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    Home » Chicken & Poultry

    Crockpot Turkey Chili

    Published: Sep 20, 2017 / Updated: Feb 5, 2020 / 36 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my affiliate disclosure for more details.

    Jump to Recipe

    This easy Crockpot turkey chili recipe is healthy, hearty, and comforting. A big batch will give you tons of tasty leftovers! It's the perfect thing to pop in the Crockpot on a Sunday morning.

    teal bowl with Crockpot turkey chili topped with Greek yogurt, cilantro, and sliced jalapeno peppers

    My slow cooker turkey chili recipe is ideal for the coming fall and winter months. It'll keep you warm with minimal effort!

    Want even more chili? Try my Instant Pot turkey chili, my turkey sweet potato chili, or my turkey white bean chili. 

    turkey chili in a slow cooker with ladle

    How to make ground turkey chili in the slow cooker

    • This healthy turkey chili is fairly flexible. Add 2 cans of kidney beans if you want. Add a can of sweet corn. Add more spice. I think everyone likes their chili a bit different, so don't be afraid to experiment. 🙂
    • I cooked it on low for 8 hours.
    • It does have a fair bit of liquid. I know some people like that, and others don't. If you want less liquid, you can cook it with the lid off for the last hour or two (you might want to increase the heat to high at that point), or transfer it to a pan and bubble some of it off. Also keep in mind that it'll get drier each time you reheat it.
    • I garnished it with some chopped cilantro, Greek yogurt, and thinly sliced fresh jalapenos. Some other options are sliced avocado, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, etc.
    • The chili isn't too spicy. Increase the cayenne pepper if you want more kick.

    bowl of Crockpot turkey chili with toppings

    You guys getting excited for fall? As much as I don't like cold weather, I am happy that football has started, the NASCAR playoffs are on, and that hockey will be starting in October.

    I've also been missing some of my favorite shows. Can't wait to get back into Designated Survivor, Superstore, and Hawaii 5-0! We're also going to see how that Navy Seals show goes. I love anything action-adventure, but if it gets too real, I get scared. 😛

    I am pretty sure my husband hates watching TV with me. I'm either talking over the TV or on my phone or laptop at the same time. I then have to pause it and ask him to explain what's going on. I don't like me either.

    teal bowl of slow cooker turkey and bean chili with cilantro and sliced jalapenos

    Anyway, I hope you like this healthy crockpot chili recipe!

    If you like poultry, you may also enjoy my white chicken chili (stove top) or try my Instant Pot white chicken chili. 

    close-up of Crockpot turkey chili in a teal bowl

    Questions? Leave me a comment below.

    This easy crockpot turkey chili recipe is healthy, hearty, and comforting. A big batch will give you tons of tasty leftovers! 

    Crockpot Turkey Chili

    This easy crockpot turkey chili recipe is healthy, hearty, and comforting. A big batch will give you tons of tasty leftovers! 
    4.80 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 8 hrs
    Total Time 8 hrs 15 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6
    Calories 359 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 red pepper diced
    • 1 medium onion diced 
    • 1 (13.4 ounce) can tomato sauce
    • 1 (19 fluid ounce) can red kidney beans drained
    • 1 (28 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
    • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
    • 3 tablespoons chili powder
    • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
    • 1 tablespoon paprika
    • 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
    • 2 pounds extra lean ground turkey
    • Salt & pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Prep all your ingredients and add everything except the ground turkey and salt & pepper to the slow cooker. Give it a good stir then add the turkey and stir it again so it's all coated. Wait until it's cooked before adding the salt because chili powder contains salt, and you don't want to over salt it. 
    • Cook for 8 hours on low. 
    • Serving ideas: over rice, with pasta, and/or topped with sliced avocado, Greek yogurt or sour cream, cilantro, cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, or sliced jalapeno peppers. It freezes well. 

    Notes

    • This chili does have a fair bit of liquid. I know some people like that, and others don't. If you want less liquid, you can cook it with the lid off for the last hour or two (you might want to increase the heat to high at that point), or transfer it to a pan and bubble some of it off. Also keep in mind that it'll get drier each time you reheat it.
    • This is the 7 quart Crockpot I used to make this recipe.
    • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 359kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 47gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 670mgPotassium: 1480mgFiber: 12gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 3000IUVitamin C: 45mgCalcium: 115mgIron: 8mg
    Keyword Crockpot turkey chili, healthy turkey chili recipe, slow cooker turkey chili
    Author Natasha Bull
    « Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
    Easy Roasted Mustard Chicken Thighs »

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    1. Sammie says

      January 17, 2020 at 3:32 PM

      5 stars
      Definitely making this again soon. I cant believe im just discovering this recipe!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 17, 2020 at 8:16 PM

        Excellent!! So glad you like it, Sammie. 🙂

        Reply
      • Nicole says

        February 5, 2020 at 12:26 PM

        This looks so good! Any idea what the calorie count would be on it?

        Reply
        • Natasha says

          February 5, 2020 at 7:21 PM

          Hi! I was able to add the nutrition info for you, but keep in mind it's only an estimate, and the only way to calculate your calories in an accurate way is to weigh the actual food you're using (brands, the fat content of the turkey you buy, etc. can vary), but I hope this helps. 🙂 Let me know if you make the recipe!

          Reply
    2. Michelle W says

      March 13, 2019 at 12:26 PM

      If you don’t have tomato sauce can you use tomato soup instead?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 13, 2019 at 3:12 PM

        I think that should be fine.

