Looking for a simple, comforting meal that practically cooks itself? This easy ground turkey crockpot chili is your answer! It combines the rich, savory flavors of a classic chili with the lean benefits of ground turkey, making it a healthier option for your family. Ground turkey is an excellent source of lean protein, offering numerous nutritional advantages. The slow cooker does all the hard work, transforming simple ingredients into a deeply flavorful hearty meal with minimal fuss. It’s truly perfect for busy weeknights when you need a wholesome dinner waiting for you.
Why You’ll Love This Ground Turkey Crockpot Chili
This recipe is a true weeknight hero, designed to simplify your cooking while delivering maximum flavor. You’ll find yourself returning to this delicious meal again and again.
- Lean & Wholesome: Ground turkey offers a leaner protein choice, keeping this chili healthy and satisfying without sacrificing flavor.
- Rich, Deep Flavors: Slow cooking allows the spices and tomatoes to meld beautifully, creating an incredibly rich and comforting chili.
- Minimal Active Prep Time: After a quick sauté, your slow cooker handles the rest, freeing you up for other tasks. This makes it one of the best ground turkey crockpot recipes for busy schedules.
- Highly Versatile: Easily customize the spice level, add more vegetables, or swap beans to suit your family’s preferences.
- Hearty & Filling: Each bowl is packed with protein, fiber, and deliciousness, ensuring everyone feels fully satisfied.
Ingredients
Gather these simple ingredients to create your hearty ground turkey crockpot chili. Using fresh produce and quality canned goods ensures the best flavor profile for this comforting dish. This is one of those fantastic ground turkey crockpot recipes where the ingredients really shine.
- 1 tbsp. neutral oil
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 1/2 lb. ground turkey
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 (28-oz.) can chopped tomatoes
- 1 (15-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- Shredded cheddar, for garnish
- Thinly sliced green onions, for garnish
Notes & Substitutions
- Oil: Use any neutral oil like canola, vegetable, or olive oil for browning.
- Veggies: Feel free to add other finely chopped vegetables like carrots, celery, or even a diced jalapeño for a little kick. Corn is also a great addition.
- Ground Turkey: Choose 93% lean ground turkey for the best balance of flavor and lower fat. You can use 99% lean for an even lighter option, but it might be slightly drier.
- Other Proteins: Ground beef, ground chicken, or mild Italian sausage can easily replace the turkey in this recipe.
- Beans: Swap out black and kidney beans for cannellini, pinto, or even garbanzo beans. Just remember to rinse them well.
- Broth: Vegetable broth works perfectly if you prefer a vegetarian base (when combined with a plant-based protein).
- Tomato Products: A can of diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes can substitute for chopped tomatoes; adjust liquid as needed.
- Spices: Increase chili powder and add a pinch of cayenne pepper for more heat. Smoked paprika also adds a wonderful depth.
- Garnishes: Beyond cheddar and green onions, try sour cream, avocado, cilantro, or a dollop of Greek yogurt.
Equipment
You don’t need many specialized tools to make this fantastic chili. Just a few kitchen essentials will do the trick!
- 6-quart slow cooker: Essential for the long, gentle cooking process that develops deep flavors.
- Large skillet: For browning the turkey and sautéing aromatics before adding them to the slow cooker.
- Basic kitchen tools: Include a sharp knife, a cutting board for chopping vegetables, and a sturdy spoon for stirring.
Instructions
Follow these simple steps to create a delicious and easy ground turkey crockpot chili that your family will adore. This recipe focuses on maximizing flavor with minimal effort.
- Prep vegetables & turkey: Start by finely chopping your red onion and green bell pepper. Set them aside while you prepare your ground turkey.
- Brown turkey & aromatics: Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and bell pepper, cooking until they begin to soften, which usually takes about 4 minutes.
- Add ground turkey: Introduce the ground turkey to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking it up with your spoon, until the turkey turns golden brown. It doesn’t need to be fully cooked through at this point; you just want to develop some color and flavor.
- Season mixture: Season the turkey and vegetables generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste.
- Cook until fragrant: Continue cooking and stirring for about 2 minutes, allowing the garlic to become fragrant and the tomato paste to deepen in color, enhancing its flavor.
- Transfer to slow cooker: Carefully transfer the entire contents of the skillet, including the browned turkey and aromatic vegetables, into your 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add remaining ingredients: To the slow cooker, add the can of chopped tomatoes, both the rinsed and drained black beans, and kidney beans. Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth, then sprinkle in the chili powder, ground cumin, and dried oregano.
- Stir everything together: Give all the ingredients in the slow cooker a good stir to ensure they are well combined and the spices are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Slow cook on high: Place the lid on your slow cooker and cook the chili on the high setting for 4 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours. The chili should thicken nicely during this time. This slow cooking method is ideal for most ground turkey crockpot recipes.
- Adjust seasoning: Once cooked, give the chili a taste test. Add more salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed to achieve your desired flavor balance.
