Crockpot Turkey Chili
This Crockpot Turkey Chili recipe is both healthy and delicious! I think you will be hard-pressed to find a better-tasting Chili, the flavor is fantastic! Chili is warm, hearty, and filling. It is perfect for dinner on a chilly winter night, or for when you have friends over to watch the football game. Cooking chili in a slow cooker makes it so easy to prepare, keep warm, and serve.
Making chili in a slow cooker is great for when you are having company over since it keeps it nice and hot for serving. Plus, you can do all the cooking before the party and then just relax and enjoy once everyone arrives! This turkey chili is the perfect food for football season and for the big Superbowl game. It’s affordable, it’s a crowd-pleaser, it is made ahead of time, it stays hot in the pot and it requires zero fussing about. That’s a pretty smart way to feed a big football crowd. Since it is prepared in a slow cooker, it’s also easy to store and transport if you are going to someone else’s party. See, this chili is a win-win!
This turkey chili is packed with tons of flavor and tons of nutrients. It has lots of veggies, fiber, and lean protein, but it is also low in fat and relatively low in carbohydrates. It is a “Super Bowl” of chili. To keep this chili super healthy, I use plain Greek yogurt for garnish instead of sour cream. In my opinion, Greek yogurt has both better flavor and texture than sour cream. Plus, it is so much better for you! I do add a little bit of shredded cheddar cheese as well because I just love cheese. You can garnish your chili with whatever you like and I am sure it will be a winner! I also suggest making some delicious healthy cornbread muffins or easy cheddar biscuits to go with your turkey chili for a hearty and satisfying meal.
Note: The printable recipe is located at the end of this post. Please visit The Scoop for my latest posts or you can search or browse my Recipe Index.
Healthy Turkey Chili Ingredients
- lean ground turkey
- olive oil
- minced garlic
- onion – finely chopped
- carrots – finely chopped or shredded
- red bell pepper – chopped
- dark red kidney beans
- crushed tomatoes
- diced tomatoes
- cayenne pepper
- chili powder
- cumin
- paprika
- kosher salt
- seasoning salt
- freshly ground pepper
- ground cinnamon
- Optional Toppings: Plain Greek Yogurt or sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese for garnish.
How to Make Turkey Chili in a Slow Cooker
First, get all of your ingredients ready and chop your vegetables. In a large skillet, over medium heat, add the olive oil and cayenne pepper. Then add the chopped carrots, chopped onion, and ground turkey to the pan. Cook the ground turkey with the chopped vegetables until no longer pink. Add the minced garlic to the pan and stir to combine, cooking for about one more minute.
Next, spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Then, add the cooked contents of the pan to the bottom of the slow cooker. Finally, add all additional ingredients to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 – 7 hours. Stir occasionally.
Towards the end of cooking, taste your chili and add any additional salt or spice to your personal preference if needed. Once the turkey chili is finished, serve and garnish with any toppings that you would like.
Crockpot Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground turkey
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 3/4 cup carrots finely chopped or shredded
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 2 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans
- 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 2 1/2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp seasoning salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Optional Toppings:
- Plain Greek Yogurt
- shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- First, get all of your ingredients ready and chop your vegetables. In a large skillet, over medium heat, add the olive oil and cayenne pepper. Then add the chopped carrots, chopped onion and ground turkey to the pan. Cook the ground turkey with the chopped vegetables until no longer pink. Add the minced garlic to the pan and stir to combine, cooking for about one more minute
- Next, spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Then, add the cooked contents of the pan to the bottom of the slow cooker. Finally, add all additional ingredients to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 - 7 hours. Stir occasionally.
- Towards the end of cooking, taste your chili and add any additional salt or spice to your personal preference if needed. Once the turkey chili is finished, serve and garnish with any toppings that you would like.
(This recipe was originally published on January 18, 2018, but has been updated with new content.)
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If you make this Crockpot Turkey Chili or have a question, please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you and I truly appreciate your feedback! I will always do my best to respond to every comment or question ASAP. Thank you and happy cooking!
Absolutely delicious! I added a small can of corn and used pinto and white beans instead of kidney. I also omitted the cinnamon. Will be making this on repeat this winter.
Thank you for the compliment, Erin! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the chili and the addition of corn and pinto beans sound great!
First time ever make chili, it turned out GREAT!! Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you for the compliment, Char! I’m so glad you enjoyed the chili!
My family loves this recipe ! But I think I might leave the cinnamon out this time when I cook it.
I wondered if you drain the cans of beans?
Yes, I drain them.
Looks yummy. I am prepping the ingredients and cooking my dried beans now. I have a doubt about when to add the chopped red pepper. Should I sauté it in step 1 with the onion, carrot and turkey? Or add with “all other ingredients” in step 2? I would think it should be sautéed with the onion but it didn’t specify. I probably can’t go wrong with either. Thanks.
Hi Katie,
I did not saute the red peppers first, I added them raw as they will cook in the slow cooker. You can saute them. Either way, the chili will taste great. I hope you enjoy!
I just wanted to say that I have used this recipe about 10 times and still love it. I sometimes tweek it a little though but it is so good. Thanks. Hope you do not mind but I bragged about the recipe on my tiny blog thanks.
Thank you so much Jessica! I am so glad you like it. I don’t mind at all if you brag, please do so! 😉
Good luck with your blog! I wish you lots of success!