        Reply
    3. Michelle says

      November 26, 2018 at 9:30 PM

      If I split th me recipe in half and cook it in a 4.5 quart slow cooker, how long would the cook time be?
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        November 27, 2018 at 8:07 AM

        Hi! This is just a guess, but 6 hours on low should do it.

        Reply
    4. Lee says

      October 22, 2018 at 10:58 AM

      My question is dumb:(....but red pepper is a red bell pepper is that right?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 22, 2018 at 11:06 AM

        That's right. Not a dumb question at all! Hope you like the recipe, Lee. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Prudy says

      October 20, 2018 at 10:34 PM

      4 stars
      Hi
      I don't have a slow cooker. How long do you reckon just on the stove top?
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 20, 2018 at 11:16 PM

        Hi Prudy! I’d sauté the onion for 5-7 minutes, add the turkey and “brown” it, then add the rest of the ingriedients, and probably let it cook for at least 20 minutes or so. Giving it a bit longer will infuse more flavor and reduce the liquid a bit. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    6. Debbie McCann says

      October 20, 2018 at 8:32 AM

      5 stars
      Hi Natasha,

      Thank you for the delicious recipe. It’s full of nutrition and fiber, etc, ....all the good stuff. I freezes well and reheats well in the microwave. I cook and freeze school lunches for my teenage grandson. He heats it in the microwave at school. It’s hard to think of different lunches. This is a perfect lunch for him.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 20, 2018 at 9:48 AM

        Thanks for letting me know, Debbie!! So glad your grandson likes it for lunch. 🙂

        Reply
    7. cf86713 says

      February 10, 2018 at 5:30 PM

      What if you want to add frozen corn to this?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        February 10, 2018 at 5:45 PM

        I think you could probably add it in at the start without a problem, but if you're a little worried about it going mushy, add it in during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking. Enjoy!

        Reply
    8. Krystle says

      January 4, 2018 at 11:00 AM

      Do you brown the turkey first or put it in the slowcooker raw?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 4, 2018 at 11:05 AM

        I put it in the slow cooker raw. You can brown it if you wish. Hope you enjoy the recipe!

        Reply
    9. Laura says

      October 10, 2017 at 8:48 PM

      5 stars
      Hi Natasha,
      In this recipe, you do not add any liquid, but if I use 1 cup soaked (from dry) beans, do you know how much liquid I should add to the recipe? If you have not tried it, I will do some research. Thank you for a fine looking recipe. I am new to your site & I am so glad I found you.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 10, 2017 at 9:14 PM

        Aw thanks so much, Laura! 🙂 The diced tomatoes are added along with their juices, and the tomato sauce is very liquidy, so there is actually quite a bit of liquid in this recipe. I think that you could add the soaked dry beans in and it would work just fine. If it seems too dry once you've added everything to the slow cooker, you could add half a cup of water, but this chili ended up being quite liquidy, so I am not sure that's necessary. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    10. Amanda miklasz says

      October 7, 2017 at 2:37 PM

      If I cook this for under 8 hours will it be cooked? I understand the flavor is better slow cooked longer but I've run out of time 🙂 let me know recommendations on cooking on high heat to spead up time, if at all. Thanks!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 7, 2017 at 2:53 PM

        Hi Amanda, do you have 4 hours? I'd do it for 4 on high. Hope you enjoy the recipe. 🙂

        Reply
    11. Jen McCown-Phifer says

      October 4, 2017 at 10:59 PM

      Looks amazing, can’t wait to make this! I wanted to ask, when you put the turkey in, do you need to break it up first or you just put it in whole & raw?

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 5, 2017 at 8:27 AM

        Thanks, Jen!! I take the ground turkey out of its packaging, put it in the Crockpot, and then stir the whole thing up so yes, it gets broken up when you do that. Hope that helps. 🙂 And I hope you enjoy this recipe!

        Reply
    12. Makos(@thehungrybites) says

      September 21, 2017 at 1:57 PM

      5 stars
      Hey, Natasha!
      Your chili looks absolutely fabulous!
      The part where you talk about the liquid, reminded me of my mom because she adds a ground rusk to meat sauces when the liquid was more than she wanted 🙂

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        September 21, 2017 at 2:05 PM

        Thanks so much, Makos! Adding ground rusk is a great idea. Your mom sounds like a good cook. 🙂

        Reply
    13. Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy says

      September 21, 2017 at 9:54 AM

      I could literally eat this all day. Every day.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        September 21, 2017 at 11:54 AM

        Haha thanks, Jennifer! 🙂

        Reply
    14. Tim says

      September 20, 2017 at 2:01 PM

      Perfect timing! This looks amazing!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        September 20, 2017 at 2:02 PM

        Thank you, Tim!!!

        Reply
    15. Leigh Ann says

      September 20, 2017 at 12:07 PM

      I love chili! This recipe sounds so perfect for a lighter version! Now all I need is a cool front to roll through so I can make it!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        September 20, 2017 at 12:15 PM

        Thanks, Leigh Ann! I would gladly send some of our recent chilly weather your way! 😉

        Reply
    16. Matt Robinson says

      September 20, 2017 at 12:00 PM

      Seriously this chili looks absolutely awesome!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        September 20, 2017 at 12:15 PM

        Thanks so much, Matt!!

        Reply
    17. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

      September 20, 2017 at 10:58 AM

      Prettiest bowl of turkey chili EVER Natasha! We love chili during the fall/winter months. Perfect football watching food! Excited to try your recipe.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        September 20, 2017 at 11:02 AM

        Aww thanks so much, Mary Ann! 🙂

        Reply

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