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Budget-Friendly Slow Cooker Turkey Chili: Easy Family Dinner

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This budget-friendly slow cooker turkey chili is proof that you don’t need fancy ingredients or complicated techniques to make a meal your whole family will love. It’s affordable, easy, and packed with flavor—everything a weeknight dinner should be.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground turkey (93% lean)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained (fire-roasted preferred)
  • 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
  • 2 cans (15 oz each) beans, drained and rinsed (1 kidney, 1 black)
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • Shredded cheddar cheese (for topping)
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt (for topping)
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped (for topping)
  • Diced avocado (for topping)
  • Crushed tortilla chips (for topping)
  • Sliced green onions (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients: dice the onion, mince the garlic, drain and rinse the beans, open the cans of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, and measure out the spices.
  2. Layer the ingredients in the slow cooker: start with the diced onion and minced garlic on the bottom. Place the raw ground turkey on top, breaking it into large chunks. Pour the diced tomatoes (with juices) and tomato sauce over everything. Add the drained beans.
  3. Add the broth and spices: pour in the chicken broth, then sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and cayenne (if using) over the top. Stir to combine.
  4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Stir halfway through to break up the turkey into smaller pieces.
  5. Check for doneness: the chili is ready when the turkey is cooked through and shreds easily, the beans are tender, and the liquid has thickened. If too thick, stir in extra broth; if too thin, leave the lid off for the last 30 minutes.
  6. Taste and adjust seasoning: add more salt, cayenne, or chili powder as needed.
  7. Serve with your favorite toppings: cheese, sour cream, cilantro, avocado, tortilla chips, and green onions.

Notes

Don’t brown the turkey first—adding it raw keeps it moist. Layer onions and garlic on the bottom. Stir only once or twice during cooking. For thicker chili, leave the lid off for the last 30 minutes. This chili tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: turkey chili, slow cooker chili, budget-friendly chili, easy chili, ground turkey chili, family dinner, healthy chili, gluten-free chili

Find it online: https://bitesienna.com/budget-friendly-slow-cooker-turkey-chili-easy-family-dinner/