Cozy Up For a Hot Fall Meal With This Hearty Paleo Chili

By Dominique Michelle Astorino
Lexi's Clean Kitchen
Lexi's Clean Kitchen

Changing your diet, eating, and lifestyle habits shouldn't mean sacrificing your favorite comfort foods. Case in point, this delectable chili from Lexi Kornblum Davidson's new cookbook, Lexi's Clean Kitchen.

"This is my go-to classic chili recipe all Fall and Winter long," said Lexi. "I call it 'healthy comfort food in a bowl' because it's hearty and satisfying for those chilly days." She also noted that when you whip up a big batch, this recipe makes for "a good weekly meal-prep option since the recipe makes tons of leftovers!"

"You can customize this chili to your liking. Some days I'll add more veggies based on what is in season. I've also perfected this chili to be equally delicious without the beans" — perfect for Paleo dieting!

Classic Paleo Chili

Cook Time20 minutes prep time, 3.5 hours cook time
Yield6 to 8

From Lexi's Clean Kitchen by Alexis Kornblum Davidson

INGREDIENTS

    • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 medium onions, diced
    • 2 bell peppers (any color), chopped
    • 2 large carrots, chopped
    • 2 stalks celery, chopped
    • Optional: 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
    • 2 pounds ground turkey or beef
    • 2 cups water, more as needed
    • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
    • 1 (14 1⁄2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
    • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or more to taste
    • 3 tablespoons chili powder
    • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
    • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
    • 1 tablespoon paprika
    • 2 teaspoons celery seed
    • 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more to taste
    • Pinch of red pepper flakes
    • Optional: 1 small jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
    • Optional Toppings:
    • Fresh cilantro leaves
    • Sliced avocado
    • Sliced scallions

    INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions, bell peppers, carrots, celery, and sweet potato, if using, and sauté for 5-7 minutes until soft.

    2. Add the meat and cook until browned, 5-7 minutes, stirring often to break up the chunks.

    3. Once the meat is browned, add the water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salt, and spices. Mix well to combine. If you are adding the jalapeño, add now.

    4. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the chili is nice and thick, about 3 hours. Add additional water during cooking if you want your chili to be more soup-like. Toward the end of the cooking time, taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. Add more cayenne pepper for an extra kick and more salt and pepper as needed.

    5. Serve with your favorite chili toppings, if desired.

    6. Store the chili in the refrigerator.