High-Protein Chili
Per serving (about 1.5 cups)
How I calculate this → Protein calculator →
9g of protein per 100 calories, more than 10 of the other 27 dinner recipes here.
I brown the beef and vegetables in a skillet before they go into the slow cooker, rather than dumping everything in raw. That browning step builds real flavor the slow cooker's gentle heat can't create on its own. From there it's hands-off: six hours on low and it's done, thick, and ready to portion out.
Why you'll love this
- 26g of protein per serving from lean ground beef and beans together
- Mostly hands-off after a quick browning step
- Makes 6 servings, ready to portion for the week
Recipe
High-Protein Chili
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, for 5 to 6 minutes until no longer pink.
- Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until softened.
- Stir in the garlic, chili powder, and cumin and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Transfer everything to the slow cooker. Add the kidney beans, diced tomatoes, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 3 to 4 hours.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Slow cooker
Notes
- I brown the beef and vegetables in a skillet first rather than skipping straight to the slow cooker. That step builds real depth of flavor a slow cooker's steady, gentle heat can't produce on its own.
- This thickens more the longer it sits, so leftovers the next day are often even better than the first bowl.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 300 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 26g |
| Carbs | 16g |
| Fat | 15g |
| Fiber | 5g |
Where these numbers come from
I calculate every figure above from USDA FoodData Central, ingredient by ingredient, then divide by the servings the recipe makes. Each FDC number links to the exact USDA entry I used. How I calculate nutrition
- Ground beef (90/10): FDC #171793 (Beef, ground, 90% lean meat / 10% fat, patty, cooked, pan-broiled), 25.2g protein / 204 kcal / 10.7g fat per 100g. 1.5 lb raw (680g) scaled to a 75% cooked yield for ground meat = 510g cooked.
- Kidney beans: FDC #174285 (Beans, kidney, red, mature seeds, canned, drained solids), 7.98g protein / 124 kcal / 1.05g fat / 21.5g carb / 5.5g fiber per 100g; FDC's own '1 can drained solids' measure = 266g.
- Diced tomatoes: FDC #170051 (Tomatoes, red, ripe, canned, packed in tomato juice), 1 cup = 240g, including its fiber (1.9g per 100g).
- Onion: FDC #170000 (Onions, raw), 1.1g protein / 40 kcal / 9.34g carb / 1.7g fiber per 100g.
- Bell pepper: FDC #170108 (Peppers, sweet, red, raw), 0.99g protein / 26 kcal per 100g.
- Garlic: FDC #169230 (Garlic, raw), 6.36g protein / 149 kcal / 33.1g carb / 2.1g fiber per 100g; 1 clove = 3g.
- Chili powder: FDC #171319 (Spices, chili powder), 13.5g protein / 282 kcal / 14.3g fat / 49.7g carb / 34.8g fiber per 100g.
- Cumin: FDC #170923 (Spices, cumin seed), 17.8g protein / 375 kcal / 22.3g fat / 44.2g carb / 10.5g fiber per 100g.
- Olive oil: FDC #171413 (Oil, olive, salad or cooking), 100g fat / 884 kcal per 100g, 0g protein.
- Quantities: onion 1 medium = 110g (FDC #170000); red bell pepper 1 medium = 119g; chili powder 2 tbsp = 16g; cumin 1 tbsp = 6g; kidney beans 1 can drained = 266g; olive oil 2 tbsp = 27g.
- Re-verified 2026-09-28: batch totals 157.6g protein, 1,799 kcal, 89.1g fat, 95.6g carb, 29.9g fiber; divided by 6. At 5g fiber per serving it now meets the high-fiber bar.
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. This is one of the few recipes here that genuinely tastes better the next day, once the flavors have had time to sit.
FAQ
Can I use a leaner ground beef?
Yes, 93/7 works fine and lowers the fat a bit further. Very lean ground beef can turn slightly drier over the long cook time, so 90/10 is a reasonable middle ground.
Can I use a different bean?
Black beans or pinto beans both work as a direct swap for the kidney beans in the same amount.
How spicy is this?
Mild to moderate, depending on your chili powder blend. Add a diced jalapeno with the onion and pepper, or a pinch of cayenne, if you want more heat.
Looking for more slow cooker dinners: the turkey chili is a leaner variation on the same idea.
Lean ground beef is the main protein here, and High-Protein Meats compares 90/10 with 80/20 and the leaner cuts.
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