These Healthy Chili Recipes are perfect for a fall or winter day! With fresh ingredients, reduced sodium, and lower fat there is something for everyone whether you’re a vegetarian, enjoy lean protein or even traditional beef chili.
Chili is a game day favorite and we often serve ours along with air fryer nachos, healthy spinach dip and buffalo chicken cucumber bites.
Table of contents
Chili is a popular dish for friends, tailgating, and parties! Many store brands are loaded with calories and fat, but not these best healthy chili recipes. With lean meat, beans, spices and vegetables, these recipes are flavorful and better for you!
Why These Recipes are Healthy?
- Reduced sodium, fat and calories: These chili recipes make healthier swaps without sacrificing flavor!
- Nutritious: Vitamin packed veggies, lean protein, and fiber plus iron filled beans.
- Classic comfort food: Is nourishing for your soul and the perfect meal to come home to on a cold day!
- Spices: From clearing congestion to enhancing flavor to boosting antioxidant levels, there is a reason chili loaded with chili powder, cumin, cayenne or red pepper is a wintertime staple!
The Best Healthy Chili Recipes
Healthy White Chicken Chili
Healthy White Chicken Chili does not contain any cream cream cheese or heavy cream, but uses Greek Yogurt and smashed white beans to give it incredible creamy taste. A favorite healthy chili that has been reviewed with 5 stars over and over again and best of all you can make it a healthy chili recipe slow cooker, stovetop or Instant Pot.
Crock Pot Turkey Chili
High protein Turkey Chili is your answer to ‘is chili healthy?’! Yes, indeed when it comes to this healthy turkey chili recipe! It’s full of lean protein, vegetables and spices and better for you ingredients. Serve with Mexican kale salad to add some additional veg!
Buffalo Chicken Chili Recipe
Love buffalo wings but want that flavor in a chili recipe? Buffalo Chicken Chili is the answer! All the flavors of your favorite wings but in a saucier form and then topped with creamy blue cheese, you will wonder why you didn’t make this sooner. Make air fryer buffalo chicken wings, next!
One Pot Chili Mac Recipe
Saucy, cheesy and ready in 30 minutes! One Pot Chili Mac Recipe is made with hearty ingredients, vegetarian and can even be made vegan. No skimping on flavor with this best chili dinner idea.
Instant Pot Chili
A healthy chili recipe beef? It exists! This Instant Pot Chili is hearty and comforting, yet healthy! Ready in under 2 hours and the flavors just get better as it sits, making it the perfect game day chili dinner idea.
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
A hands off version of a favorite! Instant Pot White Chicken Chili is made lighter by using a combination of cream cheese and Greek yogurt and can be made with canned or dried beans. A crowd favorite when it comes to chili! Don’t forget to top with diced avocado and a squirt of lime, yum!
Instant Pot Turkey Chili
Made faster and easier in the pressure cooker, Instant Pot Turkey Chili tastes like it has been simmering all day, but it’s ready in 30 minutes! Lean turkey that is flavorful from veggies and spices, is what makes this chilli dinner healthier and a winner. Check out 45 more ground turkey recipes for dinner!
Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
Flavor loaded Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili is loved by carnivores and non carnivores alike! Filled with hearty vegetables, quinoa and beans, this chili will be a new favorite with it’s smoky full of flavor taste.
White Bean Pumpkin Turkey Chili
White Bean Pumpkin Turkey Chili is packed with vegetables, ground turkey, pumpkin puree, warm spices, and tender white beans! It’s a hearty chili with bold flavors that’s perfect for busy weeknights!
What Sides Dishes Go with Chili?
Best chili sides:
- Healthy cornbread
- Grilled cheese
- Crispy air fryer sweet potato fries
- Healthy air fried nachos
- Instant Pot baked potatoes
- Simple lettuce salad or vinegar coleslaw
- Healthy beef tacos or ground turkey tacos.
Healthy chili toppings:
- Red or green onion
- Freshly grated cheese
- Tortilla chips
- Greek yogurt
- Greek yogurt guac
- Easy guacamole
- Diced avocado
- Pickled jalapeno slices
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedge
More Healthy Soups to Try
9 Healthy Chili Recipes: Healthy White Chicken Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs 3 medium boneless and skinless chicken breasts
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp oil I use avocado oil
- 3 cups chicken broth low sodium*
- 2 x 15 oz cans great Northern beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups corn
- 4 oz can diced green chiles
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Small bunch of cilantro finely chopped
- 1/2 cup plain or Greek yogurt fat 2%+
- 1 lime juice of
- Tortilla chips avocado, more yogurt, limes, for serving
Instructions
Stovetop Healthy White Chicken Chili
- Preheat large dutch oven or heavy bottom pot on medium-high heat and swirl oil to coat.
- Add garlic and onion, sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- In a small bowl, add about 1 cup of beans and mash with a fork. It helps to thicken the chili.
- Add broth, mashed and whole beans, corn, green chiles and chicken breasts. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Remove chicken and shred with 2 forks or meat claws.
- Return chicken to the pot along with lime juice, cilantro and yogurt.
- Stir and serve warm with your favorite toppings like tortilla chips, cheese, more cilantro and lime.
Slow Cooker Healthy White Chicken Chili
- Preheat large ceramic non-stick skillet on medium-high heat and swirl oil to coat.
- Add garlic and onion, sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- In a small bowl, add about 1 cup of beans and mash with a fork. It helps to thicken the chili.
- Transfer to slow cooker along with 1 cup broth, mashed and whole beans, corn, green chiles and chicken breasts.
- Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours or on High for 3 hours.
- Remove chicken and shred with 2 forks or meat claws.
- Return chicken to the crockpot along with lime juice, cilantro and yogurt.
- Stir and serve warm with your favorite toppings like tortilla chips, cheese, more cilantro and lime.
Instant Pot Healthy White Chicken Chili
- In a small bowl, add about 1 cup of beans and mash with a fork. It helps to thicken the chili.
- To 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot, add ingredients in the following order: garlic, onion, corn, whole and mashed beans, chicken breasts, green chiles, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and 1 cup broth. Do not stir.
- Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 20 minutes.
- Release pressure using Quick Release method by turning pressure valve to Venting position immediately after cooking.
- Open the lid, remove chicken and shred with 2 forks or meat claws.
- Return chicken to the Instant Pot along with lime juice, cilantro and yogurt. Stir immediately, so yogurt doesn't curdle.
- Serve warm with your favorite toppings like tortilla chips, cheese, more cilantro and lime.
Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on a stovetop covered on low.
Video
Notes
- *Instant Pot and slow cooker: Add only 1 cup broth instead of 3 cups like with stove top. It is because liquid doesn’t evaporate much in these appliances.
- Diced green chiles substitute: Canned diced green chiles are usually not spicy. You can skip diced green chiles all together and use more cumin and maybe coriander would be nice too. Or add sauteed bell pepper.
- Rotisserie chicken: Yes, you can use shredded rotisserie chicken. Add it in the beginning just like when you would add raw chicken – more flavor.
- Cream cheese: Add 2-3 oz with yogurt/or in place of it, if you wish. I do add it to my Instant Pot white chicken chili.
The Instant Pot vegetarian chili is our favorite! Can’t wait to try these all!
Don’t be shy about leaving a review when you try the others! Agreed on the IP vegetarian chili, so much taste!