Healthy, Easy, Simple: Crockpot Turkey Chili

As you can see, this turkey chili (that goes in the crock pot! woo hoo!!) has pretty simple ingredients. You’ve got your spices, beans, tomato sauce, veggies, and ground turkey. The very first time I made this, I actually used ground beef. While that was yummy, as soon as I ate the first spoonful, I wondered why the hell didn’t I use ground turkey? It’s just as yummy and if you buy lean ground turkey, there are benefits to eating it versus ground beef.

When I visited Save Mart to buy my ingredients, they only had 85% lean 15% fat left, so that’s what’cha see in the photo above. I have made it with 99% lean and 1% fat, which is what I highly recommend. The spices and flavors that are absorbed into the turkey while it’s in the crock pot adds so much flavor, you just simply will not regret using ground turkey versus ground beef.

Here is the nutritional information on the 99/1 ground turkey:

Serving size 112g (4oz)
Calorie 120
Calories from fat 15
Total fat 1.5g
Saturated fat 0.5g
Cholesterol 65mg
Sodium 60 mg
Total Carbohydrate 0g
Protein 27g

Excellent source of protein with only 1.5g of fat and only 0.5g of saturated fat. If you watch Dr. Oz at all, he advises to look for foods that have 4g of saturated fat or less. We’ve got a winner!

So, now that you’re convinced to use ground turkey when making your chili (yeeahhh, you’re convinced *squints eyes, nods head*), onto the easy steps you’re gonna take to make this healthy and simple dinner for you and your loved ones.

Makes 12 servings.

Ingredients:

2 lbs lean ground turkey
1 (29 ounce) can tomato sauce 
1 (29 ounce) can kidney beans (with liquid) 
1 (29 ounce) can pinto beans (with liquid) 
1 cup diced onion (1 medium onion) 
1/2 cup diced jalapeno (2 jalapenos) 
1/4 cup diced celery (1-2 stalks) 
5 Roma tomatoes, chopped 
3 teaspoons cumin powder 
3 tablespoons chili powder 
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper 
1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt 
2 cups water

Directions:

1. Brown the ground turkey in a large pan.

2. Chop the onion, jalapeno, celery, and tomatoes. ***Important note*** Make damn sure you use gloves when chopping jalapeno! Unless you thoroughly enjoy a burning sensation all over your hands for a day.

3. Add the chopped veggies, browned ground turkey, canned items, spices, and water into the crock pot.

4. Cook on high for 3 hours, stirring at least once every hour.

That’s it I love that this is healthy and filling. Plus! Between my boyfriend and I, this lasts us about 3 days. Pluuuus, it tastes just as good on that third day as it does the first day.

Enjoy!

Step by step photos:

Brown your ground turkey in a large pan.

Chop your veggies. Make sure you use gloves when chopping jalapeno!! It is not fun dealing with the burning sensation that accompanies chopping hot schtuff with your bare hands. You can use the link I’ve provided to buy yourself a box of a bunch of gloves. It’s cheap and worth it!

Safetouch Powder Free Latex Exam Gloves, Non-Sterile, Medium

Add your chopped veggies, browned ground turkey, canned items, spices, and water into the crock pot. In absolutely no particular order Turn your crock pot on high for 3 hours and stir every half hour to every hour.