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I couldn’t think of a better recipe to kick the month off than this healthy slow cooker turkey and white bean chili. Nothing beats a slowly simmered chili on a cold October day. Made with ground turkey, bell peppers, smoky chipotle peppers, white beans, and served with sharp cheddar cheese and avocado. This bowl of chili is a hearty, healthy and cozy dinner that you can feel good about eating.

overhead photo of Healthy Slow Cooker Turkey and White Bean Chili with beer bread and spoons in photo

Happy October first! It’s the month of all things Halloween and as you can tell from Saturday’s “spooky” Poison Apple Martini I am very, very excited! I love the month of October so much, and I’m looking forward to all that is to come!

I spent the weekend finally getting caught up with work. And while I’m still not where I’d like to be, I am entering the month feeling a little more on top of things and a little more confident. It feels good. My goal for this month is just to take things one day at a time. In an effort to not feel like I’m being pulled in a million different directions, I also want to focus my energy on one project at a time. I put my new mantra into practice over the weekend and so far so good. Fingers crossed I can’t stick with this. My mom always says it’s best to take things one day at a time, so I’m listening to her words of wisdom. After all, it’s true what they say, moms know best.

No real reason in sharing all that, other than a little positive Monday pep talk for us all…

Ok, I’ll go back to writing about what I am good at now, the food.

Healthy Slow Cooker Turkey and White Bean Chili slow cooker bowl

How much do you guys love chili?

It’s always been one of my favorites come the fall, but growing up the only chili I ever knew was Cincinnati style chili. If you’ve never experienced Cincinnati chili, it’s just a thicker chili served over angel hair pasta. It is my mom’s favorite. To this day, the only way she will eat chili is over pasta and topped with cheddar. The only way…so yes, when I gave the family this chili to try, she indeed ate it over pasta.

Anyway, point is, I didn’t grow up eating bowls of chili. So making a soupy style chili feels like something completely new and different to me. I’ll always love Cincinnati chili, but I also love today’s healthier chili probably just as much.

side angled photo of Healthy Slow Cooker Turkey and White Bean Chili with spoons and towel in photo

On to the details…

To start, you’ll want to brown the ground turkey on the stove-top. You can also use ground chicken, both will work equally great. I know that this extra step is a bit of a pain, but trust me, when working with ground meat it’s a step you have to take. On that note, I recently got a slow cooker that can also brown meat before you begin slow cooking. It’s a game-changer. I highly recommend investing in an all in one browning slow cooker if you love slow cooking.

Brown the meat, add all the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and set for six or so hours. Then come home to the most delicious smells and dinner that’s ready for eating. Does not get better than that.

To bump up the flavors of my chili, I used a mix of chipotle chili peppers, chili powder, and my secret ingredient, apple butter. I know it may seem weird to use apple butter in chili, but the sweetness balances out the spice of the chili. Go with me on this, promise it takes the chili to a who would have known delicious level.

Finish each bowl off with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese, sliced avocado, and green onions. AND serve with the 5 Ingredient Honey Butter Beer Bread from the cookbook. A bowl of chili is not complete without beer bread.

Also, while I am providing you guys with Instant Pot directions, I much prefer this recipe to be made in the slow cooker if time allows. No matter how much pressure cooking you do, nothing will be the same as slow cooking a chili all day long. It gives the chili time to develop flavor and creates the most wonderful smells throughout your house.

I highly recommend making this for Sunday night dinner and then enjoying the leftovers throughout the week. Perfection.

overhead photo of Healthy Slow Cooker Turkey and White Bean Chili with hand in photo dipping bread into chili bowl

If you make this Healthy Slow Cooker Turkey and White Bean Chili, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Healthy Slow Cooker Turkey and White Bean Chili

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 849 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Instructions

Slow Cooker

  • 1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook about 5 minutes or until it begins to caramelize around the edges. Stir in the garlic and cook another minute. Add the turkey and brown all over, breaking up the meat as you go, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.
    2. Transfer the turkey to the bowl of your slow cooker. Add in the red bell peppers, chipotle peppers, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in 2 cups chicken broth, the tomatoes, tomato paste, apple butter, and bay leaves, stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. During the last hour of cooking, stir in the beans. If your chili is too thick, add the remaining broth to thin as desired. 
    3. Remove the bay leaves and ladle the chili into bowls. Top with cheddar cheese, avocado, and green onions. Eat!

