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.

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:

🤔 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.)

💡 Keto Skyline Chili Nutrition

Here’s a chart comparing this Skyline chili keto recipe to restaurant Skyline chili:

👩🏻‍🍳 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 Bone In Ribeye Steak
• Keto Onion Rings (Air Fryer)

And while you’re here, don’t miss the entire collection of Keto Recipes.