Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili made with black beans, kidney beans, corn and lots of spices. Hearty, thick, filling and full of flavor! The really is the BEST turkey chili made healthier and in the slow cooker!

Looking for more Slow Cooker Soup Recipes? Then try my Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup or my Copycat Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup.

scooping a ladle of turkey chili in slow cooker

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

When I think of comfort food I can’t help but think of Chili. It’s hearty, warm and loaded with so much flavor. Sitting down to a large bowl of chili is one of my favorite things to do in the Fall and Winter!

This recipe is similar to my original crockpot chili recipe however I lightened it up a bit using lean ground turkey and adding a lot more veggies and beans! It’s loaded with fiber and protein thanks to the black beans and kidney beans! This recipe can easily be made into a vegetarian chili. Simply omit the ground turkey and swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth. That’s it!

Serve this healthy chili with a side of corn muffins or a crusty dinner roll to dip! Hope you guys enjoy this chili as much as my family does!

Key Chili Ingredients

  • Lean Ground Turkey: Feel free to use ground chicken or beef instead. To keep this chili lighter make sure to use 93% ground beef and make sure to drain the beef after browning.
  • Beans: I use both black beans and red kidney beans in my chili. You could also use pinto beans as well. Black beans, kidney and pinto all hold their shape well when slow cooking making them a good choice for using them in this crockpot chili.
  • Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes: Add another layer of flavor to this chili. Fire roasted tomatoes are roasted over a flame before being canned giving them a smokier flavor then traditional diced tomatoes.
  • Green Chilies: Are more sweet and vinegary than they are spicy so don’t worry about them making this chili too spicy.
  • Spices: Chili powder, ground cumin, paprika and canned chipotles in adobo are added for tons of flavor! The chipotles in adobo give the chili a nice smokey flavor!

How to make Healthy Turkey Chili

Heat a large skillet with olive oil. Add in ground turkey and cook until browned and no longer pink.

browning ground turkey in cast iron skillet

Add the turkey to the slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients (except for toppings)

beans, fire roasted tomatoes, corn and ground turkey in slow cooker

Cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 4 hours, until the soup is cooked through.

chili after it's been slow cooked for hours in crockpot

Serve warm with the suggested toppings above! My favorite way to serve this chili is with tortilla chips, lots of shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and hot sauce!

bowl of healthy turkey chili topped with sour cream and tortilla chips

Variations

  • Make it on the stovetop. Simply brown beef then add in the onions, garlic and seasoning. Brown then add in the beans, tomatoes and stock. Simmer for 15 minutes then voila your chili is done!
  • Change up the beans! Pinto beans can be used in place of the kidney beans or black beans. You could also just do all black beans too!
  • Make this chili even healthier with more veggies! Diced bell pepper, zucchini or carrots would all be delicious in this chili.
  • Make it vegetarian. You can omit the ground turkey and chicken stock to keep the chili vegetarian. I love adding quinoa to my vegetarian chili!

stirring finished turkey chili with wooden spoon in crockpot

I love to serve this easy turkey chili with my Easy Homemade Cornbread. They go perfectly together!

Optional Toppings

I think my favorite part of chili is loading up my bowl with as many toppings as possible! If you are serving this crockpot chili for guests its fun to make a chili bar with lot’s of topping options for each guest to customize their perfect bowl of chili!

  • Cilantro
  • Green Onions
  • Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
  • Shredded Mexican Cheese
  • Diced Red Onion
  • Tortilla Chips
  • Diced Avocado
  • Hot Sauce

angle shot of turkey chili in crockpot topped with cilantro

Can you freeze this Slow Cooker Turkey Chili?

Yes! This is the best turkey chili! It makes tons of leftovers and is freezer friendly! Simply freeze leftovers in a ziplock bag and store for up to 3 months. Alternatively you can freeze everything uncooked and take it out of the freezer and put it straight into the slow cooker when you want a quick and easy meal!

Can this be made in the Instant Pot?