Instant Pot

  • 1. Set the instant pot to sauté. Add the olive oil and onion and cook about 5 minutes or until it begins to caramelize around the edges. Stir in the garlic and cook another minute. Add the turkey and brown all over, breaking up the meat as you go, about 5 minutes. Turn the instant pot off.
    2. Add in the red bell peppers, chipotle peppers, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in 2 cups chicken broth, the tomatoes, tomato paste, apple butter, and bay leaves, stir to combine. Cover and cook on soup/chili for 25 minutes.
    3. Once done cooking, use the quick release and release the steam. Stir in the beans. Remove the bay leaves and ladle the chili into bowls. Top with cheddar cheese, avocado, and green onions. Eat!
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Comments

  1. Would it be OK to add celery / carrots to make it more hearty? And if so when would I add them? Making this as our main course for thanksgiving this year!

  2. 5 stars
    Absolutely some of my favorite chili! Such a clean, healthy, and yet filling meal. The apple butter really does add something special and paired with the bit of cinnamon gives such a unique, fresh flavor. Used a slow cooker on high for 4 hours and it was delicious!

    1. Hi there! I would follow the same directions as the slow cooker, you’ll just have to simmer for a bit! xTieghan

  3. Hello! Do you have a recommendation for those of us who don’t have a slow cooker or instant pot? Thanks!!

    1. Hi there! I would follow the same steps as the slow cooker, just simmer for a few hours instead of letting cook in the crockpot 🙂 xTieghan

  4. I have a newer model Instapot and there is no soup/chili button. There is: “meat stew,” “bean chili,” and “soup/broth”. Which one do you think would work best for this chili? It’s not so brothy, and it doesn’t have any beans in it while pressure cooking, so I’m thinking maybe meat stew? But I’m new to instapotting and have no idea, really. Thanks!! (I’ve made this recipe before in a slow cooker, and it’s awesome!!)

  5. Hi Tieghan, would fire roasted tomatoes be an ok substitution for the crushed tomatoes or would it be weird with the apple butter? Thanks!!

    1. Hey there! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Have a lovely week! xTieghan

  6. 5 stars
    I am in love with this chili recipe! I feel healthier eating chili with turkey and I love the creaminess of the white beans. The bit of chicken broth makes it such a great consistency too. I didn’t have any apple butter so left it out altogether but after reading all the comments I might invest in a jar for next time. Thanks for a fabulous recipe, Tieghan!

    1. Hey there! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Have a lovely week! xTieghan

  7. 5 stars
    This is SO GOOD. I followed the receipt exact and it’s delicious. Don’t be weirded out by the cinnamon & apple butter- this combo works!

    1. Hey there! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Have a lovely week! xTieghan

  8. 5 stars
    Literally the bestttt chili I have ever eaten. My husband has always said how his dad’s chili has always been his favorite but this one had topped it. I didn’t have bell peppers so I substituted those for 2 jalapeños and then I did a can’s worth of beans made up of white great northern beans, pinto beans, and black beans. Beyond tasty, so glad I found this recipe. Oh and the apple butter and the cinnamon had me nervous at first but it really added something special to it.

  9. 5 stars
    This was so delicious! I followed the recipe pretty exact and it came out perfect! Added sour cream and fritos to the top for even more deliciousness. I loved the subtle sweetness that came through from the apple butter and when I reheated it at work for lunch everyone was asking what that lovely smell was. The perfect kick off meal for fall and I’ll be making it all season long.