- Ladle and garnish: Ladle the hot chili into bowls. Garnish generously with shredded cheddar cheese and thinly sliced green onions, or any other preferred toppings. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
Follow these tips for the best chili every time and avoid common pitfalls.
- Achieve deeper flavor: Never skip browning the ground turkey and sautéing the aromatics. This step builds a crucial flavor base that makes a huge difference.
- Prevent dry turkey: Brown the turkey just until golden, not fully cooked through, before transferring to the slow cooker. It will finish cooking in the moist environment.
- Thicken chili: If your chili seems too thin, remove the lid during the last 30-60 minutes of cooking. This allows some liquid to evaporate.
- Mash some beans: For an extra creamy and thicker texture, scoop out about a cup of chili towards the end of cooking, mash some of the beans, then stir it back in.
- Adjust spice levels: Easily increase the chili powder for more warmth, or add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a noticeable kick.
- Enhance richness: Stir in a spoonful of unsweetened cocoa powder or a square of dark chocolate during the last hour of cooking for a surprisingly rich, complex flavor.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Dietitians confirm that properly rinsing canned beans significantly reduces their sodium content and may alleviate digestive discomfort, highlighting the benefits of rinsing canned beans.
- Not browning the meat: Browning creates rich, caramelized flavors that you won’t get from just adding raw meat to the slow cooker.
- Over-salting before tasting: Many ingredients like broth and canned beans already contain sodium. Always taste before adding more salt at the end.
- Forgetting to rinse canned beans: Rinsing removes excess sodium and helps prevent gas.
- Opening the slow cooker lid too often: Each time you lift the lid, the cooking temperature drops significantly, extending the cooking time by 15-20 minutes.
Serving, Storage & Variations
This hearty chili is wonderful on its own, but also pairs beautifully with a variety of sides and can be adapted to your taste.
- Classic pairings: Serve your ground turkey crockpot chili with warm cornbread, crunchy tortilla chips, or simple saltine crackers.
- Creative sides: For a unique twist, try serving chili with soft cinnamon rolls or small Hawaiian sweet rolls on the side.
- Garnish ideas: Beyond the listed cheese and green onions, consider a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, or a squeeze of lime juice.
- Refrigerate leftovers: Store any leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze for later: This chili freezes exceptionally well! Portion it into freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags for up to 3 months.
- Reheat gently: Thaw frozen chili in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, or in the microwave until warmed through.
Variations
- Spicier chili: To turn up the heat, add a diced jalapeño or serrano pepper with the bell pepper, or a teaspoon of chipotle in adobo sauce to the slow cooker.
- Vegetable additions: Boost the veggie content by stirring in diced zucchini, sweet potato, or frozen corn during the last hour of cooking.
- Different proteins: Swap ground turkey for ground chicken, lean ground beef, or even ground Italian sausage for a different flavor profile.
- Bean alternatives: Experiment with other beans like cannellini (white kidney beans) or pinto beans for a slightly different texture and taste.
Nutrition Information
This ground turkey crockpot chili offers a wholesome, protein-rich meal. It’s packed with fiber from the beans and vegetables, making it both satisfying and nutritious. Enjoy a hearty bowl without compromising your health goals.
| Nutrient | Amount Per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 277 |
| Total Fat | 9g |
| Saturated Fat | 3g |
| Cholesterol | 60mg |
| Sodium | 850mg |
| Carbohydrates | 28g |
| Fiber | 9g |
| Total Sugar | 6g |
| Protein | 26g |
Nutrition information is an estimate based on ingredients and standard preparation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Can I use frozen ground turkey? Yes, you can use frozen ground turkey, but thaw it completely before browning for the best results. Browning ensures proper flavor development.
- How to make this chili vegetarian/vegan? Skip the turkey and use extra beans or a plant-based ground meat alternative. Substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- Can I cook this on low setting? Absolutely! Cook your ground turkey crockpot chili on the low setting for 6-8 hours instead of 4 hours on high.
- How do I adjust the spice level? Increase or decrease chili powder to your preference, or add a pinch of cayenne for extra heat. For milder chili, reduce chili powder.
- Can I add other vegetables? Yes, feel free to add diced carrots, celery, zucchini, or corn for extra nutrients and flavor. Add them during the last hour if using softer vegetables.
- What kind of ground turkey is best? 93% lean ground turkey offers a good balance of flavor and lower fat. You can use 99% lean for an even lighter option.
- How long does slow cooker turkey chili last? This chili lasts for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Conclusion
This easy ground turkey crockpot chili truly delivers on flavor, convenience, and health. It’s a perfect example of how simple ingredients, combined with the magic of slow cooking, can create an incredibly satisfying meal. Whether you need a quick weeknight dinner or a comforting dish for a gathering, this recipe is sure to become a family favorite. Give these fantastic ground turkey crockpot recipes a try and share your experience with us!