Crockpot Ground Turkey Chili
This Crockpot Turkey Chili is thick, hearty, and full of bold flavor - just brown the turkey, toss everything in the slow cooker, and let it do the work!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 445kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds 98% lean ground turkey
- 1 cup diced yellow onion about 1 medium
- 1 red pepper chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic about 2 cloves
- 1 (1-oz) packet chili seasoning OR homemade chili seasoning (see notes)
- 1 (14.5-oz) can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 (14.5-oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 (15.5-oz) can black beans in chili sauce not drained (regular black beans are fine if chili beans are not available)
- 1 (15-oz) can red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup frozen corn
- your favorite chili toppings sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, cilantro, corn chips...
Instructions
- Brown beef: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 ½ pounds 98% lean ground turkey and cook until starting to brown, breaking meat up to crumble.
- Cook aromatics: Add 1 cup diced yellow onion and 1 red pepper (diced) to ground turkey in skillet and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Stir through 2 teaspoons minced garlic and 1 (1-oz) packet chili seasoning, cook for another 30 seconds. Take off the heat and transfer to a ~5 quart slow cooker.
- Slow cook: Add 1 (14.5-oz) can petite diced tomatoes, 1 (14.5-oz) can tomato sauce, 1 (15.5-oz) can black beans in chili sauce, 1 (15-oz) can red kidney beans, ½ cup chicken broth and 1 cup frozen corn to slow cooker; stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH setting for 4 hours.
- Serve: Open lid and stir well, serve chili with your favorite chili toppings.
Notes
Ingredient notes
- Ground turkey: Use 98% lean for a lighter chili or 93% lean for extra richness.
- Chili seasoning: Store-bought works, but homemade gives better depth of flavor.
- Black beans in chili sauce: Adds extra seasoning; regular black beans work, just add ½ tsp chili powder.
- Tomato sauce & diced tomatoes: Fire-roasted tomatoes add a smoky kick.
- Chicken broth: Keeps chili from being too thick—use beef broth for a deeper flavor.
- Frozen corn: Adds sweetness and texture - can swap for canned corn (drained) or skip.
- Homemade chili seasoning: 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons ground paprika, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Recipe tips
- Watch the liquid levels—adjust with broth if needed.
- For best flavor, cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
- Want more heat? Add cayenne or diced jalapeños.
- Too thick? Stir in broth. Too thin? Leave the lid off for 30 mins.
Storage & freezing
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of broth.
- Freezer: Cool completely, store in freezer bags for up to 3 months.
- Freezer meal prep: Freeze everything except tomato sauce. Thaw overnight, add 1-2 cups tomato sauce, and slow cook.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 1074mg | Potassium: 1513mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 3470IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 8mg