Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
This post may contain affiliate links. Please check our privacy and disclosure policy.
This is seriously the easiest, most delicious slow cooker turkey chili you will ever need. A blend of spices combine with peppers and onions for big flavor in this meaty dish. You won’t believe how simple it is the make! All you need to do is set it, forget it, and come home to a home cooked meal!
Let’s talk about the slow cooker for a moment. Do you have a slow cooker? If not, you should really consider investing in one. As much as I love getting out my pots and pans and getting my Iron Chef on, there are so many days where I’m just too busy, too tired, or both. Or, let’s face it, sometimes I just don’t feel like it.
On those days, Slow Cooker Turkey Chili really comes in handy.
It’s a hot meal with minimal effort. Seriously. I mean it. The most work you’ll do is browning the turkey a little bit, and that’s not really that hard. Most of the time.
You can do it, I believe in you!
Have I mentioned lately that I love autumn weather? The cool, crisp smell in the air. The beautiful, brightly colored leaves on the trees. Pumpkin everything. Not having to get into my car when it’s over 100°F. Festivals, boots, apples, comfort food… So many things to love!
I’m sure I’ve said it in the past few posts, because it’s very true.
I can’t promise not to mention it again soon. Sorry. Even over the summer, I’ll probably be lamenting over all of the fall recipes I would rather be cooking.
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili falls absolutely falls into the comfort food category. It’s one of those dishes that warms you up from the inside out. You can also make a big slow cooker full of it and feed a whole room full of people. I like to make up a batch of Gluten Free Corn Muffins to go with it.
Corn bread and chili just belong together.
It’s amore.
I love Mexican food so much. So, so much.
I’ve heard it argued before that chili isn’t supposed to contain beans if you want to be “authentic chili”. I’m not sure who the first person was to add beans to this dish, but I’d like to give them a high five, pat on the back and a sincere, “Thank you”. BECAUSE IT’S DELICIOUS. Therefore, I’m on board with it.
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili is even better the next day. The thing about chili is that the longer it sits, the more the flavors have a chance to combine. This means better flavor and meals all week! If it lasts that long… So you can just imagine the affect a long, slow cooking process will have on this dish. Yum!
If you’re not a turkey fan, you can swap out the turkey for beef and just follow the same directions below. But then you’d have to call it Slow Cooker Beef Chili. Or would it then be just Slow Cooker Chili?
You can also control the heat by adding more or less hot sauce and chili powder. The levels in this recipe are exactly where I like them, but everyone’s taste differs on this one. This recipe will be spicy, but you won’t be running for the bread anytime soon. I’d say it’s medium-low level spicy. If you want more kick, add more hot sauce, chili powder, or even a teaspoon or two of cayenne pepper.
Are you ready to set your slow cooker yet? I know I am!
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
- 42 oz frozen sliced peppers, (about 3 x 14oz bags)
- 16 oz crushed tomatoes
- 28 oz red kidney beans, drained (about 2 x 14oz cans)
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp hot sauce
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 5 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Instructions
- Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and chopped onion.
- When onion softens (3-5 minutes) add turkey, stirring to break meat up into pieces.
- When turkey is almost cooked through (5-10 minutes) remove from heat and add to slow cooker.
- Add peppers, crushed tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, vinegar, hot sauce, oregano, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir all ingredients together.
- Set slow cooker on HIGH for 4 hours OR on LOW for 8 hours. Stir once more before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
We are a participant in both the RewardStyle and Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which are affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and through RewardStyle.