Cozy, Smoky, and Healthy: The Best Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili Formula for Busy Days
With this recipe, you’ll master a rich, comforting classic with absolute ease (even if your weekdays leave you with zero energy for cooking).
Despite the common belief that a deeply flavorful, smoky chili requires hours of constant stirring and stove-side vigilance, hearty comfort food shouldn't mean you'll have to settle for exhaustingly complex steps.
Well, transforming lean turkey, vibrant spices, and wholesome beans into a restaurant-quality dinner is as easy as it gets — just an incredibly thick texture, a gentle smoky warmth, and the cozy aroma of a slow-simmered meal waiting for you at the end of a long day.
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 2 pounds (about 900 g) of ground turkey (ideally a mixture of white and dark meat for a richer flavor), 2 cups of coarsely chopped onion, 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, 1 large sweet red bell pepper (seeded and coarsely chopped), 1 stalk of finely chopped celery, 1 jalapeño (seeded and finely chopped), 1 tablespoon of fresh oregano or 1 tablespoon of dried, 2 bay leaves, 3 tablespoons of chili powder, 2 teaspoons of ground cumin, 2 cans of red kidney beans (drained), salt and pepper to taste.
Heat the oil over high heat in a large, heavy pot.
Add the ground turkey and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, breaking it up and stirring with a spoon to prevent clumping.
Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, celery, jalapeño, oregano, bay leaves, chili powder, and cumin. Stir well and cook for another 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Add the diced tomatoes (no need to drain the liquid) and tomato sauce.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat (to somewhere between low and medium) and cover the pot with a lid. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the chili beans, unsweetened cocoa powder if you like, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
