Healthy food doesn't have to be boring. It also doesn't have to involve spending hours in the kitchen prepping ingredients and cooking. With this lightened up version of chili, you can have a nutrient-dense, flavor-packed meal cooking for hours while you run errands, workout or put your feet up and relax. Even better, once you have the basic recipe down, you can easily tailor it to change up the flavors.
{"content_type":"recipe","recipe":{"entries":[{"directions":"1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the onion and chopped red bell pepper. Saute the vegetables for about five minutes, or until they're fragrant and softened.
2. Add the ground turkey to the skillet. Cook it until it's browned and until there's no pink left in the meat.
3. Stir in tomato paste and garlic, cooking the mixture for another couple minutes before pouring it into the slow cooker.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients to the Crockpot. Place the lid on, and cook the chili on high for four hours. When it's done, the chili's consistency should be noticeably thickened.
5. Taste the chili and adjust the seasoning as needed with salt and pepper before serving.
Serving Suggestions
- Although this chili is flavorful all on its own, many chili-lovers enjoy adding extras to the top. Examples of popular chili garnishes include shredded cheese, sliced scallions, chopped onions, sliced jalapenos, fresh cilantro or parsley or plain Greek yogurt.
- No need to add extra starch to this hearty recipe, but you could serve it over rice or pasta, on top of a baked potato or sweet potato, or with cornbread on the side.
- Serve alongside a crisp green salad for the ultimate contrast between the warm, spicy chili and a cool, crunchy salad.
Vegetarian Variation
Meat eaters shouldn't have all the fun. Vegetarians, and people who want to have a vegetarian meal, can make healthy crockpot recipes too, including this vegetarian slow cooker chili. Simply swap the chicken broth for veggie broth, omit the ground turkey and double the beans. Consider using two cans of black beans, one can of kidney beans and one can of pinto beans for varied texture.
","ingredients":"- 2 pounds lean ground turkey
- 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 Vidalia onion, chopped
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cans black beans
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 to 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
