Slow Cooker Turkey Apple Chili (No Beans)
Easy to throw together, Slow Cooker Turkey Apple Chili is made with ground turkey, spicy chipotle peppers, sweet apples and with no beans.
A naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, Whole30 and delicious one-pot recipe!
There is just something about the combo of sweet apples and spicy chipotle that just works.
Add those flavors to a warm pot of slow cooker turkey apple chili and you’ve got yourself a winner of a dinner.
I love the versatility of this recipe because it can be made in a crockpot or on the stovetop for quick weeknight cooking.
There are no beans in this hearty chili, making it a great option for people following a paleo or whole30 diet, but if you love beans, go ahead and add ’em.
I used homemade chicken stock for this recipe but feel free to use storebought chicken or vegetable stock.
I love this chili on a cold fall or winter evening, with some homemade muffins on the side and a generous squeeze of lime juice.
I hope you’ll make this one soon.
Now, let’s make some slow cooker turkey apple chili in the slow cooker!
RECIPE & KID-FRIENDLY ADAPTATIONS
1 | Skip the chipotle if you prefer things less spicy.
2 | Serve with One-Bowl Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins or One-Bowl Apple Cornmeal Muffins.
3 | Love beans? Add 2 cans of drained and rinsed white beans for an even heartier option.
THIS RECIPE IS . . .
Dairy FreeGluten FreeNut FreePaleoWhole30
Slow Cooker Paleo Turkey Apple Chili (+ 30-Minute Stovetop Option)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 2 pounds 93% lean dark meat ground turkey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon mild chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
- 1 15-oz can tomato sauce
- 8- oz chicken broth
- 1 cup apple cider
- 2 medium apples, any kind, cored and chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- Juice of 1 lime
- Chopped scallion and cilantro for serving, optional
Equipment
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often until soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add the turkey, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook until browned, stirring often, about 5-8 minutes.
- Add the cooked onion and turkey, along with the, garlic, cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, chipotle peppers, remaining salt, tomato sauce, chicken broth, apple cider, apples, and bay leaf to a 6-quart slow cooker, stirring until well combined.
- Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-7, or until the onions and apples are very soft.
- Uncover and add the lime juice. Taste and add additional salt or lime juice if desired. Serve with scallion and cilantro if you like.
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often until soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add the turkey, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook until browned, stirring often, about 5-8 minutes.
- Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, and chipotle pepper, stirring to combine. Cook 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, apple cider, apples, and bay leaf, stirring to combine.
- Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes, or until the apples have softened. Remove the lid and simmer to thicken, if desired.
- Uncover and add the lime juice. Taste and add additional salt or lime juice if desired. Serve with scallion and cilantro if you like.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition disclaimerThis post contains affiliate links
Made this last week and it was delicious! I wasn’t sure how I would like the addition of sweet ingredients to chili but I am converted. It was a big hit with even the littlest family members (with a bit less chipotle than the original recipe calls for as suggested).
Thanks for sharing!
Amy, so glad you and your crew enjoyed this one! 🙂
Can you substitute the apple cider for apple cider vinegar or just leave the apple cider out if you can’t find it?
Danika, you can leave it out or use an alternative acid such as white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar or lemon. The acid just gives it a little balance of flavor at the end. Hope this helps!
I have been scouring the internet for GOOD slow cooker recipes that are dairy free, since my wife is lactose intolerant. I recently came across your website and have tried 3 or 4 recipes now and every one has been a HIT. This one is my absolute favorite so far. I’ve made it twice: the first time exactly as directed, and the second, I swapped the apples for white sweet potatoes (which I didn’t even know was a thing, but they ended up being PERFECT for this recipe). The flavors, the texture, the smell…everything was absolutely perfect. I can’t wait to make this (and more of your recipes) again!
Yes, Christine, so happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipes!
This is my new very favorite recipe. I make with a pumpkin cornbread and a harvest salad. I’ve shared with so many.
Janet, yay, so happy to hear you’re enjoying this one! Love the idea of adding pumpkin cornbread on the side. Yum!
Very tasty, make sure you wait till it’s cooled off cause it’ll smell so good you’ll want to dive right in! My friend added a little pepper jack to hers since she isn’t doing whole30 and liked it too.
Liliana, yay, so glad you enjoyed this one. And you’re right, after that long cook time slow cooker chili can be HOT! Pepper jack sounds like a lovely post-Whole30 addition as well!
A family favorite! So delicious and easy. Freezes well. I try to always have some in the freezer for busy weeks.
Michele, yay, so glad you’re enjoying this one. Love the idea of having this one stashed away in the freezer. What could be better? Thanks so much for leaving a review!