High-Protein Turkey Chili
Per serving (about 1.5 cups)
How I calculate this → Protein calculator →
9g of protein per 100 calories, more than 13 of the other 27 dinner recipes here.
I brown the turkey and vegetables before they go into the slow cooker rather than dumping everything in raw. Browning builds flavor that a slow cooker's gentle heat can't create on its own, since it never gets hot enough for the same reaction. From there it's mostly hands-off: six hours on low and the chili is done, thick, and ready to portion out for the week.
Why you'll love this
- 28g of protein per serving plus real fiber from beans and chili powder
- Mostly hands-off after a quick browning step
- Makes 6 servings, ready to portion for the week
Recipe
High-Protein Turkey Chili
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook, breaking it up, for 5 to 6 minutes until no longer pink.
- Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until softened.
- Stir in the garlic, chili powder, and cumin and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Transfer everything to the slow cooker. Add the kidney beans, diced tomatoes, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 3 to 4 hours.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Slow cooker
Notes
- I brown the turkey and vegetables in a skillet first rather than skipping straight to the slow cooker. That browning step builds real flavor a slow cooker's steady, gentle heat can't produce on its own.
- This thickens more the longer it sits, so leftovers the next day are often even better than the first bowl.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 300 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 28g |
| Carbs | 16g |
| Fat | 15g |
| Fiber | 5g |
Where these numbers come from
I calculate every figure above from USDA FoodData Central, ingredient by ingredient, then divide by the servings the recipe makes. Each FDC number links to the exact USDA entry I used. How I calculate nutrition
- Ground turkey: FDC #171506 (Turkey, Ground, cooked), 27.4g protein / 203 kcal / 10.4g fat per 100g. 1.5 lb raw (680g) scaled to a 75% cooked yield for ground meat = 510g cooked.
- Kidney beans: FDC #174285 (Beans, kidney, red, mature seeds, canned, drained solids), 7.98g protein / 124 kcal / 1.05g fat / 21.5g carb / 5.5g fiber per 100g; FDC's own '1 can drained solids' measure = 266g.
- Diced tomatoes: FDC #170051 (Tomatoes, red, ripe, canned, packed in tomato juice), 1 cup = 240g, including its fiber (1.9g per 100g).
- Onion: FDC #170000 (Onions, raw), 1.1g protein / 40 kcal / 9.34g carb / 1.7g fiber per 100g.
- Bell pepper: FDC #170108 (Peppers, sweet, red, raw), 0.99g protein / 26 kcal per 100g.
- Garlic: FDC #169230 (Garlic, raw), 6.36g protein / 149 kcal / 33.1g carb / 2.1g fiber per 100g; 1 clove = 3g.
- Chili powder: FDC #171319 (Spices, chili powder), 13.5g protein / 282 kcal / 14.3g fat / 49.7g carb / 34.8g fiber per 100g.
- Cumin: FDC #170923 (Spices, cumin seed), 17.8g protein / 375 kcal / 22.3g fat / 44.2g carb / 10.5g fiber per 100g.
- Olive oil: FDC #171413 (Oil, olive, salad or cooking), 100g fat / 884 kcal per 100g, 0g protein.
- Quantities: onion 1 medium = 110g (FDC #170000); red bell pepper 1 medium = 119g; chili powder 2 tbsp = 16g; cumin 1 tbsp = 6g; kidney beans 1 can drained = 266g; olive oil 2 tbsp = 27g.
- Re-verified 2026-09-28: batch totals 168.9g protein, 1,794 kcal, 87.6g fat, 95.6g carb, 29.9g fiber; divided by 6. At 5g fiber per serving it now meets the high-fiber bar.
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. This is one of the few recipes here that genuinely tastes better the next day, once the flavors have had time to sit.
FAQ
Can I skip the browning step?
You can add everything raw and it will still cook through safely, but you’ll lose the depth of flavor that browning the turkey and vegetables first adds. I don’t recommend skipping it if you have the extra 10 minutes.
Can I use a different bean?
Black beans or pinto beans both work as a direct swap for the kidney beans in the same amount.
How spicy is this?
Mild to moderate, depending on your chili powder blend. Add a diced jalapeno with the onion and pepper, or a pinch of cayenne, if you want more heat.
Looking for more slow cooker meal-prep dinners: the chili is a beef-based variation on the same idea.
Ground turkey carries this chili, and High-Protein Meats compares it with lean ground beef.
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