A Healthy Turkey Chili recipe that is tasty, simple and made in the crockpot or instant pot with no beans. Paleo, whole30 and easy to make! This healthy chili recipe is great for serving over cauliflower rice for a Whole30 option, regular rice, tortilla chips or just on its own!
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This Turkey Chili is the best crockpot meal you’ll make.
Now, I know that’s a bold statement – but stay with me here.
Why We Love This Whole30 Chili Recipe
I love making chili in the crockpot because it allows the flavors to cook low and slow for maximum flavor. Plus, who doesn’t want the slow cooker to make them dinner? This chili is:
- protein packed
- low in fat
- loaded with veggies
- bursting with flavor
- it’s made in your crockpot/slow cooker
Chili is one of the easiest things to make…and if you have a crockpot it’s even easier! You all know I’m the crockpot queen.
(Hello Healthy Crockpot Pulled Pork & Whole 30 Crockpot Stuffed Peppers – my other two favorite dinners!)
Turkey Paleo Chili Recipe Ingredients
To make turkey chili in the crockpot you’ll need:
- ground turkey
- olive oil
- onion, garlic, peppers, carrots
- canned crushed tomatoes
- spices: paprika, red pepper flakes (omit for less spicy), pepper, chili powder, cumin, salt, cinnamon, turmeric
You’re probably wondering – well if there are no beans, what IS in this paleo turkey chili? VEGGIES! All the veggies. I loaded this chili up with carrots, peppers, and tomatoes.
There are substitutions for most of these ingredients listed below in the green shaded substitutions section!
Most of these are things you probably already have on hand! Once you have your ingredients, these cookies are fairly simple to make!
How to Make Paleo Chili
To make turkey chili:
- Heat oil in a pan. Cook turkey over medium high heat until browned, approximately 10 minutes.
- While turkey is browning, chop all vegetables + prepare spices.
- Add browned turkey + all ingredients to the crockpot.
- Stir all of the ingredients together in the crockpot until thoroughly mixed
- Cook on low for 6 hours.
The ground turkey in this recipe is way lighter than beef, making this the perfect protein + veggie packed dish! Your family is totally going to love it.
Something to note – this recipe makes a pretty large batch of chili (an entire crockpot full).
However, it does freeze very well. It’s perfect for making one large batch, enjoying it for dinner + freezing it for later in the week!
For all my freezing tips, check out my post on How To Freeze Soup.
Substitutions for Whole 30 Chili with Turkey
Turkey: This turkey chili works with ground turkey, beef, or chicken! You can also use chicken breasts and make a paleo shredded chicken chili. We also have a Ground Beef and Sweet Potato Chili, Healthy White Chicken Chili, Pumpkin Chicken Chili if you’re looking for other chili recipes, or this Gluten Free Chili Mac is a delicious twist on chili!
Veggies: You can use more or less of any of the veggies in this recipe. Feel free to use fewer peppers, more carrots, etc. It’s a pretty flexible recipe.
Beans: If you are not paleo/whole30 – you can totally add beans to this chili. It’s a great addition! Or check out our Ground Turkey Chili!
Sweet Potatoes: I have made this with sweet potatoes. I cut them into large 1 inch chunks. I would recommend adding 2 cups of sweet potatoes if you’d like.
Spices: You can add more and fewer spices if you like. It seems like a lot of seasoning but I promise it’s delicious.
Instant Pot Turkey Chili
Yes, you can make this turkey chili in the instant pot, crockpot OR on your stovetop!
If you are making this in the instant pot, make sure to scrape off any pieces of food on the bottom of the Instant Pot or you will may have a burn notice during cooking.
You also must make sure your Instant Pot pressure is set to sealing. See below for instant pot instructions in the recipe.
Do you need to cook the ground turkey ahead of time?
Yes, you need to cook the turkey before adding it to the crockpot. It adds texture to the chili and ensures the meat is completely cooked!
If you’re making this recipe on the stove/instant pot – you also need to cook the meat.
Whole30 Chili FAQ
Chili can be an awesome healthy recipe for weight loss. This turkey chili recipe is low calorie, high in veggies and fiber and high in protein making it perfect for those on a weight loss journey.
Healthy Turkey Chili is the healthiest chili! It’s low in fat, high in protein, and loaded with vegetables. Ground chicken or lean ground beef are also great for chili
The average turkey chili has roughly 200 calories per cup. This turkey chili recipe has less than 200 calories per cup.
There are 15g of carbs in 1.5 cups of turkey chili without beans. The carbs come from the tomato sauce in the chili.
There are so many things to add to chili if you don’t like beans. We like to add carrots, red peppers and even zucchini to bulk up chili without beans.
