Crock Pot Turkey Chili

 

If actually preparing this for picky eaters or small children the key is dicing the onion and red pepper very finely. My kids generally turn up their noses at my chili and then one day I saw Stella eating some for lunch at day care. I was incredulous! Why here? Why not at home? And then I looked at the chili and it was all beef and beans. No nice big chunks of onion or red pepper. Other than the corn (which the kids love anyway), the vegetables in here are such a non-issue. This may end up being the only chili I ever feel the need to make again!

I generally get everything ready the night before (it's a bit too much chopping to do in the morning before work) and let it slow cook overnight. Then I turn off the cooker in the morning and it just sits on the counter until the evening. Then the whole dinner prep that night is just nuking bowls of chili! The original recipe does not call for the beans, but my kids are big bean eaters so I added that. As with any chili, there is often playing around with the vegetables depending on what you have or like. I also leave out the salt (this is true of pretty much everything I cook... I can always salt it at the table). We usually serve this with cornbread because, my goodness, my kids love them some cornbread!

Ingredients:

• 1.3 lbs 99% lean ground turkey
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced fine
• 1 garlic clove, minced 
• 1 can reduced sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can reduced sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 10 oz can Rotel Mild Tomatoes
• 8 oz small can plain tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Optional Toppings:

• diced avocado
• reduced fat sour cream
• reduced fat shredded cheese
• baked tortilla chips

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the turkey, season with salt and cook, breaking up with a spoon until turkey browns and is no longer pink; place into the slow cooker. 
2. Add the oil to the skillet and sauté the onion, garlic and bell pepper over medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes. Spoon over turkey into the slow cooker.
3. Stir in corn and tomatoes, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder, paprika and salt, mix until well blended. 
4. Pour chicken broth into the crock pot and add the bay leaf.
5. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 hours or LOW 6 hours. Serve with desired toppings

Photo and recipe courtesy of skinnytaste.com