Healthy Turkey Chili is a perfect cold day dinner recipe. Bursting with flavors this Turkey Chili features Beans, Lean Ground Turkey, Chili Powder, Cumin and a few other spices, all dumped and cooked in the slow cooker until thick. Finally is topped off with some Sour Cream and Cheddar Cheese for garnish.
This Crockpot Ground Turkey Chili makes dinner a breeze. Super easy and delicious meal for the family which is best served with some homemade Cornbread. Also this is probably the best Leftover Turkey recipe from Thanksgiving! Super delicious and yummmmm which everyone will love. 😍😍
❤️ Hearty Healthy Turkey Chili
Lean Ground Turkey is the lowest in terms of Calories when it comes to meat. It is fat free and is lower in Saturated Fat than Ground Beef. So its super healthy for your Heart.
Turkey Chili is considered a great Heart Healthy Dinner recipe. This is because its made with Lean Ground Turkey which is super healthy and is also spicy. Research tells that a little spice does a favor to your heart making it stronger and healthier.
💪 Healthy Crockpot Turkey Chili
This Crockpot Turkey Chili is probably the healthiest Chili ever! It's so easy to make and is one of those recipes which you can enjoy when on a low carb and keto diet as well.😍😍
Jump to:
- ❤️ Hearty Healthy Turkey Chili
- 💪 Healthy Crockpot Turkey Chili
- 🤔 What do you need to make Easy Turkey Chili in a Crockpot?
- How to make Turkey Chili in a Slow Cooker?
- 🥘 Cooking Variations for Turkey Chili
- 🤔 Can I make No Bean Turkey Chili?
- 🌶 Is Crock Pot Turkey Chili Spicy?
- 🧊 How to Store Turkey Chili
- 🤔 What to serve this Turkey Chili with?
- 💯 Tips for making the best Turkey Chili ever
- More Leftover Turkey Recipes
- Turkey Chili in a Crockpot
🤔 What do you need to make Easy Turkey Chili in a Crockpot?
People think that to make a chili you need a bazillion ingredients. While that may be true for other recipes, it's totally not true for the recipe we bring you here! Our turkey chili's ingredient list is as short as it can be. 😍😍
You might already have the ingredients at hand. If not all you need to do is go to your nearby grocery store and you'll get all the items you need within just fifteen minutes of search!
Just make sure you don't forget any ingredient from down below!
🥘 Ingredients
1. Ground Turkey - Use Lean Turkey because its healthy and cooks faster
2. Green Chilies - For the burst of spicy flavors in the Turkey Chili
3. Black Beans - Turkey Chili without Beans is impossible. I like to use canned Black Beans
4. Kidney beans - Drained and Rinsed Beans
5. Tomato sauce - A can of Tomato Sauce for that perfect burst of flavors
6. Yellow onion - Finely chopped Onions
8. Ground Cumin - For that amazing earthy flavor of Cumin
9. Black pepper & Salt - For seasoning
10. Garlic powder - Easy and effortless. full of flavors.
11. Brown sugar - To bring in that touch of sweetness and also bring out all the other flavors.
12. Fresh garlic cloves - For flavors
14. Chili powder - The best spice which flavors any chili wonderfully.
For topping
1. Sour cream
2. Cheese (preferably Sharp Cheddar Cheese)
3. Green Onions (finely chopped)
4. Chopped Cilantro
5. Lemon Juice
How to make Turkey Chili in a Slow Cooker?
Making chili over the stovetop is a labor of effort and time. But in this recipe, we will be using a crockpot, which will not only save your precious time and energy but will also make it way more delicious than ever. Know why you should own a Crock Pot. 😍
Any food you make in a crockpot will be slow cooked over a long duration of time.
Our Crockpot Turkey chili is the most decadent and comforting Chili you can ask for! 😍😋😋😋
Just follow the steps below and you'll get it right on your first try itself😋😋
STEP 1: COOK TURKEY IN A SKILLET
- Heat Olive Oil in a skillet. As the oil shimmers, add the chopped onions and ground Turkey and cook until the Turkey gets fragrant
- Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the Ground Turkey and cook for 5 minutes or until no longer Pink
- Next add the spices. toss to combine and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
STEP 2: DUMP AND COOK IN THE CROCK POT
- Dump all the ingredients in the slow cooker. Pour Drained and Rinsed Beans and Chicken Broth in the Crock Pot. Toss to combine everything.
- Cover with the lid and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours
STEP 3: GARNISH & SERVE
- Your Turkey Chili is now ready. Garnish with freshly chopped Cilantro and Lemon Juice.
- Serve with a dollop of Sour Cream, chopped Green Onions and Shredded Cheddar Cheese on top.
🥘 Cooking Variations for Turkey Chili
Chili is a very versatile recipe and there is a lot of room for innovation.
You can add variations to your base Chili or add some very fun and unique toppings.
We will tell you some basic variations to start you off! Try them first before you go ahead to do your own experimentation.
1. If you don’t like Turkey that much then you always have the option to replace it. Chicken and Ground Beef are some good substitutes to consider. There are Vegan options as well for all our Vegan Readers!
Try my Slow Cooker Lentil Chili or
Crock-Pot Black Bean and Quinoa Chili or
Easy Vegetarian Skillet Chili or
Award-Winning Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili with Black Bean
2. For some people, Green Chilies can be a little too spicy. In that case, you can replace it with milder spicy ingredients like Jalapenos!
3. There are plenty of options available to you when it comes to selecting cheese. Our favorite ones are sharp and mild cheddar, Pepperjack, and Monterey jack.
