Warm up your nights with this hearty chili.
Slow cooker dishes are popular in the fall and winter, on those chilly nights when you begin to crave a warm and comforting meal. Most turkey chili recipes use ground turkey, but this one uses slow-cooked turkey breast that is shredded and combined with high-fiber chickpeas for a slow-cooker chili that is different, healthy, and definitely delicious.
Keep this recipe on hand for the next time you need a comforting and satisfying meal that will leave you feeling full but not overstuffed on a cold day or extra busy week.
Reasons to Love This Slow Cooker Turkey and Chickpea Chili
Whether you are looking to shake up your weekly meal prep, add some razzle to the next game day, or just put together a delicious dinner for your family, this is the perfect recipe for it all! It is chalked full of unique flavors and ingredients that not only taste great but also offer a ton of nutritional value.
Whoever said a cozy meal has to be bad for you has never tried this take on a healthy turkey chili.
Ingredients Needed
The ingredient list for this recipe might seem a little bit longer than some, but don’t let that scare you. In the next section, you will see how simple the prep will be when it comes to getting this great recipe from start to finish!
- Onion
- Garlic clove (or garlic powder if that’s all you have on hand)
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Chickpeas
- Can diced green chiles
- Turkey breasts (this would be the perfect recipe to put leftovers to good use)
- Chicken broth
- Water
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
- Green onions (optional)
There’s a good chance that you already have many of these things in your pantry or cupboard, so be sure and check before putting together the grocery list. It’s a great way to use up those seasonings that have a tendency to get lost in the back of the cabinet.
How to Make This Delicious Slow Cooker Turkey and Chickpea Chili
If you are looking to warm up your nights with this hearty chili, we are here for it! This would be a perfect recipe if you know you’re going to have a busy day and don’t want to have to worry about what to make for supper that night when you get home.
The absolute best part about this recipe is the steps it takes to put it together!
Step 1 (Pssst… it’s the Only Step!)
Add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
That’s it! That’s what stands between you and a delicious and healthy bowl of chili!
This is a perfect cooking time if you are able to run home at lunch, so it will be ready just in time as everyone walks in the door.
Another fun part about chili is that you can provide a variety of toppings to make sure that the whole family gets exactly what they want without having to make multiple different meals.
A few of our favorite go-tos include
- A little cheese
- Dollop of sour cream
- Tortilla chips
- Green onions
- Crackers
You will want to consider what your nutritional goals are when deciding on toppings, but it’s a fun option to help each member of your family feel like they are getting to customize their bowl of chili.
Chickpeas: The Superfood You Didn’t Know You Needed
Chickpeas are so small that many underestimate the amazing health benefits they bring to a weeknight dinner! Some might be more familiar with the term garbanzo beans, but no matter what you call them, they are quite the superstar ingredient. Adding to your daily values in fiber, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, there aren’t really any negatives when it comes to chickpeas.
Finding more ways to add them to your daily diet can offer a variety of benefits, including helping control your overall blood sugar, support your heart and gut health, as well as help you manage your weight. They do this by helping you to feel full (with the pumped-up protein) without unnecessary fats or fillers.
Simply having chickpeas in the recipe elevates the rest of the ingredients because the meal is already a step ahead of most.
Chickpeas are also very versatile and can be used in different recipes for meals, as well as to snack on throughout the day. A few of our favorite ways to enjoy them are Roasted Chickpeas, Chickpea Mediterranean Rice, Braised Greens and Chickpea Salad, and Egg Noodles and Chickpea Soup!
How to Store Leftovers
Another positive to slow cooker chili recipes is that they tend to make a lot of food, which, for the cook, means plenty of leftovers! What better way to enjoy the fruits of your labor (although labor is pretty low in this one!) than to get to cook once and enjoy a healthy meal again the next day?
Just store any leftovers you might have in an airtight container (individual ones would be perfect for lunches on the go) for up to 3-5 days.
If you’re preparing for an upcoming medical leave or just want to have options available for when you don’t feel like cooking, you can also store it in the freezer for up to 2 months.
More High-Protein, Crockpot Recipes to Love
When most people think about high-protein diets, they might think about bodybuilders or other professional athletes who need them for their specific types of training. However, getting enough protein in your diet is essential for every human being to function properly and efficiently. Protein helps the body work as it should from the inside out.
We recommend trying some of our High-Protein, Low-Carb Crockpot Recipes, as well as this delicious Crockpot Low-Fat Beef Stew and this Protein-Packed Black Bean and Lentil Soup! There are many yummy ways to get more protein into your diet without drinking premade shakes or scooping out powders.
What Makes This Recipe Diabetic-Friendly?
Whole foods that aren’t filled with unnecessary refined sugars or grains work together to make a recipe diabetic-friendly. This is another category where people might feel more limited, but we are always working to find more ways to keep things interesting in the kitchen, even if you need to follow a special diet.
With more and more people needing these types of resources, our goal is to always find healthy alternatives and resources to help people live their healthiest and fullest lives without sacrificing a savory flavor or variety of ingredients.
Check out these 14 Gluten-Free and Diabetic-Friendly Recipes, as well as the Diabetic-Friendly Desserts for after dinner!
Up Your Chili Game With These Fun Mix-Ups
Chili is not only a comfort food for many, but it is also an easy meal to throw together when time isn’t on your side.
We encourage you to break out of your comfort zone and try out these fun mix-ups of one of America’s favorite things!
- Taco Chili
- Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
- Spicy Eggplant Chili
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili
- Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
- And even Chocolate Chili!
Play around until you find your favorite toppings for each one. Make a game out of it and offer several different options, and see who in your family can discover the perfect combination! Healthy eating and lifestyles can be a lot of fun with just a little bit of creativity and willingness to try new things!
Slow Cooker Turkey and Chickpea Chili
Ingredients
- 1 onion small, diced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes cans
- 15 ounces chickpeas can
- 6 ounces diced green chilis can
- 3 to 4 cups turkey breasts leftover, cut into large chunks
- 2 cups chicken broth optional water (add 3 cups for a thinner chili)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper fresh
- 2 green onions chopped (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 4 – 6 hours. Add chopped green onions for garnish if desired.
Nutrition Information
Have you made this recipe?
Tag @skinnyms on Instagram or hashtag it #skinnyms
Make sure you subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss out anything on Skinny Ms.
Check out our Facebook page and follow us on Pinterest for tasty recipes, clean eating tips, and healthy lifestyle resources.
We’d love to hear what you think. Leave us a comment in the comments section below.