Tasty Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

Here is my favorite slow cooker turkey chili recipe, loaded with ground turkey, beans, tomatoes, green chiles, and the perfect blend of spices that simmer together all day for an easy, comforting dinner.

This turkey chili is my go-to meal when I need something hearty but don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen. I just toss everything in the slow cooker in the morning, and by dinnertime, the whole house smells amazing and dinner is ready to go.

What Kind of Ground Turkey Should I Use?

For this chili, you’ll want to pick up ground turkey that’s labeled 93/7 or 85/15, which refers to the lean-to-fat ratio. The 93/7 is leaner and works great if you’re watching calories, while the 85/15 has a bit more fat that adds extra flavor and keeps the chili from tasting too dry. If you can only find ground turkey breast (which is super lean at 99/1), that’ll work too, but you might want to add a splash of olive oil when browning it to keep things moist. Just avoid the pre-seasoned ground turkey since we’re adding plenty of our own spices to this recipe.

Options for Substitutions

This chili recipe is super forgiving and works well with a bunch of different swaps:

• Ground turkey: You can easily swap ground turkey for ground chicken, lean ground beef, or even ground pork. If you want to go meatless, crumbled tempeh or extra beans work great too.
• Kidney beans and black beans: Feel free to mix up the beans based on what you have. Pinto beans, white beans, or chickpeas all work well. You can also use just one type of bean if that’s all you’ve got on hand.
• Diced green chiles: If you don’t have green chiles, you can use a diced jalapeño or poblano pepper instead. For less heat, try a diced green bell pepper.
• Tomato sauce: In a pinch, you can replace tomato sauce with an extra can of diced tomatoes blended smooth, or use crushed tomatoes for a chunkier texture.
• Brown sugar: Regular white sugar, honey, or maple syrup work just as well to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes. Start with 1 teaspoon and adjust to taste.
• Toppings: The sour cream, cheese, and green onion are totally optional. Try avocado, cilantro, tortilla chips, or hot sauce as alternatives based on what you like.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making turkey chili is skipping the step of browning the meat properly – if you don’t break up the ground turkey into small crumbles while cooking, you’ll end up with large, rubbery chunks that don’t absorb the flavors well.

Another common error is adding the beans without draining and rinsing them first, which can make your chili too watery and give it a slightly metallic taste from the canning liquid.

To avoid bland chili, don’t just dump all the spices in at once – toast your chili powder and cumin in the pan with the cooked turkey for about 30 seconds before transferring to the slow cooker, as this brings out deeper flavors.

Finally, resist the urge to lift the lid and stir constantly during cooking, since each peek releases heat and can add 15-20 minutes to your cooking time.

What to Serve With Turkey Chili?

This turkey chili is hearty enough to stand on its own, but I love serving it with warm cornbread or corn muffins on the side for a cozy meal. You can also spoon it over baked potatoes or sweet potatoes for a filling dinner, or serve it alongside tortilla chips with extra toppings like avocado, jalapeños, and lime wedges. If you want to stretch it further, ladle the chili over rice or use it as a topping for hot dogs to make chili dogs. For a lighter option, a simple side salad with ranch dressing balances out the spice and adds some freshness to your plate.

Storage Instructions

Store: This chili actually tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have had time to hang out together. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I love having this ready to go for quick lunches or easy dinners throughout the week.

Freeze: Turkey chili freezes really well, which makes it perfect for meal prep. Let it cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. I like to freeze individual servings so I can grab just what I need.

Reheat: Warm it up on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. You can also microwave it in a covered bowl, stirring every minute or so. If it seems too thick after storing, just add a splash of water or broth to loosen it up.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1450-1600
• Protein: 105-120 g
• Fat: 25-32 g
• Carbohydrates: 185-210 g

Ingredients

For the chili:

• 1.25 lb ground turkey (I prefer Jennie-O for a leaner result)
• 3 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 3/4 cup yellow onion
• 15 oz tomato sauce (I use Hunt’s to ensure a smooth base)
• 14.5 oz diced tomato
• 7 oz diced green chiles
• 15 oz kidney beans (rinsed and drained to control sodium)
• 15 oz black beans
• 2.5 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

For the toppings:

• sour cream (I like Daisy for its thick consistency)
• cheese
• green onion

Step 1: Brown the Turkey and Build Flavor Base

• 1.25 lb ground turkey
• 3/4 cup yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, freshly minced

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground turkey, breaking it apart as it cooks.

