Slow Cooker Turkey Chili with Sweet Potato & Quinoa
This healthy slow cooker turkey chili combines sweet potato, kidney beans and quinoa in an easy recipe you'll totally want to cozy up to.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword chili
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 3 hourshours
Total Time 3 hourshours15 minutesminutes
Servings 8
Calories 134kcal
Ingredients
1tablespooncanola oil
1poundlean ground turkey
2teaspoonskosher salt, divided
2clovesgarlic, minced
1small yellow onion, diced (about 1 to 1 ¼ cup)
1red bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 1 to 1 ¼ cup)
1tablespoonchili powder
2teaspoonscumin
½teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
1cupdiced sweet potato
1tablespoondiced jalapeño pepper, plus more for garnish
1 15-ouncecan light kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ouncecan dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 28-ouncecan crushed tomatoes
3cupswater
½cupquinoa
Chopped cilantro, lime wedges, green onion, sour cream, cheese, and/or diced avocado, for serving
Instructions
Set the Instant Pot to the Sauté function or heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the canola oil and heat until it shimmers then add the ground turkey. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and cook for about 5 minutes or until cooked through and lightly browned, breaking up the turkey into smaller pieces.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the onion, red bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper and cook until the vegetables soften and the spices become fragrant, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
If cooking in a slow cooker, now is the time to transfer the ingredients to the slow cooker insert, or continue to cook on Sauté in the Instant Pot. Add the sweet potato, jalapeño, beans, crushed tomato, water, quinoa, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
If cooking in a slow cooker, cover and set the time for 3 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. If cooking in the Instant Pot, bring to a boil on the Sauté function, then switch to the Slow Cooker function and set the time for 2 to 3 hours.
Stir and add more water or chicken broth if the broth is too thick.
Garnish with cilantro, a squeeze of lime or green onion or whatever your chili-lovin' heart desires.
Notes
I make this recipe in my Instant Pot because it has a sauté function as well as a slow cooker function, so there's no need to dirty another pot or pan since it's all done in one. If you make this in a traditional slow cooker or Crockpot, use a large skillet for steps 1 and 2.