• Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy

Curly's Cooking

Where great tasting food is always the answer

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Search in posts
Search in pages
  • All Recipes
    • Main Course
    • Slow Cooker
    • Cakes
    • Soups, Salads & Light Meals
    • Cupcakes & Muffins
    • Bread
    • Biscuits, Cookies & Traybakes
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Snacks & Sides
    • Desserts
  • Recipes By Diet
    • Vegetarian
    • Vegan
    • Gluten Free
  • Baking
    • Cakes
    • Cupcakes & Muffins
    • Biscuits, Cookies & Traybakes
    • Bread
    • Desserts
  • Cooking
    • Main Course
    • Slow Cooker
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Snacks & Sides
    • Soups, Salads & Light Meals
  • Easy Dinners

Slow Cooker Main Course

Skinny Slow Cooker Turkey Chilli

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

A delicious, healthier version of an American Classic. My Skinny Slow Cooker Turkey Chilli is not only tasty and healthy, it is really easy too!

An alternative to an American classic

Chilli Con Carne was the first meal my Mum taught me to make as a child. It is still one I make often and really love.

However I do like to try and adapt tasty recipes to make healthier versions. Obviously healthier recipes can’t compromise on taste and my Skinny Slow Cooker Turkey Chilli definitely doesn’t.

Is Chilli American or Mexican?

Chilli Con Carne is a well known recipe but there are sometimes questions about it’s origin. Although it is inspired by Mexican flavours, it is definitely an American dish.

I don’t think Mexicans would generally like Chilli Con Carne to be credited as a Mexican recipe!

However, in this Skinny Slow Cooker Turkey Chilli I have tried to use a few more ingredients that you would find in Mexican cooking.

Switching from beef to turkey mince

The most noticeable change from the usual chilli to my Skinny Slow Cooker Turkey Chilli is the change in the meat.

Instead of using beef mince (ground beef), I decided to use turkey mince (ground turkey) as a way to make the meal healthier.

It makes is a lighter dish altogether which makes it especially perfect for the warmer months.

Which turkey is best to use?

Most supermarkets and butchers will offer two types of turkey mince. This is either breast or dark meat from the leg and thigh.

The breast mince is usually around 2% fat whereas the dark meat is around 5% fat. I use both but it depends on the recipe as to which I use.

If I am making something like my Herby Turkey Burgers I would use the ground thigh mince to add moisture and flavour.

With this recipe you can use the breast meat mince as there are so many flavours in the dish it will be far from bland!

However as always, use whichever you prefer.

What makes this skinny?

Aside from switching the meat to a leaner, healthier option there are other things that make this a skinny meal option.

The amount of meat in the recipe would usually serve four people. However in dishes that include pulses as well as meat (like my Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken); I like to stretch the portions to serve a few more people.

This is because the pulses and vegetables help bulk out the dish without adding additional meat. It is also a great way of keeping a meal healthier.

Adapting to your own taste

As with a lot of my recipes, you can easily adapt my Skinny Slow Cooker Turkey Chilli. If you don’t like sweetcorn, leave it out. If you really love peppers, add more.

You can also play around with the heat depending on your taste. Obviously everyone’s spice tolerance is different, but I would say that this has a mild to medium rating. If you are making this recipe for children or spice intolerant people, you can add less.

One advantage of this recipe is that you can taste it after an hour or so to see how the flavours are developing and then add a little bit more chilli powder if needed.

Can I use different chilli powders?

I have used some of my favourite chilli powders for this recipe. You should be able to buy ancho and chipotle chilli powders in most large supermarkets.

However if you can’t find them or would prefer not to buy them, you can use other chilli powders. Standard mild or medium chilli powder would be suitable depending on how spicy you like it.

What to do if you don’t have Mexican oregano

Mexican oregano is a completely different plant family to the more common known oregano.

It has a more earthy flavour with citrus notes which mean it compliments Mexican cooking really nicely.

Mexican oregano isn’t unfortunately readily available in supermarkets. But it is fairly inexpensive to buy online. If you do like cooking Mexican food I would recommend buying some.

However if you don’t have any, I would just leave it out altogether. It isn’t a flavour that will make or break the final dish, but more a flavour enhancer.

I wouldn’t be tempted to simply replace it with standard oregano as it has a different flavour that wouldn’t necessarily compliment the rest of the flavours.

How to serve this dish

I always serve chilli with rice, salad and soured cream and my Skinny Slow Cooker Turkey Chilli is no exception.

Add whichever toppings you like – avocado, coriander and onion would also be good toppings to use. I like to add a sprinkling of feta cheese because it is the closest to the cheeses traditionally used in Mexican cooking. It is also better for you that cheese like cheddar.

You could also use this as a filling to enchiladas and burritos or even on top of nachos. It is a really versatile recipe.

Can I still make this without a slow cooker?

Absolutely!

Start by sweating down the onions in a small amount of oil until slightly softened. Add the ground turkey and break up and cook until browned.

Add the spices and tomato puree and stir through for a couple of minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Allow so simmer on a medium/low heat, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. You may need to add a splash more water if it starts getting a little dry.

Can I freeze this Skinny Slow Cooker Turkey Chilli?

Yes, it freezes really well.

Make sure you freeze it within two hours of it finishing cooking. When you want to defrost it, leave it in the fridge to defrost for eight hours or overnight.

