Is Skyline Chili keto friendly? The original Cincinnati chili recipe is served over spaghetti, but you can make keto Cincinnati chili with roasted spaghetti squash instead. Swapping refined grains for veggies makes this a low carb, low calorie chili that tastes delicious. And if you are not familiar with Cincinnati 5-way chili (also known as Skyline chili), keep reading. You don’t want to miss out on this one!
The recipe for Cincinnati chili was developed by immigrant restaurateurs in the 1920s in (you guessed it) Cincinnati, Ohio. Tom Kiradjieff and John Kiradjieff are the brothers credited with inventing the dish. This popular main dish remains an iconic food of the Cincinnati region.
No worries if you don’t live in Ohio, however. Today you’ll learn how to make a healthy and tasty version of this chili at home. But first, you may want to know what exactly Cincinnati chili is.
Jump to:
- 🍝 What makes Cincinnati chili different?
- ⭐ Keto Skyline Chili Ingredients
- 🔥 How to Make Keto Cincinnati Chili
- 🌡 How to Store Cincinnati Chili
- 🤔 Skyline Chili Keto Options
- 📋 How many carbs in skyline chili?
- 💡 Keto Skyline Chili Nutrition
- 💭 Expert Tips from a Dietitian
- FAQs
- 👩🏻🍳 Other Keto Comfort Food Recipes
- The Disclaimer…
- 📖 Recipe
🍝 What makes Cincinnati chili different?
What is the difference between chili and Cincinnati chili? Cincinnati chili is also sometimes referred to as Skyline chili, named for a chain of chili restaurants in the greater Cincinnati area. The classic Cincinnati chili recipe is a meaty chili, spiced with unusual ingredients such as cinnamon, and served over spaghetti.
A plate of just the chili and the spaghetti is said to be served “2-way.” But if you are ever in Cincinnati, Ohio, I recommend going all out and ordering the 5-way.
Yes, there are several ways that you can enjoy your chili. It is truly a dish that you can customize to fit your taste preferences.
Here are the “ways” you can order your chili:
- 2-way: chili on top of spaghetti
- 3-way: cheese on top of chili on top of spaghetti
- 4-way: chopped onions OR chili beans on chili and spaghetti with cheese on top
- Cincinnati Chili 5-way: chopped onions AND chili beans on chili and spaghetti with cheese on top
Oyster crackers and hot sauce may also be added to your order.
In this Cincinnati style chili recipe, we’re using an Atkins chili recipe with roasted spaghetti squash. To make the “ways,” we’re adding shredded cheddar cheese, onions, and low carb black soy beans. The result is a low calorie Cincinnati chili spaghetti that’s also keto friendly and gluten free.
Try adding this modified Cincinnati chili recipe to your healthy eating plan to see if it helps with your weight loss goals!
⭐ Keto Skyline Chili Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make the best keto Cincinnati chili copycat recipe:
- Extra lean ground beef
- Water
- Canned tomato sauce
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Cinnamon
- Ground cloves
- Salt
- Crushed red pepper
- Garlic powder
- Bay leaf
- Apple cider vinegar
(Get specific quantities of ingredients in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
To make 5-way Skyline chili keto, you’ll also need:
- Roasted spaghetti squash
- Shredded cheese
- Black soy beans
- Chopped white onion
The most significant change from the original recipe is that I used roasted spaghetti squash instead of a refined grain spaghetti. Try my Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash for one of the tastiest and easiest ways to prepare spaghetti squash ever.
You can also prepare spaghetti squash in the microwave. Pierce the squash all over with a sharp knife and microwave on high for 6-8 minutes. The squash strands are easy to remove with a fork when they are fully cooked.
Microwave heating times vary, so your squash may need a little more or less time. Larger-sized squash may also require a longer cooking time.
Making oven baked spaghetti squash while the chili simmers also works well for this recipe. The chili needs to simmer for about an hour, so roasting the squash does not add to the cooking time.
Instead of the traditional chili beans of the 5-way, I used black soy beans. These canned beans are low net carbs and provide complete protein. I have other ideas for chili bean substitutes for keto below.