Yes! Simply brown the turkey on the saute option then add the rest of the ingredients and pressure cook for 18-20 minutes. That’s it! Perfect for when you want a healthy dinner on the table in under 30 minutes!

healthier chili in crockpot with wooden spoon

Here are more Slow Cooker recipes to enjoy!

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

4.59 from 12 votes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 -8
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili. The BEST turkey chili made healthier and in the slow cooker! Hearty, thick, filling and full of flavor!

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound lean ground turkey
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 15 ounce cans tomato sauce
  • 2 14.5 ounce cans fire roasted garlic diced tomatoes
  • 1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 15 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen corn (no need to thaw)
  • 1 4 ounce can chopped green chiles
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • tablespoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 whole chipotles in adobo diced (can add some sauce too for some more heat)
  • salt and pepper

For serving

  • shredded cheddar cheese
  • sour cream
  • green onions, cilantro or parsley
  • tortilla chips

Instructions

Images:
  • Heat a large skillet with olive oil. Add in ground turkey and cook until browned and no longer pink.
  • Add the turkey to the slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients (except for toppings)
  • Cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 4 hours, until the soup is cooked through.
  • Serve warm with the suggested toppings above!
Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
Amount per Serving
Calories
175
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
5
g
8
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Cholesterol
 
42
mg
14
%
Sodium
 
299
mg
13
%
Potassium
 
489
mg
14
%
Carbohydrates
 
15
g
5
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
1
g
1
%
Protein
 
20
g
40
%
Vitamin A
 
1161
IU
23
%
Vitamin C
 
8
mg
10
%
Calcium
 
35
mg
4
%
Iron
 
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Easy Slow Cooker Recipes, Slow Cooker Turkey Chili, soup, Turkey Chili

 

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Comments - page 2/3

  • Eileen

    Made this yesterday, just in time for the Nor’easter! We lost power for a few hours last night, so didn’t get to eat it until today and the whole family loved it. It was so easy….this will go in the regular dinner rotation and I will definitely bring to work for lunch!

  • Nicole Johnson

    Made this tonight and I can’t even begin to tell you how amazing it was. I even went for seconds which I never do. I followed the recipe pretty close, the only thing i did different was I left out the corn ( to make it extra low carb) , and after browning the turkey meat I also sautéed the onions with the garlic to really soften them up, it turn out amazinggggg… will be putting this on rotation in my house 😉

  • Raegan

    Can you make this on the stove? I want to make it tonight for dinner, but I won’t get home in time to make it in the slow cooker! Thanks! <3

  • Thomas Schamens

    Thank you for your recipe. As a quality “wing it” cook, this recipe paralleled many ingredients I have used in the past. I will say, added a little red wine, and fresh baby spinach leaves at the end. Good stuff!

  • Tonia Cameron

    They now have no salt added beans, tomatoes, etc. Major game changer in cutting down on the sodium intake!:)

  • Ray A. Nancarrow

    Hello Kelley I cooked your Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili but I had to top up the broth ever 1/2 hour. I used a Multi cooker which has slow and high. I chose high but I set it to 115 celcius. Did I cook to hot? I had the the same trouble with the slow cook and brought it down 90 celcius. I am a way amatuer cook second slow cooker attempt. Its a Kogan 12 in one.

    • Hi Ray!

      This chili should be pretty thick so it does not sound like you did anything wrong. You can always add more broth if it is too thick for your liking.

      Thank you & Enjoy!

      Kelley

  • Chris

    Thanks for posting in the comments that pre-browning the meat is optional, makes this even easier to cook, but how does that impact cook time on the low setting?

    • Hi Chris,

      It should not impact the cook time by much. I would keep it in for the same amount of time.

      Thanks & Enjoy!

      Kelley

  • Chrissy

    Delish! I added some salt with the turkey as I browned it and the onion too. I used garlic salt instead of garlic cloves, as I didn’t have an on hand, as well. Served with cornbread -yum!

    • Nathan

      Hi Chrissy,

      Thanks for trying out the chili recipe and for commenting!
      Have a great day!

      Nathan
      @chefsavvy

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