4. If are a fan of Mexican food then consider some Mexican topping ideas like freshly chopped Cilantro, Tortilla Chips, and Avocado Slices!
5. If you want to turn up the heat in your chili then drizzle some Hot sauce over it as a topping! 🌶
🤔 Can I make No Bean Turkey Chili?
Yes of course. If you're on a Dairy and Legume Free Diet, then you can skip on the Beans.
In fact Chili without Beans is lighter and healthier.
Just cook this same recipe as is without using the Beans. Its will be just as hearty and delicious. And of course shall make it healthier and lighter.
🌶 Is Crock Pot Turkey Chili Spicy?
Yes! This is spicy, but not too spicy. Chili Powder makes any chili flavorful and spicy. However I use my homemade Chili powder which is not too spicy like the Mccormick one
Also, I use a little bit of Brown Sugar to balance out the spiciness of this Turkey Chili.
🧊 How to Store Turkey Chili
There is usually Leftovers after a Chili dinner, so how do we store it? Just putting it in a bowl and keeping it in a fridge won’t cut it. If you want to make sure your leftovers are as good as the freshly made Turkey Chili then you have to follow some storage tips!
Just keep on reading to know everything about it!
1. If you are looking to store your Turkey Chili for a short duration of time then just pack it inside an airtight container and store it in your fridge. Make sure the container is sealed. This method will keep your turkey chili fresh as new for 4 to 5 days.
2. You can also alternatively make a large batch of chili and freeze it for long time. This way you will always have some backup leftover Chili.
3. To freeze your Turkey Chili just let it first cool at room temperature. Then put it in a freezer-friendly airtight container and seal it tightly.
Place this container in the freezer of your freezer so that it can stay preserved for 3-4 months easily.
4. Whenever you want to use your frozen Turkey Chili just take it out of the freezer and let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Then pour it in a pot and stir it over medium heat until it is sufficiently warm or just microwave on high until heated through.
🤔 What to serve this Turkey Chili with?
Chili is such an comforting and hearty meal, perfect for cold days. You can serve it with a few of our favorite sides and it will make any cold night a cosy affair
- Cornbread - I cannot imagine Chili without Cornbread. Try my amazing Buttermilk Cornbread recipe which is so delicious and soft. You can also try my Blackberry Cornbread
- Cheesy Breadsticks - These Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks make the perfect side to dunk in your chili and enjoy!
- Nachos - I just love Nachos with Chili! Are you like me!! Yay Team Nachos!!!
- Soft Pretzel Bites - Chili tastes especially delicious with soft Pretzels.
💯 Tips for making the best Turkey Chili ever
- Although this Turkey Chili is so healthy, you can still make it healthier!
- Just cut out on the Brown Sugar and use Lean Meat. This will greatly reduce the Calorie and Fat Count!
- You can add in more Vegetables for variety in your Turkey Chili! Some great vegetables to consider are Zucchini, Sweet Potato, Pumpkin, and Butternut Squash!
- Vegetables tend to get mushy when you are cooking a crockpot. So add the vegetables during the last twenty minutes to make sure they don’t turn into mush in your Turkey Chili.
- If you feel your Turkey Chili is a little too sour in taste that’s because of the tomatoes. Just add a little sweetening agent like brown sugar to cut the acidity. You can use healthier options like Coconut Sugar as well. 😍
More Leftover Turkey Recipes
- Leftover Turkey Mushroom and Wild rice soup (Deliciously Creamy!!)
- Garlic Sesame Turkey Stuffed Zucchini Boats
- Italian Turkey Meatballs in marinara sauce
- Easy Turkey lasagna Recipe
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Turkey Tetrazzini
- Turkey Enchiladas Recipe
- Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
Turkey Chili in a Crockpot
INGREDIENTS
- 2 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1 small Yellow Onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 lbs Ground Turkey extra lean
- 3 tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1½ cup Chicken Broth low sodium
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 can dark Red Kidney Beans drained and rinsed
- 1 can Black Beans drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon Salt and Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Diced Green Chiles
For topping
- Avocado Slices
- Sour Cream
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shredded
- Freshly Chopped Cilantro
- Lemon Juice
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat Olive Oil in a skillet over medium high heat. As the Oil shimmers, add the chopped onions, minced Garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Add the Ground Turkey. Break up the Meat and cook until it's no longer Pink for about 5 minutes
- Next add the Ground Cumin, Diced Green Chiles, Garlic Powder, Brown Sugar, Dried Oregano, Chili Powder, Salt and Pepper. Toss to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell of spices goes away.
- Transfer this to a greased Crock Pot. Pour Chicken Broth over it. Add the drained and rinsed Beans. If you're adding Corn, you can add that now. Toss to combine everything. Cover with the lid and slow cook on Low for 6 Hours or on High for 4 Hours
- Once the Chili gets cooked and is sufficiently thick, serve it in a bowl with toppings of your choice like a dollop of Sour Cream, freshly chopped Cilantro, a good squirt of Lemon Juice, shredded Cheddar Cheese, Avocado Slices, chopped Jalapenos etc.
Karina says
You mentioned to add chicken broth in the directions but didn’t say how much to add :/
Anjali says
Sorry I missed it. I have updated the recipe now. You would need about 1 1/2 cup of Chicken Broth.
Laura says
Very Very Very delicious recipe!!! Super easy to make! Made it just like yours and it was so much easy and so full of flavours!! Thank you so much for the recipe. It’s my go to comfort food dinner now