Slow Cooker: Hearty Turkey Quinoa Chili

Okay, let’s be real – I know that there are one billion one million (yes, that’s a real number) chili recipes out there.  There are those precious family recipes passed from one generation to the next, the word-of-mouth recipes shared amongst friends, and the thousands of recipes floating around the internet.  You know what all of these recipes have in common?  They all claim to be the best chili ever.  Seeing as how chili recipes are endless, that’s a pretty bold statement.

Now that I’ve prefaced my post with that, you know I’m not saying this lightly… This is the best chili ever to me.  Please make sure you put the emphasis on the “to me” part of that sentence.  That’s the thing about chili – There are just so many variations that of course everyone’s palate thinks a different one is the best.

So why is this my favorite?  I can’t say it’s because of one specific thing.  It’s more about how well the flavors mesh together and how hearty this dish is.  Before making this dish, I had never had chili with quinoa in it before… Now, I don’t ever want to have chili without it!  The quinoa lends a whole new level of texture, makes it more filling, and adds great nutritional benefits (win, win, win!).

Have I convinced you to give this recipe a try yet?  I hope so!

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown your ground turkey and break into bite-size pieces.

Once the meat is browned, drain and pour into your slow cooker.  Add your crushed tomatoes and tomato paste on top.

Next, drain and rinse your black beans, kidney beans, and white shoe-peg corn and add all three to the slow cooker.

Tip:  As I mentioned in my Tri Colored Corn & Bean Salsa, it’s much more efficient to dump all of your canned beans/corn into a large strainer and drain/rinse them together.

While you’ve got your strainer out, measure one cup of quinoa and thoroughly rinse it.  Don’t skip this step because your quinoa will end up bitter if you do!  Add your rinsed quinoa to your slow cooker.

Tip:  I was a little worried about not pre-cooking the quinoa before adding it, but no worries, it’ll be completely cooked by the time you’re ready to eat.

Sprinkle your chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and crushed red pepper on top.  Finally, add 2 cups of water and use a large spoon to combine everything together.

Tip:  Make sure there’s enough water to almost completely cover everything – If necessary, add a little more.  When your quinoa is cooking, it will absorb the majority of this liquid.

Set your slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 and enjoy your day.  When you come back, you’ll be in for a treat – Your meal will smell tantalizing!  Dish out your chili in bowls, or follow my boyfriend’s lead, and eat it out of a large mug (Perfect if you’ll be eating while watching football).

Slow Cooker: Hearty Turkey Quinoa Chili

Source: Inspire & Indulge Original

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1lb ground turkey
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 15oz can of black beans (if possible, low/no/reduced sodium)
• 15oz can of dark red kidney beans (if possible, low/no/reduced sodium)
• 11oz can of white shoe-peg corn
• 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 6oz can of tomato paste
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 cups of water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• optional: 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

What to Do

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground turkey and break into small bite-size pieces.
2. Once the meat is browned, drain and pour into your slow cooker.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste on top.
4. Drain and rinse the black beans, kidney beans, and white shoe-peg corn and add all three to the slow cooker.
5. Rinse the quinoa and add to the slow cooker.
6. Sprinkle the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and crushed red pepper on top.
7. Add 2 cups of water and use a large spoon to combine everything together.
8. Set your slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4.
9. Scoop into bowls or mugs and enjoy with some cornbread, garlic bread, or crusty bread!

You May Also Like:

• Southwestern Chicken, Corn & Bean Casserole
• Slow Cooker: Savory Pot Roast with Mixed Veggies
• Slow Cooker: Southwestern Chicken & Beans
• Slow Cooker: Blackberry & Red Wine Pork Tenderloin

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Tags: beans, black beans, chili, chili con carne, Chili powder, comfort food, Cooking, corn, Crock Pot, crushed red pepper, dish to pass, ground meat, ground turkey, healthy, hearty, homemade, kidney beans, quinoa, recipe, shoepeg corn, Slow cooker, tomato paste, turkey

• October 29, 2012
• Main Dishes, Recipes
• 35 Comments