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Made in the slow cooker for rich, simmered-all-day flavor, this pumpkin turkey chili is a hearty meal. It will warm you up right down to your toes!

A blue bowl filled with chili garnished with avocado slices and served with a biscuit on the side.

This recipe has been retested and updated since first posting November 2015.

Once fall hits, I’m giddy over the ability to open our windows again and indulge in some warm bowls of slow-cooked soups and stews.

Chili is one of our family favorites, and with good reason. It’s easy to customize to account for differing taste buds, as well as offer toppings on the side. (Check out my post on all the best chili toppings!)

This turkey chili features all the classic ingredients, but with one surprise: pumpkin!

The pumpkin adds a layer of sweetness to the chili, taming the heat so it isn’t overly spicy. It also thickens the chili, making it wonderfully hearty.

And, because this chili is made in the slow cooker, you can set it in the morning and come home to a fragrant, mouth-watering meal. What could be better than that?

Ingredients for turkey chili

Full list of ingredients including quantities is located in the recipe card.

Ingredients for a recipe including beans, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, pumpkin, bell pepper, spices, olive oil, cider vinegar, garlic, onion, and ground turkey, all labeled and arranged on a surface.

You’ll need:

Pumpkin purée – Make sure to get pure pumpkin, not pie mix.
Ground turkey
Bell pepper – any color
Onion
Garlic
Crushed tomatoes
Diced tomatoes – There’s no need to drain!
Cooked beans – Any variety. Drain and rinse the beans well.
Cider vinegar
Spices – Chili powder, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, salt, pepper
Cocoa powder – This might be an unexpected addition, but I love the depth of flavor just a touch of cocoa powder brings to chili. Make sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder for baking, not hot cocoa mix!

A blue bowl filled with chili is placed on a table next to a blue plate with biscuits. Two blue spoons and a striped napkin are also visible.

How to make this recipe

Because this turkey chili is made in the slow cooker, it’s super easy to do!

Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high. If your slow cooker has a sauté function like mine does, you can use that.

Once the oil is hot, add the turkey, breaking it up into small pieces. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook until the turkey is no longer pink and vegetables are starting to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute or so, until fragrant.

Mix together the spices and sprinkle over the turkey and vegetables. Stir well to coat everything in the spice blend. It should be very aromatic.

A slow cooker containing raw ground meat mixed with chopped green bell peppers and diced onions.

Ground meat cooked with chopped green bell peppers and onions in a slow cooker.

Transfer the turkey mixture to the slow cooker crock. Add in the beans, tomatoes, pumpkin, vinegar, and water. Stir well to mix everything together.

Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours on low, or 4 hours on high.

Serve with your favorite chili toppings like shredded cheese, cilantro, green onions, sour cream, or avocado, and a side of buttermilk cornbread!

Two blue bowls of chili topped with sliced avocado are set on a table with a white and black striped cloth. A plate of biscuits is visible beside the bowls.

Recipe tips

I like using a mix of beans for this recipe, so feel free to change up what beans you use based on what you have on hand. Black beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans (dark or light) are all great in turkey chili.

You could also swap in chickpeas (garbanzo beans), and add some Indian-inspired flavors by replacing some of the chili powder with garam masala and turmeric.

I usually buy 85/15 ground turkey for chili; however, you can buy 93% lean ground turkey if you need to reduce the fat content. You can also swap in ground chicken, but try to get a mixture of light and dark meat.

The pumpkin can be omitted from this recipe. If you like, you can also omit the added water.

When it comes to chili powder, I like to use ground ancho chile for the rich smoky flavor. You can use your preferred chili powder blend, adjusting up or down based on how hot you like it!

Storage tips

Chili is one dish that gets better after time, so don’t worry if you have leftovers!

Let the chili cool, then portion into individual servings in an airtight container. If you are storing in the refrigerator, I like deli containers. If you plan on freezing the chili, I recommend Souper Cubes.

Store the chili in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheat in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat until warmed through. Frozen chili can be reheated from frozen on the stove, or thaw overnight in the refrigerator before warming.

You can also reheat chili in the microwave, using a microwave-safe bowl. Be sure to cover the bowl with a splatter lid or paper towel to prevent any messes! Heat for 1 minute, then stir, and heat for 1 minute more or until heated through.

A blue bowl of chili topped with avocado slices, with more chili and biscuits in the background.

More chili recipes you’ll love

Looking to make your own chili bar for your next tailgate or family party?

Our favorite Christmas chili is perfect any time of year, or you can try a new protein with bison chili.

White chicken chili is a zesty option, or you can add spaghetti to the mix with Cincinnati chili.

Don’t forget the vegetarians! Make sweet potato black bean chili, butternut squash chili, or three bean chili.

This turkey chili is such a satisfying meal any day of the week. You’ll love how easy it is to make.

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It means so much when you enjoy my recipes, so let me know how it goes and leave a comment if you have any questions.