Weight Watchers Chili Recipe for ZERO Points!
This healthy three bean and ground lean meat Weight Watchers chili recipe is ZERO points on the Freestyle and My WW Blue program! It’s filling and delicious. Make in the pressure cooker, Instant Pot, or crockpot!
You can also scroll down to the bottom of the post to get the recipe card and a video of how this delicious WW turkey chili is made.
I’m so excited to share this Weight Watchers chili recipe. When I say that we eat this chili every single day, I’m not exaggerating. I like Weight Watchers dinner recipes not just because they are low calorie, but they make me feel full when I usually get hungry at night. This is one of those chilis that will leave you feeling satisfied!
We make this turkey chili in our pressure cooker and then eat out of the container for lunch or dinner – and then we repeat the process. It’s a great one for meal prep because it stores well and lasts all week. I will put this up against any classic chili recipe!
Why? Because it’s easy to make, quick (though you can make it in a slow cooker), and inexpensive. AND of course, because it has ZERO Weight Watchers Freestyle Points (get the full list of zero point foods here).
That means if I have this turkey chili for a meal with a steamed veggie or fruit side, I’ve got a zero point meal. Low calorie, low fat. Boom!
WW Chili Recipe
I joined Weight Watchers several months ago before switch to the Freestyle program. I had just gotten used to the SmartPoints and was hesitant about Freestyle at first, but now I’ve embraced it and I love that the points roll over and also that I get some “freebie” foods.
And that’s where this Weight Watchers chili recipe comes into play! I’ve been working on this recipe for a while, testing different ingredients until I found something I liked.
Note: the meat must be 99% fat free to be ZERO points. I rotate between chicken and turkey (depending on what I’m craving), but it’s always 99% fat free. If you decide to do a different meat, you’ll need to add that to your recipe and recalculate the points!
Points By Program
If you aren’t on the Freestyle program, here’s a quick guide to the WW points for this particular recipe. As I said, the program I am on is Freestyle, so that’s the point value I use.
- Freestyle – 0 points
- MyWW
- Blue Plan (same as Freestyle) – 0 points
- Green Plan – 7 points
- Old Points – 5 points
- SmartPoints – 7 points
Ingredients and Garnish
While this recipe is great as-is, I also like to add any veggies from the kitchen that I need to use up. I’ve added, at various times: sweet potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, corn, zucchini, and more. If the veggies have points, you’ll have to add those, but so many don’t.
Keep in mind that if you add anything to what is already here, you might need to add some chicken broth or beef broth to keep the consistency right. This is a great recipe for making “your own” – and it’s nearly impossible to mess up.
Once this turkey chili is made, don’t forget to add garnishments (which may add to the points value). Depending on the day, I might add tortilla chips, chives, reduced fat cheese, or light sour cream.
This WW chili recipe is easy and SO DELICIOUS even just as is, but you have a lot of options. You’re going to love this recipe and want to include it as part of your regular meal plan. Especially in fall and winter.
Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker
One other thing to note about this recipe – I made it in the slow cooker at first, but I much prefer it in the pressure cooker.
Funny side note: I got this Crock-Pot 6Qt pressure cooker but it took me awhile to get brave enough to use the pressure cooking functions. It slow cooks as well, so that’s what I did for weeks before I finally got the onions to push the Beans/Chili button.
I can tell a difference in slow cooking vs. pressure cooking with this recipe. Slow cooked chili tastes better to me the next day after the flavors have had a chance to meld.
In the pressure cooker, this Weight Watchers chili recipe tastes great immediately! Here’s how to make it.
Easy Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- Ground lean chicken or ground lean turkey – l lb (must be 99% free to be zero points!)
- 2 15 oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 15 oz. cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 10 oz. cans Rotel Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies
- 15 oz. can tomato sauce
- 1/2 T cumin
- 1/2 T oregano
- 1 T chili powder
- Cayenne pepper (pinch, if you like hot)
- 2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 lime, quartered
Directions
Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot Instructions
1. Place the ground lean meat in your pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Use the Sauté or Brown function on your device to cook the meat.
