Crockpot Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Pumpkin in chili isn’t a gimmick. Stirred into a pot of ground turkey and tomatoes, it melts down into the broth and lends the chili a velvety body and a faint earthy sweetness that balances the chili powder and heat. You won’t bite into pumpkin; you’ll just notice the chili tastes rounder and richer.

Start by browning the turkey with the onion, pepper, and garlic in a skillet first. Lean turkey can taste flat straight from the slow cooker, so that bit of browning builds the savory base it needs.

Then it all goes into the crock to simmer until the flavors marry. It’s a lighter, leaner bowl than beef chili, but it doesn’t taste like a compromise.

Kitchen Tips

• Brown the turkey and sweat the vegetables before they go in; the slow cooker won’t develop that flavor on its own.
• Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is sweetened and spiced.
• Taste and adjust the chili powder at the end; long simmering can dull the spices.

Variations

• Stir in a can of drained black or kidney beans for more heft.
• Add a chopped chipotle in adobo for smoky heat.
• Top with cheese, sour cream, avocado, or a handful of pepitas for crunch.