Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Pumpkin is so hip. It’s like the chambray of the food world. Everyone wants to get on the pumpkin bandwagon.

Hey, I won’t lie. I’m on it too. I’m loving it.

Last week I went all sweet on myself and made dark chocolate and walnut pumpkin cookies. I brought them to work and they were gone in a flash. Whether people were just being nice or if they really enjoyed them is a mystery, but I think it was the latter. They were super yummy. I’m being a good daughter and bringing my mother home some of these treats this weekend…go me!

Well, a few nights ago, I wanted to go all pumpkin overload again but I also didn’t want to bake. My poor Crock Pot has been collecting dust the past few months…the dog days of summer didn’t have me craving stew or chili or anything of that nature.

So, are you ready for the kicker? We are going to bring our love of pumpkin together with our love of our Crock Pots, and we are going to call it Pumpkin Chili.

I decided that a Turkey Pumpkin chili would work best…turkey is more mild than ground beef and so I was able to get a little crazy with the other flavors that went into the dish.

Because this is a Crock Pot meal, you can guarantee this is super simple and also super delicious. If the reality of fall hasn’t hit you yet, give this chili a try—it will have you dreaming of foliage and jack-o-laterns!

Here’s what you need for Turkey Pumpkin Chili (roughly adapted from SkinnyTaste):

1.5-2 pounds ground turkey

1 can garbanzo beans

1 can white (great northern) beans

1 can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling…that would be way too sweet)

1 10.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with jalepenos (I found this at Whole Foods. If you can’t find them together, feel free to add a little bit of finely diced jalepenos to taste)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon (or more) cinnamon

1 onion, diced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Shredded cheddar cheese and brown rice for serving

Here’s what you do:

Brown your turkey in a lightly greased frying pan over medium heat until cooked and crumbly.

Add the cooked turkey and all remaining ingredients to the crockpot. Stir to combine.

Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours.

Adjust your seasonings and serve over rice, topped with a generous amount of cheese.

I love trying out chili recipes that deviate from the norm. This particular recipe will make 4 to 5 servings…one batch of this stuff didn’t even last around my place for a whole day! Great served right out of the pot or as a hearty lunch.

Here’s a tip: If you are not a morning person (like me), all of the ingredients can be combined the night before. All you need to do in the morning is plug in the crockpot and set it to low. Amazing!