There’s nothing quite like a warm, hearty bowl of chili to cozy up to as the weather turns cooler! This slow cooker turkey chili is perfect for the season. It’s packed with traditional chili spices, tender vegetables, and protein-rich ground turkey, which makes it both comforting and macro-friendly.
This high-protein chili is easy to prep in just 10 minutes, then let your slow cooker do all the work while the flavors meld together throughout the day. Serve it with your favorite toppings, and you’ve got a seasonal, weeknight-friendly dinner that everyone will love.
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 45 minutes
- Total time: 55 minutes
- Course: Dinner, Main
- Cuisine: American
- Servings: 6
- Calories: 289
Kitchen Tools:
- Large pan
- Wooden spoon
- Slow cooker
- Ladle
- Serving bowls
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 pound extra lean ground turkey or chicken
- 1 packet chili seasoning
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
- 2 (15 oz) cans dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- Optional toppings: cheese, avocado, tortilla chips, cilantro, sour cream
Instructions:
- In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and red bell pepper to the skillet. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent and the vegetables are slightly softened.
- Push the sautéed vegetables to one side of the skillet and add the ground turkey to the other side. Break the meat into small pieces with a spatula and cook until it's no longer pink, stirring occasionally. This should take about 5-7 minutes.
- Transfer the sautéed vegetables and browned turkey into your prepared slow cooker. Add the chili seasoning, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and the kidney beans. Stir everything well to combine.
- Cover the slow cooker with its lid and set it to cook on the low setting. Let the chili cook on low for 6-8 hours or 3-4 hours on high, allowing the flavors to meld together and the ingredients to become tender.
- Once the cooking time is complete, ladle the turkey chili into bowls. Serve with your choice of optional toppings such as cheese, avocado, tortilla chips, cilantro, and sour cream.
Notes or special instructions:
If you don't have a pre-packaged chili seasoning mix, you can make your own by combining a blend of chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper to taste. Adjust the spice level according to your preference.
Feel free to use extra lean ground turkey, chicken, or even lean ground beef based on your dietary preferences. You can also use ground meat substitutes for a vegetarian version of this chili.
The optional toppings are entirely customizable. Experiment with different combinations to suit your taste. Some other popular choices include diced onions, jalapeños, or a squeeze of lime juice.
Nutrition:
- Calories: 289
- Protein: 29.2g
- Carbs: 34.6g
- Fats: 3.1g
Helpful links:
