This low fat black bean chili is filled with crispy bits of ground beef and a sweet ‘n’ smoky pineapple chipotle purée. Each super filling serving has 25 grams of protein with just 28 grams of carbs, 265 calories, and 4 WW SmartPoints!
I’ve included a quick recipe for crispy lime tortilla strips to include as a topping, and a few more ideas for fixin’s to set your black bean chili off just right.
Ingredients for Black Bean Chili
You can split the ingredients for this healthy chili recipe into two groups—the ground beef and black bean base of the chili, and the pineapple chipotle purée.
Here’s everything you’ll need for the base of the chili:
- lean ground beef, salt, pepper, and olive oil
- canned black beans and stewed tomatoes
And here’s what you’ll need for the pineapple chipotle purée:
- crushed pineapple
- chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- a clove of garlic
- chili powder and cumin
If you want to take the flavor to the next level, swap the basic chili powder for my homemade chili powder.
How to Make This Pineapple Chipotle Chili
A great thing about soup and chili is that they’re hard to mess up. This chili recipe is no different. I’ll run you through a few notes on making the best black bean chili of all time, but you can honestly get pretty close by just throwing things in a pot!
How to Cook Ground Beef That’s Packed with Flavor
You’ll notice in the recipe photos that I cooked the beef in a separate skillet instead of cooking everything in one pot. That’s because I used my Ninja Foodi, which has a ceramic cooking pot. (The only downside of the Foodi I’ve found so far!)
Feel free to cook your ground beef and chili entirely in a nonstick or ceramic pot, but stainless steel or cast iron creates a crispy brown crust on the beef that’s loaded with flavor. If you have an Instant Pot, you can use the sauté function like I used for my High Protein Creamy Taco Soup or Turkey Chili.
Aside from the surface you cook the ground beef on, salt and freshly cracked black pepper are responsible for the other half of the magic. You’re cooking two pounds of ground beef for this black bean chili, so don’t be afraid of salt!
The only other tip I’d give here is to not fear the sear. Put the ground beef in the pan and leave it alone. Don’t burn it, but you should give it enough time to develop the crispy bits on the bottom. You can definitely taste a difference!
Bringing the Black Bean Chili Together
Beyond the beef, the rest of this chili recipe is as simple as blending a few things together and adding everything to a pot.
Seriously, that’s it!
You can cook your black bean chili in a pot or in a crockpot. Slow cooking would be great for flavor development, for what it’s worth.
I initially planned on testing this recipe in a pressure cooker, hence the Foodi, but found there was too much of it for the 6.5-quart model. If you have a larger pressure cooker, you can give it a go.
Bonus: Top Your Black Bean Chili with Low Calorie Tortilla Strips
If you’ve tried my low calorie tortilla chips, you’re familiar with the magic of extra thin corn tortillas. These tortilla strips use the same ingredients:
- 6 Mission extra thin corn tortillas
- pinch of salt
- a squeeze or two of lime juice
- cooking spray (I used olive oil)
Cut the tortillas into strips and place on a baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray, sprinkle with salt and lime juice, and bake at 400 degrees for 6-10 minutes. Shake them around halfway through for even crispness.
Final Chipotle Chili Recipe Notes
Spice level – 6.5 outta 10: Even with half the can of chipotle peppers, this black bean chili is quite spicy. If you’re spice sensitive, you can cut the chipotle peppers in half or swap some of the chili powder for something like smoked paprika.
And if you end up with chili that’s still too spicy, adding some acidity via lime juice or fat free Greek yogurt will help reduce the spice.
I’ve linked a handful of recipes that use chipotle peppers in adobo sauce at the bottom of this post in case you’re looking to use the other half of the can on something. A few even include both chipotle and pineapple!
And I think that covers it. You’ll find the printable black bean chili recipe card below. If you have any recipe questions, you can leave a comment below or join my free Facebook group with 10,000 other home cooks that can probably answer your question!
Pineapple Chipotle Black Bean Chili
Sweet and spicy black bean chili with crispy ground beef and a pineapple chipotle purée.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Ground Beef, I used 96/4
- 1 Tbsp (16g) Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp Salt and Pepper
- 2 cans (15 oz) Reduced Sodium Black Beans, undrained
- 2 cans (15 oz) Stewed Tomatoes
Blend Together
- 1 1/2 C (360g) Crushed Pineapple
- 3 1/2 oz (half can) Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
- 4 cloves (20g) Garlic, peeled
- 2 Tbsp Chili Powder
- 1/2 Tbsp Cumin
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or skillet (if you're using a crockpot) over medium-high heat with a tablespoon of oil. Liberally season the ground beef with salt and pepper.
- Carefully place each pound of ground beef seasoned side down in the oil once it's hot. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to the top side of the beef.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes until the bottom develops a dark brown crust. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes before crumbling the beef and cooking until no pink remains.
- While the beef cooks, add the pineapple, chipotle peppers, garlic, and dry spices to a food processor or blender. Pulse until smooth.
- Once the beef is cooked, add the stewed tomatoes, black beans, and chipotle mixture to the pot. Bring to a low boil before reducing the heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 10-20 minutes (or longer if you have the time to let flavors develop).
- Top with chopped cilantro, queso fresco, tortilla strips, a dollop of Greek yogurt, or your choice of toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
Each 1-cup, 270-gram serving has 4 Smart Points.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Servings Serving Size: 1 cup (270g)Amount Per Serving: Calories: 265Total Fat: 6gCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 25g
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Kim
Wednesday 26th of October 2022
This was so good with great flavor! I used the full can of chipotles since I like things very spicy. It was simple to make and I'd definitely make it again.
Dominique
Sunday 25th of October 2020
How long should I cook it in the slow cooker ?
Mason Woodruff
Tuesday 27th of October 2020
I'd cook the beef (on the stovetop) and then add everything in the crockpot for a few hours. The timing won't matter all that much once the beef is cooked.
Tiffany F
Wednesday 7th of October 2020
I love this! It is the perfect balance between spicy and sweet and it is absolutely delicious!
Charlotte
Wednesday 27th of November 2019
This is the PERFECT mix of sweet and spicy. I was not expecting this to become a regular meal in the house but it has! I prefer to use smaller tomatoes ... so that’s the only swap I make but it’s so good and even better as leftovers once the flavors sit overnight. If you’re having second thoughts about making this ?? Just do it.
Kristina V
Tuesday 26th of November 2019
Boyfriend approved. The only thing I did differently is I didn’t blend the crushed pineapple, I added it as is to the pot. Perfect balance of sweet and spicy!