Slow Cooker Cincinnati Turkey Chili
on Jan 28, 2015, Updated Jul 16, 2024
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A Super Bowl party just isn’t complete without a bowl full of chili. Football and chili are synonymous with each other. There’s something about a bowl of meaty, hearty goodness topped with a pile of cheese and sour cream, that is sure to get anyone’s mouth watering. This Slow Cooker Cincinnati Turkey Chili is a favorite around our house and will be perfect for making this coming Sunday during the Super Bowl!
I didn’t know it was possible for a person to not like chili until I met my husband. Figures, he doesn’t like soup or stew, and chili is essentially a variation of that. Well, I was determined to make a chili that he would love. He isn’t a big fan of blow your head off spicy dishes, he can’t stand peppers, and he doesn’t like things that are overloaded with beans. I should probably be appreciative of these things as they are all foods that can cause some intestinal irritation if you know what I mean.
When I started browsing through hundreds of chili recipes I was intrigued with Cincinnati chili. The combination of spices in this chili is so unique! On top of the usual chili powder and cumin combo, it also incorporates cinnamon, allspice, and chocolate. I bet you weren’t expecting to find those in your bowl full of chili! Another addition I added to mine was a little bit of barbecue sauce. My husband loves the stuff and I liked the subtle sweet and smokey flavor that it added to the chili.
Another interesting thing about Cincinnati chili is the way it is served. Traditionally it is served on top of spaghetti. I’ve served this on top of pasta, cheddar cornbread waffles, and straight out of the bowl like you see here. If you are making this for the big game on Sunday I would recommend just serving it on it’s own out of a bowl. With all the other game day food being served I don’t think guests will have tons of extra room for all the carbs in pasta, plus serving it this way will please any of your gluten free guests.
I topped this meaty, slightly sweet, a little smokey, and knock your socks off delicious Cincinnati chili with shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, and plain non fat Greek yogurt. I almost always sub Greek yogurt for sour cream because the texture is the same, it’s tangy and tart like sour cream, and it’s fat free! When you mix the toppings into the hot chili it becomes so creamy and rich, I absolutely can’t get enough of the stuff! For all the chili haters out there, this Slow Cooker Cincinnati Turkey Chili is the recipe that’s going to convert you into a chili lover!
Slow Cooker Cincinnati Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 15 ounce can kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
- Cheddar cheese green onions, and plain non fat Greek yogurt or sour cream for serving
Instructions
- Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat.
- Spray the skillet generously with cooking spray and add in the ground turkey and diced onion.
- Use a wooden spoon to break up the turkey into small crumbles.
- Cook the turkey and onion until the turkey is completely cooked through, about 4-5 minutes, then add in the tomato paste, stirring until combined.
- Pour the turkey and onion mixture into the slow cooker and add in the rest of the ingredients minus the toppings.
- Stir everything together then cover and cook on low for 3-5 hours depending on the size of your slow cooker.
- Top with shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, and Greek yogurt or sour cream if desired.
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I didn’t know Cincinnati chili was a thing before finding this recipe, so I don’t have anything to compare this to. I doubled the recipe, making the turkey/onion mix in two batches so it didn’t just steam in the pan. I also used a can of black beans and a can of kidney beans instead of two cans of kidney beans. I really like how thick and textural this is. It’s amazing over rice! I’m just not sure if I like how sweet this is. If I try this again, I’ll experiment with reducing the brown sugar. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Oh my goodness was this good! My new go-to Cincinnati chili recipe. The BBQ sauce really makes it. My husband couldn’t get enough!
I’m so happy you guys liked the chili Adrienne! It’s one of my favorites and you’re right about the BBQ sauce putting it over the top. Thanks for trying out the recipe! :-)
I’ve never made a turkey chili before so you definitely have inspired me here to try the recipe out!
Thanks Thalia!
A man who doesn’t like chili?! I don’t know about him…. ;) Oh and serving these on Cheddar Cornbred Waffles is just genius! Love this chili!
Thanks Taylor! Trust me I don’t know about him either sometimes. ;-)
Hey there! Got your details from the Inspiration Kitchen blog. Oh my word this chilli looks absolutely delicious and I love that you made it in a slow cooker :-)
Thanks Johlene, glad you found me! I love recipes that can be made in the slow cooker!
Oooh I love those flavors! I love a pinch of cinnamon in my chili but I’ve never tried allspice or chocolate, bet it adds so much complexity :) Looks delicious!
Thanks Denise! The combination of the cinnamon, allspice, and chocolate doesn’t something magical to the chili. I just love it!
Now that is a beautiful bowl of chili! LOVE it, Danae and I wish I had a bowl right now!
Thanks so much Julie! :-)
Absolutely perfect chili for any day, but especially for this Sunday!
Thanks Matt! I hope you have some great things lined up to eat this Sunday!
This looks great! We are trying to find a lot of new recipes to try, and chili is one of our favorites, so this will definitely go on the list!
Thanks Charbel!