Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

This super easy Slow Cooker Turkey Chili is loaded with flavor from ground turkey, beans, bell peppers, and chili seasonings. It’s easy to prep in the morning and then leave it to simmer all day. Serve it up with your favorite toppings for an easy weeknight dinner.

a bowl of chili with a spoon.

I’m no stranger to chili recipes, and to choose one as a favorite is something I’m not capable of doing – I love them all! But if I’m making one during the week, a slow cooker chili recipe is what I turn to.

Case in point: This crockpot turkey chili. It’s so easy, so hands-off, and so delicious. A mixture of ground turkey, chili seasonings, veggies, and some jalapenos for a spicy kick simmers for hours, so when the inevitable dinner hour rolls around, you have a hearty dinner ready to go. Just ladle it up, add your favorite toppings, and dig in.

turkey chili in a slow cooker with a ladle.

Ingredients

  • Olive oil
  • Lean ground turkey
  • Tomato paste
  • Chopped yellow onion – If you don’t feel like chopping an onion in the morning, go ahead and use frozen chopped onion. I do, and I love it – you’ll need about two cups.
  • Chopped bell peppers
  • Minced garlic
  • Canned diced jalapeno – I like to do one can of spicy and one can of mild, but choose your favorite combo. You could also use green chiles instead.
  • Canned pinto beans – You can swap them for black beans, cannellini beans, or kidney beans. Or leave them out if you prefer.
  • Tomato sauce
  • Chili powder
  • Ground cumin
  • Dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper
ingredients for the recipe.

How to Make It

Brown the turkey in a large skillet and then transfer it to the slow cooker. Mix in the rest of the ingredients.

Cook the chili on low heat for six to eight hours. Give it a good stir before serving.

the ingredients in the slow cooker.

Topping Ideas

I love a bowl of chili with all the toppings! Here are some of my favorites:

  • A dollop of sour cream or guacamole.
  • Diced avocado.
  • Sliced green onions, diced red onion, or chopped cilantro.
  • Shredded cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese.
  • Crushed tortilla chips, Fritos, or tortilla strips.
a ladle in a slow cooker with turkey chili.

Recipe Tips

  • This is a thick slow cooker turkey chili recipe. If you want it thinner, you can add more tomato sauce or add some vegetable or chicken broth.
  • To make things easier, you can brown the turkey and prep all of the veggies the night before and keep them in the refrigerator. The next morning, just mix up the chili, and it’s ready to simmer.
  • It keeps really well! Store it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for three to four days or freeze it for several months.

I hope you give it a try soon!

Happy chili-making,

April
turkey chili in a bowl.

More Chili Recipes

๐Ÿ“ฃ Do you love this recipe? I would love to know! Leave a comment below the recipe, along with your recipe star rating.

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Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

a bowl of chili with a spoon.

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This slow cooker turkey chili is easy to prep in the morning – just brown the turkey and add all of the other ingredients! Leave it to simmer all day on low, and dinner will be a breeze later that night.

  • Author: April Anderson
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 6 hours
  • Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: makes approximately 9 cups 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Slow Cooker
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 pounds ground turkey
  • 1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 bell peppers (choose your favorite colors), chopped
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 (4-oz) cans diced jalapeno
  • 1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Brown the turkey in a large skillet and then transfer it to the slow cooker.
  2. Mix the tomato paste into the turkey and then stir in the onion, bell peppers, garlic, jalapeno, beans, tomato sauce, and all of the spices and seasonings.
  3. Place the lid on the slow cooker and set it to low. Cook the chili for six to eight hours.
  4. Give the chili a good stir before serving.

Notes

Recipe Tip: When you first mix it up, the chili will be really thick, but it will thin as it cooks as moisture is created in the slow cooker. That said, it’s on the thicker side when it’s done. If you prefer a thinner chili, add some vegetable or chicken broth when it’s done to thin it.ย 

Storage: This recipe is great for meal prep! Make a batch and store it in the fridge for three to four days. Or freeze it for several months.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 301
  • Sugar: 7.8g
  • Sodium: 354mg
  • Fat: 10.5g
  • Saturated Fat: 2.5g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 6.9g
  • Trans Fat: 0.1g
  • Carbohydrates: 27.7g
  • Fiber: 8.9g
  • Protein: 26.8g
  • Cholesterol: 69.6mg

Do you love this recipe? Don’t forget to leave a comment and your recipe star rating!

The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.

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