2. Pour all of the other ingredients into the pressure cooker except the lime. Quarter your lime and squeeze the juice into the pot. Throw the rind away.
3. Select the Beans/Chili button or Meat/Stew button. Start your machine. Make sure the pressure valve is closed. It will cook for 20 – 35 minutes depending on the machine you use (mine is 20!).
4. Release the pressure from your cooker and serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions
1. Cut up the onion.
2. Spray a cooking pan with fat free cooking spray, and sauté the onion on high heat for a few minutes.
3. Add the lean ground meat to the pan and cook until the meat is brown (stirring occasionally), about 5 – 7 minutes.
4. Pour the meat (with the juices) and the onions into the slow cooker.
5. Pour all of the other ingredients into the slow cooker except the lime. Quarter your lime and squeeze the juice into the pot. Throw the rind away.
6. Cook your chili on high for 3 1/2 – 4 hours.
7. Serve this homemade chili right away!
NOTE: If you’re on the SmartPoints or myWW Green program, this chili is 7 points per serving. Any additional garnishments will have to be calculated based on the WW program you’re in; this is a Freestyle recipe.
Weight Watchers Chili
Equipment
- 1 Pressure cooker or Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground lean chicken or ground lean turkey
- 30 oz kidney beans 2 cans, drained and rinsed
- 30 oz black beans 2 cans, drained and rinsed
- 30 oz pinto beans 2 cans, drained and rinsed
- 30 oz Rotel Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies 3 cans
- 15 oz tomato sauce 1 can
- 1/2 T cumin
- 1/2 T oregano
- 1 T chili powder
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 onion diced
- 1 lime quartered
Video
Instructions
If you are using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot:
- Place the ground lean meat in your pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Use the Sauté or Brown function on your device to cook the meat.
- Pour all of the other ingredients into the pressure cooker except the lime. Quarter your lime and squeeze the juice into the pot. Throw the rind away.
- Select the Beans/Chili button or Meat/Stew button. Start your machine. Make sure the pressure valve is closed. It will cook for 20 – 35 minutes depending on the machine you use (mine is 20!).
- Release the pressure from your cooker and serve.
If you are using a slow cooker:
- Cut up the onion.
- Spray a cooking pan with fat free cooking spray, and sauté the onion for a few minutes.
- Add the lean ground meat to the pan and cook until the meat is brown, about 5 – 7 minutes.
- Pour the meat (with the juices) and the onions into the slow cooker.
- Pour all of the other ingredients into the slow cooker except the lime. Quarter your lime and squeeze the juice into the pot. Throw the rind away.
- Cook your chili on high for 3 1/2 – 4 hours.
- Serve hot, adding any garnishments you like (they may count for points!).
Nutrition
Are you ready to see a video of how this chili recipe was made? Just click “PLAY” on the video in this post!
For reference, here’s what my Crock-Pot looks like. I love this thing! It is both a slow cooker and an Instant Pot in one: Crock-Pot 6qt 8-in-1 Multi-Use Express Crock Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker
For more Weight Watchers recipes, meals, tips, and more, check out the following articles:
Far TOO many beans and not near enough liquid. I added chicken broth and it was still very thick and almost all beans.
Well, I let the chili go for the allotted time even after my mistake & it’s delicious. I didn’t have Rotel so I used two 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes plus a 7oz can of diced green chilis. I did a Tbsp of cumin & 1+1/2 T of chili powder as per your original recipe mentioned in the comments & followed everything else as written except for my mistake with stopping & releasing too soon & then restarting. Thank you for a yummy recipe! We’re having it for dinner in 15 minutes! Love that it’s zero points! 😀
Glad that you had a good experience! If anyone sees these follow up comments, you can always stop the IP for this recipe and restart. You might have to add chicken broth or water . . . it really depends on how much liquid is in those tomato cans 🙂
You are very kind to answer & re-answer so many questions. I’m also new to Instant Pot cooking. Am trying your turkey chili, which smells amazing. I think I screwed up & released pressure when it had come to pressure & started cooking thinking it was done & depressurizing because I saw the keep warm button was on. I let it release for 17 minutes thinking it strange to take so long. Then I figured out it’s probably at the beginning not the end & trying to cook so won’t finish releasing since it’s still trying to build pressure. I pushed the pressure button to seal again & restarted the cycle, but have a feeling it’s going to be overcooked now. I’m sure you won’t see this in time but in the off chance you are checking your messages right now, I thought I’d ask your advice about whether I should cook for whole 30 minutes on “beans/chili still. And if not, maybe someone else can learn from my mistake.