Once the turkey is mostly cooked through (about 5-7 minutes), add the diced yellow onion and continue cooking until the onion is softened and the turkey is fully cooked, about 3-4 more minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.

I prefer starting with this browning step because it creates a flavorful foundation—the caramelization of the meat and onions adds depth that raw ingredients can’t match.

Step 2: Combine Spices and Prepare Aromatics

• 2.5 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

While the turkey is cooking, combine all the dry spices in a small bowl: chili powder, cumin, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, brown sugar, and smoked paprika.

Stir together to evenly distribute the spices.

This pre-mixing ensures even seasoning distribution throughout the chili and prevents clumpy spice pockets.

Step 3: Transfer to Slow Cooker and Add Remaining Ingredients

• cooked turkey mixture from Step 1
• 15 oz tomato sauce
• 14.5 oz diced tomato
• 7 oz diced green chiles
• 15 oz kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 15 oz black beans, rinsed and drained
• spice mixture from Step 2

Transfer the cooked turkey mixture from Step 1 into your slow cooker.

Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, diced green chiles, rinsed kidney beans, and rinsed black beans.

Pour in the spice mixture from Step 2 and stir everything together until well combined, making sure the spices are evenly distributed throughout.

I like to rinse my canned beans because it significantly reduces the sodium content and prevents the chili from becoming too thick or starchy.

Step 4: Cook Low and Slow

Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

The longer cooking time allows the flavors to meld and develop fully.

If your schedule allows, cooking for the full 6 hours will result in a richer, more cohesive flavor profile.

Step 5: Final Simmer and Serve

• chili from Step 4
• sour cream, for topping
• cheese, for topping
• green onion, chopped for topping

After the slow cooker time is complete, increase the heat to high and let the chili simmer for 10-15 minutes to concentrate the flavors and reduce any excess liquid.

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Ladle the chili into bowls and serve with your desired toppings.

Tasty Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

Delicious Tasty Slow Cooker Turkey Chili recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 5 hours hrs 17 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 1525 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chili

• 1.25 lb ground turkey (I prefer Jennie-O for a leaner result)
• 3 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 3/4 cup yellow onion
• 15 oz tomato sauce (I use Hunt's to ensure a smooth base)
• 14.5 oz diced tomato
• 7 oz diced green chiles
• 15 oz kidney beans (rinsed and drained to control sodium)
• 15 oz black beans
• 2.5 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

For the toppings

• sour cream (I like Daisy for its thick consistency)
• cheese
• green onion

Instructions

 

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground turkey, breaking it apart as it cooks. Once the turkey is mostly cooked through (about 5-7 minutes), add the diced yellow onion and continue cooking until the onion is softened and the turkey is fully cooked, about 3-4 more minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. I prefer starting with this browning step because it creates a flavorful foundation—the caramelization of the meat and onions adds depth that raw ingredients can't match.
• While the turkey is cooking, combine all the dry spices in a small bowl: chili powder, cumin, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, brown sugar, and smoked paprika. Stir together to evenly distribute the spices. This pre-mixing ensures even seasoning distribution throughout the chili and prevents clumpy spice pockets.
• Transfer the cooked turkey mixture from Step 1 into your slow cooker. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, diced green chiles, rinsed kidney beans, and rinsed black beans. Pour in the spice mixture from Step 2 and stir everything together until well combined, making sure the spices are evenly distributed throughout. I like to rinse my canned beans because it significantly reduces the sodium content and prevents the chili from becoming too thick or starchy.
• Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours. The longer cooking time allows the flavors to meld and develop fully. If your schedule allows, cooking for the full 6 hours will result in a richer, more cohesive flavor profile.
• After the slow cooker time is complete, increase the heat to high and let the chili simmer for 10-15 minutes to concentrate the flavors and reduce any excess liquid. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Ladle the chili into bowls and serve with your desired toppings.