To make Skyline chili, the only kitchen equipment you need is a cast iron skillet and a metal spatula. You’ll also need a knife to prepare some of the toppings.
🔥 How to Make Keto Cincinnati Chili
Here are the steps for making keto Skyline chili:
- Brown the ground beef in a cast iron skillet, breaking it into crumbles with a spatula as it cooks.
- Add the water, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, salt, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, bay leaf, and cider vinegar to the skillet. Simmer for 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour, over medium low heat. Stir the mixture occasionally.
- The liquid should mostly evaporate from the chili. If it’s drying out too much, partially cover the pan.
- Remove the bay leaf. Serve the chili over roasted spaghetti squash, with onions, beans, and cheese on top (if desired).
It might be better to think of Skyline chili as a meat sauce than a typical chili. Authentic Cincinnati chili tends to be thin, but I prefer it thick for ease of eating. You can add beef broth if you’d like to make it thinner.
🌡 How to Store Cincinnati Chili
Homemade low carb Cincinnati chili can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Keep the spaghetti squash separate until serving. Skyline chili can be reheated in the stovetop or microwave.
This keto Skyline chili can also be frozen. However, the spaghetti squash may become watery when frozen and is best prepared fresh. Another option is to buy a bag of frozen veggie noodles to use with the frozen Skyline chili.
🤔 Skyline Chili Keto Options
There are lots of Skyline Chili low carb options if you want to mix things up! One major shortcut is to use low carb canned chili in place of homemade chili.
You can buy canned Skyline chili here (on Amazon). It only has 2 grams of net carbs per serving.
Keto Skyline chili CAN have beans, because there are some low carb beans. If you can’t find black soy beans, try lupini beans or shelled edamame. For Paleo Cincinnati chili, skip the cheese and beans.
Instead of roasted spaghetti squash, you can use your favorite low carb noodles in this recipe. Here are a few spaghetti substitutes for Cincinnati chili:
- Palmini noodles
- Shirataki
- Zucchini noodles
You can use pork rinds, keto cheese crisps, or keto crackers in place of the oyster crackers. (If you choose to use this topping.)
📋 How many carbs in skyline chili?
How many net carbs in Skyline chili? What are the Cincinnati chili calories? One serving of keto Cincinnati chili has 3.2 grams net carbs, 164 calories, and 25.2 grams protein.
Skyline 3 way calories (made with 2 cups spaghetti squash cooked with ½ tablespoon oil and 1¼ oz cheddar): 416 calories
Skyline 5 way calories (3 way plus ½ cup black soybeans and 2 tablespoons onion): 546 calories
💡 Keto Skyline Chili Nutrition
Here’s the nutrition info for this keto Cincinnati chili recipe (per serving, without squash or toppings):
- Calories: 164
- Total fat: 4.8g
- Saturated fat: 2g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
- Sodium: 621.3mg
- Total carbohydrate: 4.7g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Net carbs: 3.2g
- Total sugar: 1.9g
- Protein: 25.2g
- Vitamin A: 11.9%DV
- Vitamin C: 3.7%DV
- Potassium: 427.4mg
- Iron: 21.7% DV
- Calcium: 11.2% DV
Here’s a chart comparing this Skyline chili keto recipe to restaurant Skyline chili:
| Type | Way | Calories | Net Carbs (g) | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skyline Chili Restaurant | 3-Way (regular size) | 800 | 50 | 45 |
| Skyline Chili Restaurant | 5-Way (regular size) | 900 | 67 | 50 |
| Keto Skyline Chili | 3-Way | 416 | 14.7 | 35.3 |
| Keto Skyline Chili | 5-Way | 546 | 21.7 | 46.3 |
💭 Expert Tips from a Dietitian
This is a level 1 recipe (may help support fat loss). Is Skyline chili bad for you? The original Skyline chili is high in calories, sodium, and refined carbs. I would consider this keto Skyline chili to be a healthier option, depending on what you’re looking for.
Skyline restaurant chili has 2040mg sodium in a regular 3-way chili, and 2310mg sodium in a regular 5-way chili. The recommended daily limit for sodium (per the Dietary Guidelines) is 2300mg per day. Our low carb chili recipe is a much better choice if you’re watching your sodium intake.