What to Serve with No Bean Turkey Chili
- If you’re paleo or whole30: Serve this chili over cauliflower rice, Crispy Sheet Pan Roasted Potatoes, or with your own homemade roasted plantains.
- Over a salad
- Rice/Quinoa: If you aren’t following a strict paleo/whole30 diet I like to put this over rice or quinoa.
- Toppings: Guacamole, avocado, and chopped onion are all great paleo toppings for this recipe. If you’re not strict paleo you could add cheddar cheese or crushed tortilla chips
Toppings for Paleo Chili
There are so many toppings for paleo chili. Here are some of my favorites:
- red onion
- avocado
- guacamole
- salsa
- jalapeno
How do you store Turkey Chili? Does it freeze well?
Storing: This will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container
Freezing: You can freeze this turkey chili! This chili freezes very well. In fact, I usually get 3 or 4 small containers and divided the leftovers from the crockpot once we’re done eating it for dinner. We like these containers for freezing. You can use code CLEANEATINGCOUPLE to save $$ on them!
Reheating: Then, when you’re ready to enjoy, you can take a container out of the freezer and heat over the stove or in the microwave. It’s great for a quick meal!
If you LOVE paleo slow cooker recipes you should grab a copy of my Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes Ebook! If you love ground turkey, check out these Healthy Ground Turkey Recipes!
Other healthy crockpot dinners:
We love our crockpot! Here are some of our favorite healthy crockpot dinners:
Turkey Paleo Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup onion minced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 cup peppers chopped in small squares – 1/2 inch
- 1 cup carrots minced
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes low salt if necessary
- 1 tablespoons paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (omit for less spicy)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Optional:
- 2 cups steamed cauliflower rice
Instructions
Crockpot Instructions:
- Heat oil in a pan. Cook turkey over medium high heat until browned, approximately 10 minutes
- While turkey is browning, chop all vegetables + prepare spices.
- Add browned turkey + all ingredients to the crockpot.
- Stir all of the ingredients together in the crockpot until thoroughly mixed
- Cook on low for 6 hours. Serve over rice or cauliflower rice.
Instant Pot Instructions
- *Warning* The instant pot Is very finicky. We do not recommend making this chili in it unless you must as it may give you a burn notice. This chili tastes much better and is easier to make in your crockpot or on the stove.
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode for 15 minutes. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Chop onion. Sauté turkey and onion for 5-7 minutes, until mostly browned.
- While the turkey is cooking, chop carrots and peppers. *You could also add the onions later so it’s all one step to chop and cook the veggies!
- Remove turkey from pot and drain liquid from pot. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil back to pan. Sauté carrots and peppers for 5 minutes.
- Important: Make sure to scrape off any pieces of food on the bottom of the Instant Pot or you will get a burn notice during cooking.
- Add crushed tomatoes and 1 cup of water, then add turkey back into pot. Add spices. Stir together.
- Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook for 10 minutes on high pressure. Make sure the pressure release is set to sealing (on older models). When finished cooking, allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
- Serve over rice or cauliflower rice.
Stovetop Instructions:
- Heat oil in a pan. Cook turkey over medium high heat until browned, approximately 10 minutes.
- While turkey is browning, chop all vegetables + prepare spices.
- When turkey is cooked, add in vegetables, spices + canned tomatoes. Stir until thoroughly combined
- Bring chili to a low simmer until it starts to bubble. Once simmering, cook over low-medium heat for 30 minutes to 2 hours stirring every 10-15 minutes.
- Serve over rice or cauliflower rice.
Video
Notes
- Make sure to scrape off any pieces of food on the bottom of the Instant Pot or you will may a burn notice during cooking.
- Make sure your Instant Pot pressure is set to sealing.
Sarah says
My husband and I are trying to get back on track withl eating better and this recipe is perfect for that! I don’t even miss the beans. It does make a big batch so I froze half of it for easy meals down the road. Thank you for another great recipe!
Kendall Brettschneider says
So delicious, and my family cannot even tell it’s “healthy chili”!
Kim says
I made this in a Dutch oven on the stove top. It came together very quickly and was delicious. I cooked the turkey, added the veggies (sweet potatoes were nice addition) and cooked until almost soft. I added the spices, cooked a few more minutes and then added diced tomatoes and a can of beans with liquid (I’m not paleo). I brought it to a boil and simmered with top on until I was ready to eat it. This recipe is a keeper. I can’t wait to eat leftovers tomorrow.Thank you!
Catie says
This chili was delicious and made my house smell amazing! Thank for for such a fresh tasting chili recipe that is healthy! Will definitely make again and will be freezing some for future meals.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Glad you liked it, Catie! It freezes so well!
Anna says
I used only one pound of ground turkey, and kept everything else the same; so delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Anna! Thank you so much!
