Slightly-spicy Slow Cooker Ground Turkey Soup has pinto beans, peppers, chiles, and Green Chile Enchilada sauce for extra flavor! See tips in the post for making a version with even fewer carbs.
Pin Slow Cooker Ground Turkey Soup to try it later!
Ever since I made Layered Mexican Casserole with Chicken and Pinto Beans I find myself grabbing a few cans of Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce whenever I’m at the grocery store. There are other good brands of green chile enchilada sauce, but Hatch brand seems perfect to my tastebuds, and when I wanted to spice up this Slow Cooker Ground Turkey Soup the Hatch Enchilada Sauce plus a can of diced green chiles gave me just the right amount of heat. (And just in case anyone is wondering, Hatch company hasn’t paid me to mention their Green Chile Enchilada Sauce, I just love it!)
I loved the soup with a little grated cheese sprinkled on top, and for those who’d like even more heat, Green Tabasco Sauce is the perfect thing to add to your soup at the table. And I know some people want those slow cooker recipes that can cook all day on low, but when you haven’t planned ahead, this is something you can throw together in the afternoon and after a few hours on high, you have a delicious dinner. I cooked my soup for 3 hours on high (and another hour or so wouldn’t hurt), but if you need more time than that, 6-8 hours on low would also work just fine.
Get new recipes via email:
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
How can you make this soup lower in carbs?
You can use more turkey and skip the beans to make this a low-carb soup. Or check out Green Chile Turkey Enchilada Soup which is a similar soup made in the Instant Pot that has the option of replacing the beans with cauliflower rice.
How to make Slow Cooker Ground Turkey Soup :
(Scroll down for complete recipe with nutritional information.)
- Heat a little oil in frying pan, brown the ground turkey very well; then add turkey to the slow cooker. (Browning adds flavor for slow cooker dishes, so don’t rush this step.)
- Add more oil and cook the onions for about 5 minutes, or until they’re pretty well softened; then add the Ancho chile powder, ground cumin, and dried Mexican oregano and cook about a minute more. Add the onion mixture to the slow cooker.
- Rinse the pinto beans until no more foam appears, and add to the slow cooker. (This removes the salt and makes the beans a little easier to digest.)
- Add the finely chopped red bell pepper, Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce (affiliate link), diced green chiles (affiliate link), and chicken broth or homemade chicken stock. If you need gluten-free, be sure to use a brand of green chile enchilada sauce that’s gluten free.
- Cook the soup for 3-4 hours on high (or 6-8 hours on low).
- Serve hot, with grated cheese and Green Tabasco Sauce (affiliate link) to add at the table.
More Tasty Slow Cooker Dinners:
Slow Cooker Greek Lentil Soup
Shredded Beef Tacos with Spicy Slaw and Avocado
Balsamic and Onion Pot Roast
Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice Soup
Weekend Food Prep:
This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep to help you find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground turkey
- 2 tsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped small
- 2 tsp. ground Ancho chile (see notes)
- 1 T ground cumin
- 1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano (see notes)
- one 15 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed with cold water and drained
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped small
- one 15 oz. can Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce (see notes)
- one 4 oz. can diced green chiles
- 2 cups chicken broth (see notes)
- grated mozzarella or 4 Cheese Mexican Blend, for serving
- Green Tabasco Sauce or other hot sauce of your choice, for serving
Instructions
- Heat 2 tsp. oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the ground turkey until it is well-browned, breaking apart with the turner as it cooks. (Browning adds a lot of flavor, so don’t rush this step.)
- Add browned turkey to the slow cooker.
- Then add another teaspoon of oil to pan and cook the chopped onions until they are well softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the ground Ancho chiles, ground cumin, and Mexican oregano and cook about 1 minute more.
- Add the onion-spices mixture to the slow cooker.
- While the turkey is browning, drain the pinto beans into a colander and rinse well with cold water until no more foam appears; then let beans drain.
- Dice the red bell pepper into smallish pieces.
- When browned turkey and onion mixture is in the slow cooker, add the pinto beans, chopped red bell pepper, green chile enchilada sauce, and diced green chiles with juice.
- Add the chicken stock to the pan you cooked the turkey and onions in, and scrape off any browned bits, then add that to the slow cooker.
- Cook on high about 3-4 hours, or until the soup is fragrant and bell peppers are softened. (You can also cook for 6-8 hours on low if you prefer.)
- Serve hot, with grated cheese and Green Tabasco Sauce (affiliate link) if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 419Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 5.4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13.4gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 691mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 5.4gSugar: 8.1gProtein: 35g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Did you make this recipe?
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Since this Slow Cooker Ground Turkey Soup has pinto beans, it’s probably too high in carbs for strict low-carb diets, but you could double the turkey and skip the beans for a low-carb version. With lean ground turkey and low-fat cheese, the soup is good for any phase of the original South Beach Diet. (Green chile enchilada sauce does contain a small amount of cornstarch and sugar, but the amount per serving is very small.)
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Slow Cooker Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You can also Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there. Click here for Slow Cooker and Pressure Cooker Recipes on my other site!
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was posted in 2012. It was last updated with more information in 2021.
Share This:
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Keto Short Rib Chili
Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.
There’s a definite chill in the air. Can you feel it? Well, maybe not in some parts of the country, but here in the Pacific Northwest, autumn is on its way, if not already here.
