Description
This hearty turkey lentil chili is made in the slow cooker for easy, hands-off cooking. Packed with lean ground turkey, earthy lentils, veggies, and bold spices, it’s perfect for cozy gatherings, meal prep, or festive occasions.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bell pepper, diced (red or orange)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- Shredded cheddar cheese (or dairy-free cheese), for topping
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, for topping
- Fresh cilantro, chopped, for topping
- Halloween tortilla chips, for serving
- Diced avocado, for topping
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking it up, for 6-7 minutes until no longer pink. Transfer to slow cooker.
- In the same skillet, add a splash of olive oil if needed. Sauté onion, garlic, bell pepper, and carrots for 4-5 minutes until softened. Scrape into slow cooker.
- Rinse lentils thoroughly. Add lentils and drained black beans (if using) to the slow cooker.
- Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes (with juice), tomato paste, and chicken broth. Stir to combine.
- Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, black pepper, cayenne (if using), and bay leaf. Stir well.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until lentils are tender and chili is thickened.
- Remove bay leaf. If chili is too thick, add a splash of broth or water. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve hot, garnished with shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, tortilla chips, and avocado as desired.
Notes
Brown the turkey before slow cooking for deeper flavor. Sauté veggies to enhance sweetness. Lentils do not need soaking, but rinse well. Adjust seasoning at the end for preferred spice level. For vegetarian, substitute turkey with extra beans or plant-based meat and use vegetable broth. Chili thickens as it sits; add broth to loosen if needed. Leftovers taste even better and freeze well.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1.5 cups per serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 6
- Saturated Fat: 1.5
- Carbohydrates: 34
- Fiber: 12
- Protein: 26
Keywords: turkey chili, lentil chili, slow cooker chili, healthy chili, gluten-free chili, cozy gatherings, fall recipes, Halloween chili, meal prep chili