Recipe of the Month: Slow Cooker Ground Turkey Chili

This is the perfect fall meal: it’s easy, healthy, and satisfying. It’s our go-to Halloween dinner – it’s easy to cook it in the crockpot while we go about our day, and then we aren’t scrambling to make dinner while we get ready for trick-or-treating.

Here’s what you need:

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 10 oz. can of diced tomatoes and green chilis
• 1 20 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 15 oz. can of pinto beans
• 1 15 oz. can of black beans
• 1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 1-2 Tablespoon ground cumin (to taste)
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• Optional, for topping: cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream/plain Greek yogurt, your favorite hot sauce

Here’s what you do:

1. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.
2. Cook on low setting for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
3. About 1 hour to 30 minutes before serving, check chili, stirring items to combine and breaking up the ground meat.
4. Serving Suggestion: Serve topped with chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, hot sauce and sour cream or plain Greek yogurt. Refrigerate leftovers.

Recipe notes:

• If I cook this on the “slow cook” option in my instant pot, I need to cook the last hour or so without the top on or it’s too watery. I don’t have this issue in my crockpot.
• This is such a flexible recipe, so make it your own. For example, add jalapeños, crushed red pepper or hot chili powder if your family can handle the heat. Other beans are great additions, and we often include kidney beans or a can of three-bean-medley as well. Depending on what vegetables we have on hand, I sometimes add in others, including chopped sweet potato or corn.
• The flavor of this improves over time, so go ahead and make this a day or two early!