A healthy, flavorful chili that combines turkey and chicken for extra protein with less fat — perfect for the crockpot.
Football Sunday or not, a big pot of hearty chili is always welcome. This turkey-and-chicken chili — affectionately called “Turchicken Chili” — delivers on protein, flavor and ease. It’s leaner than traditional beef chili but still rich and satisfying, and it’s ideal for the slow cooker so you can set it and forget it until dinner time.
Chili has countless regional variations and a long, debated history. True Texas-style chili is classically beanless, but many of us love our chilis with beans and tomatoes. This recipe embraces that homey, comforting style while keeping things light by using lean ground turkey and boneless skinless chicken thighs for extra texture and protein.
The combination of ground turkey and shredded chicken gives this chili a pleasing contrast: the turkey provides a crumbly base while the shredded thigh meat adds moist, tender bites. Canned diced tomatoes, chili-style beans and kidney beans round out the body of the chili, while onion, jalapeño and garlic add freshness and heat. A packet of chili or taco seasoning does the heavy lifting for spice and depth, and a little olive oil is all you need to sear the turkey.
Prep is straightforward: brown the turkey, chop the vegetables, load everything into the crockpot and let it simmer. After several hours you add the chicken thighs, then shred them right in the pot so they meld with the sauce. Serve with shredded cheddar, sliced scallions and a dollop of sour cream if desired. Leftovers freeze well, so consider doubling the batch for quick future meals.
Turchicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 pound 97% lean ground turkey
- 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with jalapeño (or choice with oregano and onion)
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning
- 1 (15 oz) can chili-style beans
- 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 Spanish onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (leave membrane if you want more heat)
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 packet chili or taco seasoning (use half to start and add more to taste)
- Sour cream, sliced scallions and shredded cheese for garnish
- Olive oil for searing
Instructions
- Heat a skillet with a little olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and sear until golden brown, about 8–10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper while cooking.
- While the turkey is browning, dice the onion, mince the jalapeño and slice the garlic.
- Transfer the browned turkey to a crockpot. Add both cans of diced tomatoes, the chili-style beans and kidney beans (drained), the diced onion, minced jalapeño, sliced garlic and half of the seasoning packet. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
- After 4 hours, add the boneless skinless chicken thighs to the crockpot. Stir to submerge and continue cooking on low for an additional 2 hours.
- Remove the chicken thighs and shred them with two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the crockpot and stir to combine.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed — add the remaining seasoning packet a little at a time to avoid over-salting.
- Serve hot topped with shredded cheddar, sliced scallions and a dollop of sour cream if desired. Store leftovers in the refrigerator or freeze portions for later; this chili reheats and freezes very well.
Notes: Use lean ground turkey for a lighter chili. Chicken thighs add more moisture and flavor than breast, but you can substitute chicken breast if preferred. For a spicier chili, leave some of the jalapeño membrane intact or add extra chili powder.