Slow Cooker
Turkey Chili
A proper slow cooker chili — lean ground turkey browned with bell pepper, onion, and garlic, then slow cooked all day with fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, and a bold from-scratch spice blend deepened with Worcestershire and beef broth. The kind of chili that fills the house with an incredible smell and tastes even better the next day.
- Base
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Cans
- 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed (see lower-carb tip)
- 1 can kidney beans, drained & rinsed (see lower-carb tip)
- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (28 oz), undrained
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1–2 cups low-sodium beef broth (1 cup for thick, 2 for brothier)
- Spice Blend
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1½ tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1–2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Toppings
- — 2% shredded cheddar (optional)
- — plain Greek yogurt (in place of sour cream)
- — sliced avocado (optional)
- — sliced jalapeños (optional)
- — fresh cilantro (optional)
- — lime wedges (optional)
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1
Brown the turkey
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground turkey, diced bell pepper, onion, and garlic, breaking the meat apart, for 6–7 minutes until fully browned. Add the entire spice blend — chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne, salt, and pepper — and stir for 1 minute to bloom the spices in the residual heat. Drain any excess liquid.
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2
Load the slow cooker
Transfer the browned turkey and vegetable mixture to the slow cooker. Add the drained black beans, drained kidney beans, fire-roasted tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth. Start with 1 cup of broth for a thick, hearty chili — add the second cup if you prefer a brothier consistency. Stir everything together well.
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3
Slow cook
Cover and cook on low for 6–7 hours. The chili will thicken as it cooks and the flavors will deepen significantly throughout the day. Stir once or twice if you're around. Taste in the last hour and adjust seasoning — a pinch more chili powder, a splash more Worcestershire, or a squeeze of lime brightens everything up.
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4
Serve
Ladle into bowls and pile on your favorite toppings — shredded cheddar, a generous dollop of Greek yogurt, sliced avocado, jalapeños, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Or spoon it over a turkey brat for a next-level chili dog completely on plan.
- Bloom the spices first: Stirring the entire spice blend into the browned turkey before adding it to the slow cooker allows the spices to bloom in the hot fat — this one step is what separates a deeply flavorful chili from a flat one. Don't add the spices directly to the slow cooker liquid.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes are worth it: The smoky, charred flavor of fire-roasted diced tomatoes adds significant depth to the chili with zero extra effort — if you can find them, use them every time.
- Broth controls the texture: 1 cup gives you a thick, stew-like chili. 2 cups gives you something more soup-like and brothier. Both are delicious — it's a personal preference call. The chili also thickens as it cooks and further after it cools, so keep that in mind.
- Lower carb option: Two cans of beans brings the carbs up significantly — use just one can or skip both and add extra bell pepper, zucchini, or mushrooms for bulk without the extra carbs.
- Turkey brat serving: Spoon this chili over a cooked turkey brat for one of the best on-plan chili dogs you'll ever eat — the bold chili completely transforms the brat and makes it feel like a proper indulgence.
- Even better the next day: This chili deepens overnight as the spices continue to infuse. Make a big batch and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months — it only gets better with time.