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Healthy Slow Cooker Turkey Chili: Easy & Best Black Bean Recipe

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A hearty, smoky, and healthy slow cooker turkey chili with black beans that tastes like it simmered all day. This easy recipe is perfect for meal prep and packed with protein and fiber.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ pounds lean ground turkey (93/7 works great)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 large green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced (leave seeds for more heat)
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 6 to 8 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  2. Add the diced onion to the skillet with the turkey and cook for 3 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic, bell peppers, and jalapeños. Cook for another 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Push the turkey and vegetables to one side of the skillet. Add all the spices (chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cocoa powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper) directly to the empty space. Toast for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Then stir everything together.
  4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until it darkens slightly.
  5. Scrape the entire turkey mixture into a 6-quart slow cooker.
  6. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, black beans, kidney beans, and bay leaf. Stir well.
  7. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
  8. About 30 minutes before serving, remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt or a squeeze of lime juice if desired.
  9. If the chili is too thin, remove the lid and cook on high for 20 to 30 minutes to thicken, or mash some beans against the side of the pot.
  10. Ladle into bowls and serve with desired toppings.

Notes

Don’t skip browning the turkey and toasting the spices—it adds deep flavor. For a thicker chili, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes or mash some beans. This chili tastes even better the next day. For a vegetarian version, omit turkey and add extra beans or sweet potatoes.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker turkey chili, healthy turkey chili, black bean chili, easy chili recipe, meal prep chili

Find it online: https://tinastirs.com/healthy-slow-cooker-turkey-chili-easy-and-best-black-bean-recipe/