Smoky Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

4.91 from 11 votes

If you have been searching for a slow cooker turkey chili that goes beyond basic, the combination of chipotle pepper, adobo sauce and a full line up of vegetables is what sets this one apart.

Prep Time20

Cook Time4

Total Time4 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings:

Calories: 293kcal

Author: Annie Holmes

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey 450 g
2 tablespoons chili powder see note 1
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1 onion diced
6 cloves garlic minced
11 oz can of corn drained
19 oz can kidney beans drained & rinsed
1 chipotle pepper chopped; see note 2
3 tablespoons adobo sauce from the can of chipotles
1 cup stock chicken or veggie
15 oz can of diced tomatoes including juices
15 oz tomato sauce see note 3

Serve with

lime wedges
green onions
shredded cheese

Instructions

Cook ground turkey in a large pan over medium heat, breaking it up into small pieces, until no pink remains.
Add the chili powder, cumin, ground coriander and salt and cook for an additional 1 minute, until spices are fragrant. See note 4
Place turkey and spice mixture into a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker with all remaining ingredients and cook on low for 8 hours.
Taste before serving and add salt or lime juice to taste. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips or avocado.

Video

Notes

1- use a chili seasoning blend, not a pure ground chili powder. I've linked to a homemade chili seasoning blend recipe in the post

2- As written, this turkey chili is mildly spicy. Adjust the chipotle to taste: if you like a spicy chili, double the chipotles!

Freeze leftover chipotle peppers & adobo sauce in jars or freezer bags for up to 3 months.

3- not to be confused with ketchup, this is pureed tomatoes, sometimes call passata

4- you may skip cooking the turkey + spices, but your chili may have slightly less flavor

Storage

Cool chili completely, then portion out into meal prep containers or storage jars.

store in the fridge for up to 4 days
store in the freezer for up to 3 months

Reheating

Heat individual portions in the microwave until steaming hot.

Heat larger portions in a pot over medium heat on the stove until warmed through.

Freezer crockpot meal

This is a type of meal that you assemble ahead before cooking, then freeze. If you choose to use this chili as a crockpot freezer meal, cook your turkey + spices, then cool completely before adding to your freezer bag.

You can store your crockpot freezer meal in

a gallon sized plastic freezer bag
a 3 quart glass meal prep container (I’m a fan of the ones IKEA carries)

Freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw completely before cooking as directed.

Nutrition