The best part of fall is the comfort food and there is no food more comforting than this short rib chili. Well, maybe my Shrimp and Bacon Chowder. Or perhaps my keto Cream of Mushroom Soup. And my Buffalo Chicken Soup is also pretty darn spectacular.
But this keto chili recipe definitely makes the short list.
Chili is and always has been one of my favorite foods, because even not very good chili is pretty darn comforting when you’re cold and hungry. How can you go wrong with meat cooked slowly in rich spices and a thick tomato broth? You can’t, that’s all. You can’t go wrong.
And the crazy part is that while I make chili all. the. time, I don’t actually have a good keto chili recipe here on All Day I Dream About Food. Until now, that is.
What makes the best keto chili?
Well, what really makes good chili is a matter of opinion and taste. And probably a few feuds as well. Everyone has their own take on the best way to make chili.
In my experience, a slow simmered chili recipe is best, as it allows the flavors to develop and intensify over time. So don’t be fooled by promises of “fast and easy”. Good chili is usually easy to make but it takes time to cook.
Keto chili should be devoid of any higher carb items like beans, though. That goes almost without saying, because beans are high in carbs and many consider them inflammatory. Onion needs to be kept to a minimum as well, since it’s surprisingly high carb.
Tomato sauce, paste, and puree can also send the carb count up if used too liberally. I like to keep my chili to less than 5g total carbs per serving, so I use a single can of diced tomatoes. Fire roasted tomatoes help bring out the best flavor.
But the focus of a good keto chili recipe should always be the meat and the spices. Use beef with a high percentage of fat for a satisfying meal, and be generous with the chili, cumin, and garlic.
Can you make keto chili ahead of time?
I find myself wanting to answer this question with a smart ass comment like “Is the pope Catholic?”. Because chili is perhaps the best make ahead meal on the planet.
It’s one of those dishes that seems to actually get better when it’s eaten the next day or even a few days later. And one of the benefits of keto chili is that there are no beans to get mushy as they sit and soften. So it’s just as good or better than the day you made it.
So go ahead and make a huge pot of this short rib chili. This particular recipe serves 10 people. Let it cool to room temperature and then split it up however you see fit. You can do individual servings, or portion it out for your family size.
The chili can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. We froze our leftovers back in May and I just fed my family the second portion about a month ago!
Because it contains acidic ingredients like tomatoes, I recommend storing in glass containers if you have them. If not, good BPA-Free tupperware works too.
Tips for making Short Rib Chili
Short ribs are ideal for comfort food dishes like this, because they are fatty and rich, and become incredibly tender with slow braising.
Always brown the ribs first: This step adds 10 minutes or so, but it’s worth it. Browning the meat in lard or oil helps bring out the best flavor, before the liquids are added. Otherwise, you are essentially just eating stewed meat. Transfer the ribs to a plate while making the rest of the chili.
Sweat the onions and other veggies: While I do keep the onion to a minimum, it definitely helps add flavor. So add the onion and green pepper to the pot and sauté in the oils and fats with a little bit of salt. This will help them release their juices and flavor.
Add the spices into the hot oil: Before adding any liquids into the pot, you want to briefly sauté the garlic, jalapeño, and spices in the hot oil. This enhances and intensifies the flavor.
Adjust the heat to your liking: My husband and I like our chili pretty spicy but our kids have more tender palates. So we keep the heat at a medium level. I always add the seeds from the jalapeño but you can leave them out if you want less spice. You can also leave out the cayenne. Or you can add more jalapeño and cayenne too.
Now add the liquids and the meat: Once the spices and garlic are fragrant, stir in the diced tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer before adding the meat.
Slow braise in the oven: You’re looking at a good two to three hours of cooking, but this time is completely inactive. You can be doing lots of other things during this time. Slow braising makes the meat from the short ribs fall off the bone and shred more easily.
Doesn’t this keto short rib chili sound like the perfect comfort food?
Check out my Keto Soups & Stews cookbook for more delicious comfort food recipes.
Keto Short Rib Chili
Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.
Print
Pin
Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: keto chili, keto chili recipe, short rib chili
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 428kcal
Ingredients
- 3 lb bone in short ribs
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup bacon fat, lard, or other high-heat oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 large green pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium jalapeno pepper minced (leave the seeds in for more heat)
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 15 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
- ⅓ cup beef bone broth
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300F and season the short ribs all over with salt and pepper.
In a large dutch oven over medium heat, melt the bacon fat or lard. Once hot, add half the short ribs and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and brown the remaining short ribs. Transfer to the plate.
Add the onion and pepper to the pot, sprinkle with salt, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne, and cook another minute, until fragrant.
Stir in the roasted tomatoes and bone broth and bring to a simmer. Add the short ribs back into the pot, cover and transfer to the oven.
Cook 2 to 3 hours, until the meat is very tender. Remove the ribs, shred the meat and return the meat to the pot. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve with your favorite chili toppings.
Nutrition Facts
Keto Short Rib Chili
Amount Per Serving (1 serving = about 1 cup)
Calories 428
Calories from Fat 319
% Daily Value*
Fat 35.4g54%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 1.2g5%
Protein 22.6g45%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Join the Conversation (0)
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
- Calories N/A
- Total Fat N/A
- Saturated Fat N/A
- Cholesterol N/A
- Sodium N/A
- Total Carbohydrates N/A
- Protein N/A
Hi, I'm Alex!
I love sharing easy, healthy, and family-friendly recipes that anyone can make at home.
Be the first to comment on this recipe!