My family does not like Rotel or “chunks of tomatoes.” Any suggestions of substitutes for that?
I’m thinking just straight tomato sauce – but I wouldn’t put as many cans in as I do the Rotel. At least I would be conservative so as not to make the chili watery. I’m not sure if it’s a texture ting with the tomato, but you could substitute with diced red peppers.
Even in the hot weather, this chilli hits the spot. I add zucchini, mushrooms & peppers to mine and only one can of black beans (we do not love beans). When I can’t find 99% lean ground meat, I use boneless, skinless turkey breasts, then shred. Thanks for the great WW recipes!
My pleasure – glad you love it!!
First I just have to say this is an amazing tasting Weight Watchers Chili. My husband who is picky and only thinks his chili is the best, LOVES this stuff! My only question is, now that I have finally found 99% FF Turkey to use (I was using 96% in the ground beef department)…The Kidney beans I’m using, Bush or S&W, are points so either way this is not working out to be a zero point chili. I’m on the Freestyle program and I’ve looked up and down this blog to see if anyone else had the same issue but I wasn’t finding it. Can you tell me if I’m doing something wrong?
I’m so glad you like it!! And as far as the beans, is there any sugar added? That’s the only reason I think there would be points. However, rinsing them should remove excess sugar from the juice. If it’s me, I’m not going to worry about it if the beans are rinsed. Kidney beans are definitely zero points in Weight Watchers. They list them on their site. Thank you!
Hubby threw away the kidney bean cans before I could check for sugar but your right, when I type in Kidney beans it’s 0…when I scanned the cans at the store it had points. Oh well, I’m with you…no points on the kidney beans. It’s been working regardless because we have this once a week and combined we’ve lost 25lbs in 2 months! Thanks again 🙂
If eating twice the suggested serving, how many points would it be? Thank you for your help!
Bre – you’ll need to do the recipe builder in the app, unless someone can leave a comment here. I don’t have the app anymore!
Just made this with 99% lean ground turkey. I browned the turkey with 1 TBSP of Better than Bouillon Chili base dissolved in 1/2 cup of water to help flavor the meat. I also added cinnamon (one TBSP) along with all of the other ingredients. Once it was done, I took a cup of the chili juice and dissolved 1.5 TBSP Gluten Free Flour to add for thickener (works like a charm!) Lastly, I used 2 cans of regular Rotel and 1 can of Haberno (Hot) Rotel. What a kick! Next time, I may just use all hot Rotel in it as I love spicy. Right out of my pressure cooker, this chili is wonderful. Very flavorful and I’m sure by tomorrow when I heat up more, the flavors will have really melded. I had my first bowl with 4 Smart Points worth of Trader Joe’s Unexpected cheddar, a TBSP of Chopani plain, nonfat Greek Yogurt, cut up onions and diced tomatoes. Heaven! Thank you for this delicious recipe.
That Better than Bouillon tip sounds delicious – and the cinnamon!! I love your modifications. Thank you . . . and I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Well, I just had a small “tester” bowl, not sure I can make it until supper! Delicious! It fits both my WW Freestyle and vegan lifestyle. I added some vegan beef crumbles substitute.
Getting ready to make vegan nacho “cheeze” sauce. Supper tonight will be a baked potato, topped with chili, cheeze sauce, vegan sour cream, green onions, and cilantro! Maybe tomorrow…and the next day too! Thank you for a great and easy recipe!
This was sooooo simple to make in the instant pot and it is delicious.