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small white bowl filled with smokey bacon chili garnished with avocado and jalapeño slices.
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5 from 2 votes

Smoky Bacon Chili

If you’re looking for a new chili recipe, try this Smoky Bacon Chili. It’s a hearty, flavorful meal you can cozy up with and most importantly, what’s not to love about bacon!?
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course, meal prep
Cuisine: American
Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Lactose
Servings: 8
Calories: 472kcal
Author: Courtney Paige

Equipment

  • dutch oven / large pot
  • vegetable chopper or knife + cutting board
  • Can opener
  • measuring cups / spoons
  • Meat spatula
  • kitchen scissors

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs ground beef 96% lean
  • 12 oz Naturally Hardwood smoked bacon
  • 2 small white onions diced
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil or another neutral oil
  • 3 bell peppers
  • 1 small jalapeño pepper seeds removed and diced
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (12 oz) tomato paste
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) tomato suace
  • 14.5 oz water (measured in tomato sauce can)
  • 4 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 ½ tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper more if you like heat
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • ½ tsp salt

For garnish:

  • shredded cheese
  • sour cream/Greek yogurt
  • cornbread Krusteaz

Instructions

  • Dice the onions, pepper, and jalapeno with a vegetable chopper. Use kitchen shears to cut the bacon into ~¼ inch pieces.
  • Heat a large pot / dutch oven to medium heat. Add ground beef, diced onions, and bacon pieces into the pot. Allow it to cook for 8-10 minutes or until beef and bacon are cooked. Depending on the bacon, it might produce a lot of grease. This adds flavor, but if it’s more than 3 tablespoons, remove the excess from the pan or leave out additional oil.
    raw ground beef and chopped onions in large soup pot.
  • Add in the avocado oil, diced peppers and jalapeno. Sauté for another 6-8 minutes or until translucent.
  • Pour in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water and stir together.
    smokey bacon chili mixture with tomato sauce added on top in large gray soup pot.
  • Add in all of the seasonings and stir again.
  • Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and allow it to simmer for an additional 30-45 minutes or until the chili absorbs the seasonings. Note: the longer it sits, the more chili flavor it will have.
    Optional: Add in a cup of cheese here, too.
    one serving of smokey bacon chili garnished with avocado and jalapeño slices beside slices of corn bread.
  • Serve hot with a fresh slice of cornbread and cheese on top if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

The longer the chili sits, the more flavor it will have. Let simmer for a minimum of 30-45 minutes, but feel free to leave on for up to 2 hours.
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving (without toppings) | Calories: 472kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 1639mg | Potassium: 1013mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g