This Slow Cooker Turkey Chili is packed with lean ground turkey and tons of vegetables! We love making this chili for dinner on busy nights because it’s so easy to make. Also we love the fact that leftovers taste even better. Serve this delicious chili topped with all your favorite toppings and a homemade cornbread.
Why We Love This Slow Cooker Chili Recipe
The main reason why this is our favorite slow cooker turkey chili is because of how it tastes. Some slow cooker chili recipes can be a bit bland, but one of the reasons for that is because they don’t start out by seasoning and browning the meat. Just one extra step that adds SO much flavor!
- Easy to make: Cook the ground turkey and add it to a slow cooker along with vegetables and spices. Turn it on and walk away.
- Bold spices and flavors: No bland turkey chili here, bold spices (not spicy spices) and hearty vegetables cooked low and slow until tender.
- Versatile: Enjoy this chili as is, or serve it over rice – or even a scoop of macaroni and cheese. Add a scoop into a baked potato topped with cheese, or use it to make Cincinnati Chili.
How To Make
Like we mentioned before, just a couple of steps and you’re on your way to a super flavorful and hearty turkey chili. You can also keep the chili on the “warm” setting if it’s done before dinner time, or if you’re serving it during a party or game day.
- Cook the ground turkey in a large skillet until no pink remains. Drain the drippings from the pan and then season with salt, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and dried oregano. Add tomato paste and stir to combine.
- Add the turkey to the base of a 5-6 quart slow cooker along with diced green peppers and diced yellow onions.
- Add drained and rinsed black and pinto beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chilis, chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine. Set on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
Variations
We’ve made this slow cooker turkey chili recipe over and over to get the flavors perfect. But you can swap out some ingredients, or add ingredients to this chili as well. Try and keep this recipe as a base for the proportions and seasonings.
- Different Vegetables: Try using corn, zucchini, different beans, chick peas, mushrooms or even diced sweet potatoes.
- Different Protein: Although this is a turkey chili recipe, you can swap out ground chicken or ground beef if you prefer.
- Ditch the Slow Cooker: You can also make this chili on the stove. Start off in a pot or dutch oven instead of a skillet, after the turkey is cooked and drained, add the peppers and onions and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes to an hour.
Ways To Serve Turkey Chili
This delicious turkey chili is so good served with warm cornbread on the side or spooned into a sweet potato. When we’re making this chili for a party or game day, we make a few extra sides like these:
Make sure to head to our Appetizers Menu and our Side Dish Menu for tons of tasty recipe ideas!
Storage & Freezing
If you store this turkey chili in an air tight container in the refrigerator, it will stay good for up to 4 days. I know some people might push this to 5 days or a week, but we recommend freezing after 4 days.
Transfer the chili to the freezer and it will keep for up to 3 months. Pull the chili out for an easy dinner that you simply need to defrost and warm up. Sometimes we even freeze the chili in individual portions using these Souper Cubes. Just pop out a serving and you’re ready to go!
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Slow Cooker Turkey Chili Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 Servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeThis slow cooker turkey chili is loaded with lean ground turkey, vegetables and vibrant spices. Perfect for dinner any night of the week, parties or game days!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 cup diced green peppers
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 15 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 4.5 ounce can diced green chilis
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and cook while breaking up into crumbles until no pink remains. Drain any grease from the skillet.
- Stir in the tomato paste along with the garlic powder, cumin, salt, chili powder and oregano. Add the turkey into the base of a 5-6 quart slow cooker.
- Add the green peppers, onions, Worcestershire sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, kidney beans, black beans and diced green chilis and stir to combine.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Taste for seasonings, adjust if needed and serve.
To Make On The Stove Top:
You can also make this chili in a pot or dutch oven on the stove. Start off in a pot or dutch oven instead of a skillet, after the turkey is cooked and drained, add the peppers and onions and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes to an hour.
Recipe Notes
Store: Let the chili cool and then transfer to an air tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Freeze chili in an air tight container for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Reheat the chili on the stove top or in the microwave until warmed through.
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
