Slow Cooker Spicy Turkey Chili (No Beans, Low Carb)
This Slow Cooker Spicy Turkey Chili is the perfect dish if you’re looking for a lower carb meal. There are no beans, just lots of lighter veggies.
Equipment
6-quart slow cooker
Large cutting board
Sharp chef's knife
Measuring cups and spoons
Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
10-inch skillet (optional, for browning turkey)
Ingredients
1 cup carrots - diced, 130g
1 cup celery - diced, 100g
1 cup onion - diced, about 1 medium, 150g
2 ½ cups butternut squash - peeled and cubed into 1/2-inch (1cm) pieces, 350g
3 cloves garlic - minced, about 1 tablespoon
1 cup passata or crushed tomatoes (tomato puree with seeds removed) - (tomato sauce) 250ml- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes - 14 oz / 398ml, undrained
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt - or to taste — adjust after cooking as the tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, and hot sauce all contribute significant sodium
1 pinch ground black pepper - freshly ground ; to taste
½ cup hot sauce - such as Frank's RedHot, or to taste, 120ml
1 pound ground turkey - minced turkey, 450g
Instructions
- Dice carrots, celery, onion and butternut squash and put into the slow cooker.1 cup carrots, 1 cup celery, 1 cup onion, 2 1/2 cups butternut squash
- Add the tomato sauce (passata), fire-roasted diced tomatoes with their juices, and all the spices (chili powder, cumin, paprika, and salt). Stir well to combine. Break the raw ground turkey into small pieces and add it to the slow cooker, mixing it through the vegetables and sauce.3 cloves garlic, 1 cup passata or crushed tomatoes (tomato puree with seeds removed), 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 pinch ground black pepper, 1 pound ground turkey
- Cover and cook on Low for 7-8 hours or on High for 4-5 hours, until the butternut squash is tender and the turkey is cooked through.
- If cooking for young children or spice-sensitive eaters, ladle out mild portions before adding the hot sauce. Stir 1/2 cup (120ml) hot sauce into the remaining chili during the last hour of cooking. For a milder version, reduce or omit the hot sauce entirely. Taste and adjust salt and spices before serving.1/2 cup hot sauce
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Make-Ahead: Prep all vegetables the night before and store in a sealed bag in the fridge. In the morning, dump everything into the slow cooker for zero-effort assembly.
Substitutions: Swap butternut squash for sweet potato (similar carb count) or zucchini (for even lower carb). Ground chicken works in place of turkey. Use sriracha or cayenne if you don't have Frank's RedHot.
Pro Tip: Brown the ground turkey in a skillet for 5 minutes before adding it to the slow cooker — this adds a deeper, more developed meaty flavour and prevents the turkey from clumping into a single mass.
Adjust Heat: For a milder chili, reduce hot sauce to 2 tablespoons. For extra fire, add 1 diced jalapeño with the vegetables at the start.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 170kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 20gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 1195mgPotassium: 789mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 10614IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 3mg
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