Go Back
+ servings
up close shot of a soup bowl with homemade turkey chili and garnished with jalapeno slices, shredded parmesan, avocado slices, corn kernels, and sour cream.

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

Katerina | Diethood
This creamy homemade chili is an easy meal made with leftover turkey, poblanos, and beans. Topped with cheese and avocado, you'll love every spicy and creamy bite. 
Servings : 8
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 6 hrs
Total Time 6 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients
  

  • 8 cups turkey broth, or chicken broth
  • 2 cups dried great northern beans
  • 1 poblano pepper, diced, you can also use green bell pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 to 3 cups shredded cooked turkey meat
  • 2 cans (4 ounces-each) chopped green chiles
  • ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1 cup sour cream, divided
  • 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese, for topping
  • 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced, for garnish
  • Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
  • Thinly sliced avocado, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Pour chicken or turkey broth in a 6-quart slow cooker.
  • Stir in the beans, poblano pepper, garlic, cumin, and chili powder.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, or until beans are tender.
  • Uncover and remove 1 cup of the cooked beans and transfer to a bowl.
  • Mash the beans with the back of a fork.
  • Return the mashed beans to the slow cooker.
  • Add in the shredded (cooked) turkey meat, and stir in the chopped green chiles, salt, and pepper.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the corn kernels and ½ cup of sour cream; continue to stir until the cream is well combined. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.
  • Ladle chili into bowls and top with jalapeno slices, cilantro leaves, cheese, remaining sour cream, and avocado slices.
  • Serve.

Notes

  • Turkey: I used cooked shredded turkey because I had lots of leftovers. However, you can swap the turkey for shredded (cooked) chicken if that is what you prefer or have on hand. You can also use cooked ground turkey. 
  • Sour Cream: I used sour cream for a creamy texture, but you can also use softened cream cheese or heavy cream. Do not use yogurt because it will curdle. To make it dairy-free, leave out the cream(s).
  • Poblano Pepper: Poblanos aren't generally eaten raw as the outer skin is a bit tough, thus; thus, cooking these peppers in soups and chilis is a great way to enjoy them. The poblano is a mild to medium-heat pepper so if you do not like spicy foods, reduce the amount of pepper or chili powder in the recipe to make it milder. You can use a green bell pepper if you can't find or don't want to use poblanos.
  • Cheese: White shredded cheddar is my go-to for this chili recipe, but you can use any blend of cheese that you like; shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese, shredded Mexican blend cheese, and shredded cheddar jack are all good options.

Nutrition

Serving: 2 cups | Calories: 370 kcal | Carbohydrates: 37 g | Protein: 29 g | Fat: 13 g | Saturated Fat: 6 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g | Trans Fat: 0.01 g | Cholesterol: 68 mg | Sodium: 1477 mg | Potassium: 970 mg | Fiber: 11 g | Sugar: 4 g | Vitamin A: 497 IU | Vitamin C: 27 mg | Calcium: 245 mg | Iron: 4 mg | Net Carbs: 26 g

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Lunch/Dinner, Main, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: crockpot turkey chili, easy turkey chili, homemade chili