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A close-up of a hearty ground turkey chili in a ceramic bowl, topped with sour cream, avocado, shredded cheese, and cilantro, representing a delicious ground turkey crockpot recipe.

Hearty Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

A cozy, protein-packed turkey chili loaded with veggies, beans, and bold spices. This slow cooker recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 11 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American, Healthy
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 bell peppers, diced
  • 1 medium zucchini, shredded
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (preferably fire roasted)
  • 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (preferably fire roasted)
  • 1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar or maple syrup (optional)

Equipment

  • 6-quart slow cooker
  • Large skillet or Dutch oven for browning turkey
  • Wooden spoon for stirring
  • Knife and cutting board for prepping vegetables

Method
 

  1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes.
  2. Add chili powder, cumin, salt, and cinnamon to the browned turkey. Stir and cook for 30–90 seconds to bloom the spices.
  3. Pour in 1/2 cup of water to deglaze the pan. Scrape up browned bits and stir well.
  4. Transfer the turkey mixture (with liquid) to a 6-quart slow cooker insert.
  5. Add bell peppers, zucchini, onion, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato paste, and garlic. Stir everything to combine.
  6. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours, until vegetables are tender and flavors meld.
  7. Taste the chili. Stir in optional sugar or maple syrup to balance acidity, if desired.
  8. Serve hot with toppings like Greek yogurt, cheddar cheese, cilantro, or avocado.

Notes

Swap kidney beans for black or pinto beans. Fire-roasted tomatoes add extra depth. Add jalapeños or chipotle for more heat. Optional sugar or maple syrup helps balance acidity from tomatoes.