Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

There’s nothing quite like a warm bowl of chili to bring comfort to your table, and this Slow Cooker Turkey Chili is hearty, flavorful, and so easy to make. Packed with lean ground turkey, beans, peppers, and bold spices, it’s a lighter take on a classic comfort food that still delivers all the cozy vibes. Perfect for game day, family dinners, or meal prep!

Serve with Cornbread and all your favorite toppings.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Healthy Twist on a Classic – Using ground turkey keeps it lean while still hearty.
• Hands-Off Cooking – The slow cooker does all the work while flavors meld beautifully.
• Big-Batch Friendly – Makes enough to feed a crowd, and leftovers taste even better the next day.
• Customizable Heat Level – Mild enough for kids, but easy to spice up for chili lovers.

What You’ll Need

• Ground Turkey – Lean protein that makes this chili lighter but still filling.
• Bell Peppers – A mix of green, red, and orange adds sweetness and color.
• Onion & Garlic – Build the aromatic flavor base.
• Chili Seasoning Packet – Quick and easy flavor boost.
• Crushed Tomatoes – Rich, saucy base that thickens as it cooks.
• Kidney & Pinto Beans – Classic chili staples for protein and texture.
• Chicken Stock – Adds depth and balances the tomatoes.
• Chili Powder – Extra seasoning to enhance the spice blend.
• Homade Chili Sauce– Homade is the brand, but you can use a different brand chili sauce. This is just the one we like best. It adds a little sweetness, and depth of flavor. Just don’t use Sweet Chili Sauce, which is an Asian chili sauce, as it is a very different thing, and will greatly change your chili. 

How to Make Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

1. Prep the Turkey – Break the ground turkey into chunks and add directly to the slow cooker. (Optional: brown in a skillet first for richer flavor.)
2. Load the Crock – Add crushed tomatoes, beans, chicken stock, onions, peppers, garlic, chili seasoning, homade chili sauce and chili powder. Stir everything together.
3. Cook Low + Slow – Cover and cook on Low for 6–8 hours or High for 4 hours until flavors have blended and vegetables are tender.
4. Taste + Serve – Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot with your favorite chili toppings.

Tips & Tricks

• Brown the Meat – While optional, searing the turkey before adding to the slow cooker gives a richer, deeper flavor.
• Make It Thicker – For a thicker chili, leave the lid slightly ajar during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
• Batch & Freeze – This chili freezes beautifully. Store in freezer bags for up to 3 months for quick meals.
• Topping Bar – Offer shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, avocado, tortilla chips, or jalapeños so everyone can customize their bowl.

Variations & Substitutions

• Beans – Swap in black beans or white beans for variety.
• Extra Veggies – Add zucchini, corn, or carrots to boost the nutrition.
• Spice Level – Stir in cayenne pepper, hot sauce, or diced jalapeños if you love heat.
• Protein Swap – Ground chicken or lean beef can be used in place of turkey.
• Vegetarian Option – Skip the turkey and add more beans or lentils for a hearty meatless version.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this turkey chili with cornbread, tortilla chips, or over baked potatoes for a filling and delicious meal. Don’t forget a squeeze of lime or fresh cilantro for a burst of freshness!

Crockpot Recipes We Love

• Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo
• Slow Cooker BBQ Drumsticks
• Slow Cooker Steak Bites
• Slow Cooker Taco Soup
• Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

This hearty Slow Cooker Turkey Chili is packed with lean ground turkey, beans, tomatoes, and bold spices. A cozy, flavorful, and healthy dinner that’s perfect for busy nights.

No ratings yet

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: crock pot turkey chili, slow cooker turkey chili, turkey chili

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 378kcal

Author: Rachael

Equipment

• 1 slow cooker

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground turkey
• 2 cups bell pepper diced, green, red, orange
• 1 cup onion diced
• 1 tablespoon garlic minced
• 1 ounce chili seasoning mix
• 29 ounces diced tomatoes 2 cans
• 16 ounces kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 16 ounces pinto beans drained and rinsed
• 1 cup chicken stock
• ½ tablespoon chili powder
• 12 ounces Homade Chili Sauce one bottle

Instructions

• Break the turkey into small chunks, and add to slow cooker (optional: brown turkey before adding)
• Add tomatoes, kidney beans, pinto beans, chicken stock, onions, peppers, hot sauce, chili powder, minced garlic, and chili seasoning packet and chili sauce together in a slow cooker
• Cook on Low 6 to 8 hours (or High for 4 hours).

Nutrition

Calories: 378kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 832mg | Potassium: 1395mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 3499IU | Vitamin C: 67mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 6mg

Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.

Tried this recipe?Mention @ezpzmealz or tag #ezpzmealz!

Want to use this recipe in a meal plan?Try PrePear, my FREE Meal Planning App that allows you to save your recipes, plan meals, shop for groceries, and cook simply in one place. Join Here!