Turkey Chili is one of the best meals to put together when the weather is cold. Besides browning the meat, all you need to do is toss the ingredients together in a crockpot and wait a few hours for a deliciously filling meal. There’s so much room for adaptation here, too. You can remove the chilies for less heat, or add more in if you really like it spicy. Add fresh tomato, scallions, and cilantro over top for a burst of flavor. Even drizzle with a little more honey before serving for a spicy-sweet kick!
Chili is comfort food, perfect for cold winter nights
Seriously making this turkey chili recipe is as easy as adding all the ingredients to a pot. Once you’ve got the chili simmering, if you have the time, it’s time to make the southern cornbread recipe. That starts by preheating your oven to 425°F.
How to make Turkey Chili
It’s easy to make this Turkey Chili recipe. Let’s first take a look at the chili ingredients:
- Lean ground turkey
- Bell Peppers
- Onion
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Diced tomatoes
- Black beans
- Kidney beans (dark and light)
- Green chilis
- Chicken stock
- Chili powder
- ground cumin
- Waxing Kara Honey
- Cilantro (fresh or dried)
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and peppers
These ingredients come together beautifully in a slow cooker! Slow cooking makes life so easy. If you prep all of your ingredients the night before, you could quickly follow these steps before work, set the slow-cooker to low and when you get home from work, it will be ready.
Making Easy Turkey Chili
First: Brown the meat
Brown the turkey on the cooktop. Drain the fat and add the meat to the crockpot.
Second: Chop the veggies
Chop all veggies. Rinse all beans well. Add the balance of ingredients to your crockpot.
Third: Slow Cook
Set the slow cooker on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. When selecting your slow cooker, choose one that goes to the warm setting when cooking is complete. It’s a blessing to come home from work to a meal that’s ready and warm.
Adapting our Turkey Chili
Any recipe does not reach true perfection until you’ve added your own touch to it. At Waxing Kara Honey House, we encourage you to play with your food. Change up this recipe. Here are some ideas:
- Not a huge fan of turkey? Use ground beef instead
- If you’re vegetarian, skip the turkey and add some kale. A cup of mixed beans is the protein, and the tomatoes, peppers, onion, herbs, and honey are packed with loads of antioxidants and vitamins. You won’t miss the meat.
- Replace peppers with organic yellow corn
Serving turkey Chili
Chili is one of the easiest meals to make where you can be most inventive! When you prepare your meal, make bowls of sliced avocado, diced red and spring onions, chopped cilantro, grated cheese, jalapenos, sour cream chopped tomatoes or anything else that makes this eating experience a smorgasbord for your guests.
Try serving this chili on steamed brown rice, a baked potato, sweet potato or bowl of roasted squash.
Serve this amazing Southern Cornbread with our Turkey Chili Recipe. It’s the perfect match, especially if you make this dish hot and spicy.
If you decide to make our Easy Turkey Chili, or better yet, your very own take, why not take a photo and share it with us using #waxingkararecipes on Instagram. We love seeing your photos!
Easy Turkey Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lb lean ground turkey
- 3 bell peppers chopped try using one yellow, one red, one green
- 1 onion chopped
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 15 1/2 oz black beans drained
- 15 1/2 oz light red kidney beans drained
- 15 1/2 oz dark red kidney beans drained
- 4 oz diced green chilis
- 1 c chicken stock
- 3 tbsp. chili powder
- 2 tbsp. ground cumin
- 1 tbsp. Autumn Eastern Shore Honey
- 1 tbsp. dried cilantro
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp. chipotle chili powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp. kosher salt
- 2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- In a large saute pan, brown the turkey. While browning, chop all veggies. Add the balance of ingredients to your crockpot.
- When the meat is browned, drain, add to crock pot and stir until all ingredients are combined.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours
Nutrition
Interested in more chili recipes? This sweet potato chili recipe omits meat and is perfect for vegetarians. More of a beef person instead of turkey? This sweet and spicy chili is made with beer and is sure to be your new favorite comfort food.
This chili is hearty with much less fat than chili made with red meat.