It may come as a surprise, but this cheesy, beefy plate of deliciousness clocks in at around 500 calories. Swapping out refined grain noodles for spaghetti squash is an easy way to lower the calories and carbs in this dish. Try spaghetti squash in other pasta recipes to create new, better-for-you family favorites.
Another benefit of using spaghetti squash is that it offers fluid volume and fiber. These elements can help volume eaters feel full on fewer calories.
Like the original Skyline chili recipe, our keto version offers plenty of protein to help keep you full. Adding the black soy beans and cheese toppings will help boost the protein up even more.
FAQs
Gold Star Chili is another restaurant that sells Cincinnati chili with the ways in the Cincinnati, OH area. Some say Gold Star chili is a bit meatier, others say it is a little thicker. If you're ever in the area, it might be fun to conduct your own taste test.
You can find the menu for the Skyline Chili restaurants in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Florida here.
The Skyline Coney Bowl is a bowl meal served at the Skyline Chili restaurants. It’s a bowl of three hot dogs in a bowl of Skyline chili, and topped with cheddar cheese.
To make vegetarian Cincinnati chili, you can make a Beyond Meat Cincinnati chili (using Beyond beef) in place of red meat. A whole foods alternative is to use lentils. To make vegan Cincinnati chili, you’d need to substitute both the meat and cheese for your favorite vegan alternatives.
You can make keto Cincinnati chili in an Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi using the low saute function. Another idea is to make slow cooker Cincinnati chili. Brown the beef in a skillet, then heat all ingredients in a Crock Pot on low for 6 hours (add additional water if needed).
The secret ingredient in Skyline Chili is up for debate (source). Cinnamon, unsweetened cocoa powder, and bay leaf each have community arguing that it’s the secret to great Skyline chili. (Note: I never add cocoa powder to my copycat Skyline chili recipe; you’re welcome to if you feel it makes a difference.)
👩🏻🍳 Other Keto Comfort Food Recipes
Here are some other keto comfort foods you may enjoy:
- How to Cook Costco Pork Belly
- Baked Riblets Recipe
- Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings
- Pulled Pork Bowls
- Air Fryer Rib Eye Steak
- Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings (Keto)
And while you’re here, don’t miss the entire collection of Keto Recipes.
Join our community! Subscribe to the Weekly Newsletter to be kept up-to-date on all of the latest and greatest recipes! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube!
The Disclaimer…
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
“Keto” recipes on the web may not be appropriate for those using ketogenic diets as part of their medical nutrition therapy. That includes this recipe.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be wildly inaccurate, so please don't sweat the numbers too much.
For more information on how the three recipe levels may help with a weight management goal, refer to my overnight oats no sugar post. Let's get cooking!
📖 Recipe
Keto Cincinnati Chili (Low Carb Keto Skyline Chili Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef, extra lean (454 grams; 96/4 beef)
- 1 cup water
- 8 ounces tomato sauce (227 grams)
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
To Make 2-Way, 3-Way, 4-Way, or 5-Way Keto Cincinnati Chili:
- 8 cups cooked spaghetti squash (try my Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash)
- 5 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded 142 grams
- ½ cup white onion, chopped
- 14.5 ounces black soybeans 411 grams
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a cast iron skillet, breaking it into crumbles with a spatula as it cooks.
- Add the water, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, salt, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, bay leaf, and cider vinegar to the skillet. Simmer for 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour, over medium low heat. Stir the mixture occasionally.
- The liquid should mostly evaporate from the chili. If it’s drying out too much, partially cover the pan.
- Remove the bay leaf. To make the ways, serve the chili over roasted spaghetti squash, with onions, beans, and cheese on top (if desired).
- Cooking Tip! It might be better to think of Skyline chili as a meat sauce rather than a typical chili. Authentic Cincinnati chili tends to be thin, but I prefer it thick for ease of eating. You can add beef broth if you’d like to make it thinner.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried a Cincinnati chili recipe before? If so, do you prefer it 2-way, 3-way, 4-way, or 5-way? Feel free to drop a comment below and let me know!
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