Crock Pot Turkey and Pumpkin Chili

I pre-ordered the new Skinnytaste Fast and Slow Cookbook and was thrilled when it got to my house…On the day it was officially released. I follow Gina’s blog and always love what she comes up with. I especially love recipes that involve the use of a slow cooker since you can set it and forget it. They’re the perfect recipes for days where you’re either heading to work or running errands and don’t have time to stand around the kitchen and prep a meal. This book also includes recipes that can be thrown together in under 30 minutes. That’s also great if you had a long day at the office and need something quick, that does not involve the drive-thru window. I decided the first recipe I was going to try was the slow cooker turkey and pumpkin chili. Gina uses navy beans in hers, while I opted for kidney beans. I also changed around the amount of ingredients here and there but at the end of it all, it’s a chili that is still incredibly delicious and perfect on a chilly day (see what I did there?).

Ingredients:
Cooking spray or oil mister (I used PAM olive oil spray)
2 pounds lean ground turkey
2 1/2 teaspoons ground sea salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (I used Swanson)
2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin puree
2 (4-ounce) cans chopped mild green chiles (Old el Paso makes these if you don’t know what to look for)
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Black pepper, to taste
2 bay leaves

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Coat skillet with cooking spray and add the ground turkey and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, using a wooden spoon to break the meat into pieces as it browns (this takes 5-10 minutes). Transfer to a slow cooker.
Add oil to the skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent (5 minutes or so). Transfer to the slow cooker.
To the slow cooker, add the broth, beans, pumpkin, green chiles, cumin, chili powder, oregano, black pepper, and bay leaves, as well as the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Stir well. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours (low and slow is always better IMO).
Remove the bay leaves, adjust the seasoning to taste, and serve.

Chili isn’t the prettiest thing in the world but it sure tastes good!

This came out delicious with just the right amount of spice. The flavors blended together beautifully. And it was filling! Definitely a fantastic recipe if you’re looking for something to make as the months get cooler. This recipe also made a ton of food, which resulted in a lot of leftovers. I can’t wait to try out some other recipes from this book!