggs and beat them before mixing.
  • Butter: Use melted butter. If using unsalted butter, add 1/8 teaspoon of salt. You can also use coconut oil.
  • Baking soda: This will make the bread fluffy.
  • Sweet corn extract: This gives the bread a corn flavour without the carbs.

You can also add mix-ins like chopped bacon, fresh herbs, shredded cheddar cheese, or diced jalapeños.

Method:

Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately. Add the cornbread batter to a piping hot cast-iron skillet and bake. You can also make cornbread muffins by pouring the batter into a greased muffin tin and baking for 18-20 minutes.

This keto cornbread can be stored in an airtight container for up to five days or wrapped in foil or plastic wrap. You can also freeze slices for up to six months.

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Bacon

To make keto chilli with bacon, start by finely chopping the bacon and adding it to a large pot or Dutch oven. Cook the bacon until all the fat is rendered and it is nearly done. Then, add ground beef and allow it to cook until it gets some colour. Finely chop garlic and jalapeno peppers. Roughly chop tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions. Add the remaining ingredients, along with two cups of chicken or beef stock, and allow the mixture to simmer for one to three hours.

For textural reasons, it is best to chop the bacon into small pieces (around half-inch pieces) so that it blends into the dish. Chewy, flabby bacon slices may not be very appetising. Also, be sure to use a low- or no-sugar bacon variety.

You can also use the bacon fat to cook the onions and peppers. Fry the bacon, save the grease for future use, and let it cool on a paper towel. Then, put all the meat into the crockpot.

If you want to make a keto chilli packed salad, top a bed of lettuce with this chilli. Add some guacamole and cheese for a filling meal. If you want to be bold, sprinkle some quest chips on top for an extra crunchy flavour.

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Mushrooms

When cooked, mushrooms maintain a firm texture, making them ideal for stuffing. You can stuff mushroom caps with cream cheese, different meats, or your favourite low-carb veggies, and sprinkle them with shredded cheddar or parmesan cheese. You can also sauté or stir-fry them. Simply add butter and minced garlic to a hot pan and fry until the mushrooms are golden brown. Add lemon juice, heavy cream, and fresh parsley, and serve alongside zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice for a delicious low-carb meal.

Another recipe includes thinly slicing mushrooms and sautéing them with seasonings like garlic, lime, and curry powder. These keto mushrooms are a great side dish to an Indian-inspired keto main course. They can be served with cauliflower rice and a cooling salsa to complement the heat.

For a quick and easy meal, you can also make a stir fry with a variety of colourful vegetables, such as bell peppers and snow peas, along with a variety of mushrooms like shiitake, oyster, and baby bella. The ginger and garlic provide a sharp flavour, while coconut aminos and Chinese five-spice round out the umami taste.

If you're eating out, the Mushroom Swiss Burger from Chili's is a great keto option. It's topped with sautéed onions, mushrooms, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and garlic aioli.

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Spices

Chilli powder is a classic spice used in chili. It often comes premixed with cumin and oregano, and can also be replaced with rehydrated dried chillies blended into a puree with some chicken stock. If you can't handle spice, you can omit this ingredient. Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes can be added to your keto chili if you prefer a spicier kick. For a more subtle heat, smoked paprika is a great option, and if you want to add a unique flavour, cumin is a good choice.

Some other keto-friendly spices that can be used in keto chili include cinnamon, ginger, garlic, and turmeric. Cinnamon has a nutty taste and smell and helps curb your sweet tooth while keeping you away from unhealthy sugars. Ginger and garlic are an excellent duo of spices for a keto diet, with garlic acting as a beloved taste enhancer and ginger providing health benefits. Turmeric is another spice with many remedies and is widely used in Indian cuisine to decrease fat intake and control cholesterol.

Frequently asked questions

Some keto-friendly toppings for chili include shredded cheddar, sour cream, and cheese.

Keto cornbread is a keto-friendly side to have with chili.

Some keto-friendly ingredients to add to chili include ground beef, ground chicken, ground turkey, diced chicken thighs, steak, zucchini, eggplant, spinach, and cauliflower.

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