When it comes to reheating it, I like to do this in a pan on the hob. You can reheat it in the microwave if you prefer. Just make sure it is piping hot before serving.

Pin for later

5 from 5 votes
Print

Skinny Slow Cooker Turkey Chilli

A delicious, healthier version of a Mexican Classic. My Skinny Slow Cooker Turkey Chilli is not only tasty and healthy, it is really easy too!

Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Turkey, Chilli, Slow Cooker, Healthy
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 221 kcal
Author Curly

Ingredients

  • 500 g 2% turkey mince
  • 1 onion diced
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 340g tin sweetcorn
  • 2 peppers sliced
  • 395g tin kidney beans in chilli sauce
  • 3-4 cloves garlic
  • 1½ tsp sea salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • ¼ tsp cumin ground
  • ¼ tsp ancho chilli powder
  • ¼ tsp ancho chilli flakes
  • ¼ tsp chipotle chilli powder
  • 1½ tbsp Mexican oregano
  • 1 red chilli
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 150 ml chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp cornflour (optional)
  • spray oil

Instructions

  1. Brown the turkey mince either in the dish from your slow cooker (if it allows) or in a pan on the hob 

  2. Add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker dish 

  3. Stir all of the ingredients together and cook for 5-6 hours on high or 7-8 on low. Stir every couple of hours if possible 

  4. An hour before the end of the cooking time, look to see if the sauce needs thickening. If it is thinner than you would like, mix the cornflour with water to make a slurry and add to the dish 

  5. Serve with rice and toppings of your choice

Nutrition Facts
Skinny Slow Cooker Turkey Chilli
Amount Per Serving
Calories 221 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 62mg21%
Sodium 783mg34%
Potassium 620mg18%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 19g38%
Vitamin A 500IU10%
Vitamin C 54.9mg67%
Calcium 49mg5%
Iron 2.3mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Share this...
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • email
  • Tumblr
  • StumbleUpon


14 Comments

Previous Post: « Meringue Kisses
Next Post: Simple Chicken & Bacon Salad »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kate - Gluten Free Alchemist says

    June 19, 2018 at 11:00 am

    Turkey mince is so underused. I love the idea of using it in Chilli and your dish is so colourful with all the veg too x

    Reply
    • Cat says

      June 19, 2018 at 11:23 am

      Thank you. It can sometimes be a little bland which is why I think people overlook it, but when you add lots of flavours it is really tasty x

      Reply
  2. Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says

    June 25, 2018 at 9:00 pm

    5 stars
    Love this super healthy chilli con carne – right up my street! Eb x

    Reply
    • Curly says

      June 26, 2018 at 4:15 pm

      Thanks Eb πŸ™‚ x

      Reply
  3. Jacqui - Recipes Made Easy:Only Crumbs Remain says

    May 28, 2020 at 8:47 pm

    5 stars
    Ive not heard of Mexican oregano before I shall look out for it when im next at Spice mountain (although under the circumstances that might not be for a while). I keep meaning to try a chilli with turkey and I love the odea that this is done in the slow cooker. Thank you for linking to #CookBlogShare.

    Reply
    • Curly says

      June 3, 2020 at 12:14 pm

      It’s really lovely! I’m sure Spice Mountain would sell it, I love looking around there.

      Reply
  4. Chloe Edges | Feast Glorious Feast says

    June 1, 2020 at 11:07 am

    5 stars
    Once again proving that turkey is not just for Christmas!

    Reply
    • Curly says

      June 1, 2020 at 10:02 pm

      Definitely not just for Christmas!

      Reply
  5. Helen - Cooking with my kids says

    June 1, 2020 at 10:31 pm

    I love using turkey mince, I think it’s often overlooked but this shows how tasty it can be. #CookBlogShare

    Reply
    • Curly says

      June 3, 2020 at 12:13 pm

      It really is isn’t it. It can make such a tasty meal.

      Reply
  6. Jacqui – Recipes Made Easy:Only Crumbs Remain says

    June 2, 2020 at 11:03 am

    5 stars
    LOve the idea of a turkey chilli it will make a tasty change to the norm. Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare.

    Reply
    • Curly says

      June 3, 2020 at 12:12 pm

      A nice change and is healthier too πŸ™‚

      Reply
  7. Michelle Rolfe says

    June 3, 2020 at 12:41 pm

    5 stars
    Great idea with the turkey. My kids are not huge fans of turkey in the normal sense but I bet in this one they would love it because they love chilli. I did manage to get my hands on Mexican oregano once and your right, its great and not the same and Italian oregano. Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. Michelle x

    Reply
    • Curly says

      June 3, 2020 at 4:48 pm

      I’m so with them – turkey at Christmas isn’t my favourite but this is a lot tastier.I’m obsessed with Mexican oregano! I add it to so many things! x

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

About Me!

Hi, I'm Cat aka Curly. I'm a home cook that likes nothing better than a day in the kitchen baking and cooking. Whether its sweet or savoury, in my mind food is always the answer. Meet Curly

Follow Me

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Search This Website

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Search in posts
Search in pages

DON’T MISS OUT!

Subscribe to keep up to date with latest recipes.

Copyright © 2021 Β· www.curlyscooking.co.uk

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.