Everyone needs an easy, slow cooker turkey chili recipe for the cold weather season. Chili is a gateway to happiness at our table. I get lots of veggies tucked into a hearty bowl of chili, and the kids can tuck a lot of corn chips into said bowl making them happy. I find it’s a winning dinner all around…even if I sell it to my six year old as “nacho” night.

My slow cooker turkey chili came about as I needed to add in more variety to the proteins at the table. It’s really easy for us to rely on red meat, since that’s generally what the kids are always asking for (tacos, meatballs, burgers, etc.) I decided a turkey chili would be the perfect way to dress up an otherwise bland protein.

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili Prep

This soup is simple enough to prep before church on a Sunday morning, or you can break up some steps and prep it the night before during the work week. Either way, I love how simple and forgiving this turkey chili soup is.

Where to buy your Ground Turkey

When anyone asks me what’s the important thing to buy organic, it’s always the meat category. This is where it really matters to buy straight from a farm whenever possible. This makes a huge difference in quality, both in taste AND nutrition.

I get my ground turkey through Farmer’s To You, a co-op of farms in Vermont which delivers to the Massachusettes area weekly. I get to choose what’s in my shopping cart each week, and I usually keep ground turkey in my cart. You can get $25 off your first order with them if they deliver to your area.

If you are not local, Butcher Box delivers nationwide and is another way for you to buy grass-fed meat, pastured turkey meat, and sustainably caught seafood.  They often have freebies of ground meat or bacon that get added to your order, which is another way to keep your freezer full of quality meat options.

When the grocery store is the only option, try to find a package that does say organic, so you know the turkey spent some time outdoors and only ate organic feed.

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili Recipe

Everyone has their “way” of making chili. This has been my simple chili recipe for years, and my secret ingredient might surprise you. I think it adds a ton of flavor, plus some bonus nutrition with iron and magnesium, two nutrients the women I work with are often deficient in.

Ready for it?

Raw Cacao!

Yup, I’m adding a little chocolate to my chili. I tend to add it a little later in the cooking process, but feel free to add it at the beginning so you don’t forget. Truly, this recipe is very forgiving and always taste delicious.

This is the brand I choose in my kitchen, as Navitas Organic uses sustainable practices for harvesting the cacao.  If you don’t have raw cacao, you can use cocoa powder. Just note that it doesn’t deliver the extra health benefits of raw cacao as it’s more processed. (I would also bump up the amount used to about 3 tablespoons.)

Best Wine to Pair with Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

For a lazy Sunday watching football games, you can’t beat a bowl of chili and a glass of wine. But which wine should you pair with a turkey chili?

Here’s my picks that really complement the chili flavoring. Note, these wines work with either a turkey, ground beef, or vegetarian chili recipe.

And always shop for wine with Scout and Cellar, so you know you are getting organic, no-sugar added, healthy wine that actually tastes delicious.