Trudi says
Yummy…thank you
Kristen Goncalves says
Easy, healthy, and the whole family will eat it. I LOVE all the sub options and how you break out cooking by different methods. We aren’t a paleo family but you absolutely don’t need to be to enjoy this!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you like it, Kristen! Thank you!!
Davina says
This was excellent. I added a whole sliced jalenpenos, mushrooms and 1/2 red onion. It was sooooo good! a bit spicy for some members of my family but that was was likely my fault for adding the jalenpeno!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Love those additions! This chili is not spicy, so it definitely was a result of the jalapenos 🙂
Abby says
I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve made this recipe. We love love love it. It’s the only chili recipe that doesn’t hurt my stomach (since sans beans) and this recipe never gets old. Usually I will prep it all in a freezer bag and then have it on hand at all times. I take it out the day before to thaw in fridge and pop it in the crockpot the next day. So good.
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you like it!! Have you tried this ? It’s equally delicious and no beans!!
Nicole Ramsbey says
Loved this recipe, and meant to use the sweet potatoes however I forgot them at the store so I used a butternut squash I had at home and just tossed them in the crockpot.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Nicole! Thank you!!
Hannah Valenzuela says
Super easy to make in the crockpot and even had some leftover to freeze! I also added zuchinni because I had some to use up in the fridge. Very delicious!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Hannah! Glad you liked it!
Alison Witt says
I am not a huge fan of beans in my chili, so this recipe was perfect! So full of flavor and filling.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Alison! Glad you liked it!!
Rachel says
YUM perfect for this snowy week I’m having. I doubled the veggies and did half beef/half turkey. So good. Thank you for this.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you liked it! Stay warm 🙂
Jennifer says
Chili is my ultimate comfort food. I usually have a hard time deviating from my less healthy version. Liz made this look so delicious, I just had to give it a try! I’m go glad I did!! I feel like I got all the flavor and comfort I wanted without feeling guilty about the ingredients. So good!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much! Glad you like it! It is total comfort food for us too, filling, hearty + delish!
Jenna says
Can’t wait to try this! I could use some clarification on the ingredients. I have been unable to find a can of crushed tomatoes bigger than 28 oz, but the recipe calls for a 40 oz can. The link in the recipe takes me to a 28 oz can. I am wondering if you could point me in the direction of the 40 oz can you use. Thank you!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Jenna – I don’t know if there are 40 oz cans. You can use just under 2 of the 28 oz cans and it shouldn’t be an issue. That’s what I usually do.
Mary says
Amazing flavor for very little time and effort! Loved it and will be adding into the rotation – thank you!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Mary!
Erin says
So easy and flavorful. My husband loved as leftovers. The carrots added a yummy heartiness. Definitely adding this to my rotation of recipes!!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you + your husband liked it, Erin! It’s perfect for leftovers 🙂
Dess says
Loved how easy and simple it was to make! Will definitely keep coming back to this Chilli recipe 👍🏼
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Dess! I really appreciate it. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Melissa says
Making this tonight for the 4th or 5th time! My 10 yo likes to bring it in her lunch for school, so I make it and freeze it in batches. This will be a great surprise for her 1st lunch back to school!! (And I love the sneaky veggies)
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you like it, Melissa! We do the same thing – it’s so nice to pop a small container out of the freezer and have your lunch ready to go. I love that your kids love it – that makes me so happy to hear!
Laura says
This chili was so easy in the crockpot. I cooked at night and woke up to the amazing smell of deliciousness. This chili was simple and was tasty on a cold night. This made dinner easy and filling. Honestly we were fine just eating the chili alone. We did t serve it over anything and was delicious.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Laura! Glad it was easy for you to make! It’s so filling you really don’t even need to serve it over anything!
Lisa says
I’ve made this a few times already this fall, and it’s just so so good! I shared it with my daughter who loves the flavor especially the spices that include both cinnamon and Turmeric. It’s so easy for her to have a delicious meal waiting for her and her husband after a long day at work. The meal prep is honestly really quick too!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Lisa! I’m so glad you both like it!
Candy says
Great recipe! I made it in my instapot! Easy, fast and delicious!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Candy! Glad it works for you in the instant pot 🙂
Hayley says
This chili is so yummy and perfect for serving to large groups and for cold weather! Such a versatile and easy W30 recipe that everyone can love! I love it served over a baked potato or salad!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you like it, Hayley! You’re totally right – it’s great for big groups, and I’ve served it to a bunch of people who don’t even realize it’s healthy/Whole30 Friendly!
Tina says
Love the flavors in this recipe! It was a hit for my family!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks Tina! So glad you liked it!
Linda H says
Made the stove top version of the chili and even my neighbors could smell it simmering! Added beans and it was fabulous! Great leftovers, too!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Linda! The beans are a great addition! I think the chili is even better the next day as leftovers 🙂