Recipes / Dinner
Slow-Cooker High-Protein Turkey Chili (35g, Freezer-Friendly)
By Md Z. Hasan · Updated August 7, 2026
255 min
Total time
6
Servings
35g
Protein
350
Calories
The hardest nights on a GLP-1 are the ones where you should eat a real, protein-rich dinner but the thought of cooking is exhausting and nothing sounds good. This chili is built for exactly those nights — because you cook it once, and then it’s just waiting for you. One batch makes six bowls, each with 35 grams of protein, and it freezes as well as anything.
Why this works on a GLP-1
Three reasons this earns a permanent spot in the rotation:
- Cook once, eat all week. A small appetite makes daily cooking feel pointless. Batch-cook once and you remove the decision entirely — a real meal is already made.
- Protein and fiber in one bowl. Lean turkey and beans hit your protein target while the beans deliver the fiber that helps with the constipation almost everyone runs into.
- Gentle and warm. It’s soft, easy to eat, and easy to reheat in a small portion when you can only manage a little.
Make it your way
- Leaner or richer: 99% lean turkey cuts the fat further; 93/7 stays a bit more tender.
- Spicier: add a diced jalapeño or a pinch of cayenne.
- More veg: stir in a diced zucchini or a handful of spinach in the last hour.
- Lower carb: halve the beans and add extra turkey.
Make it on a Sunday, portion it out, and future-you — the one staring into the fridge with no appetite and no energy — will be very glad it’s there.
Ingredients
- 2 lb (about 900g) lean ground turkey (93/7)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Two 15 oz cans kidney beans (or black beans), drained and rinsed
- One 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- One 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 cup low-sodium broth
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- To top: a dollop of plain Greek yogurt, sliced avocado, green onion, cilantro, lime
Instructions
- 1
For the best flavor, brown the turkey with the onion in a skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink (about 6–8 minutes), breaking it up as it cooks. (Short on time? You can skip this and add it raw — it still works.)
- 2
Transfer the turkey and onion to the slow cooker. Add the bell peppers, garlic, beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, and all the spices.
- 3
Stir well, cover, and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours.
- 4
Taste and adjust — more salt, chili powder, or a squeeze of lime to brighten it. If it's thicker than you like, stir in a little more broth.
- 5
Serve topped with Greek yogurt, avocado, green onion, and cilantro. Portion the rest for the week (see tips).
Tips
- This is a small-appetite superpower: make the full batch, then portion it into freezer-safe containers so you have a 35g-protein meal ready on the days cooking feels impossible.
- Browning the turkey first is optional but adds real depth — worth the extra 8 minutes if you have them.
- Top with **Greek yogurt instead of sour cream** for a protein bump and the same cool, tangy finish.
- The beans do double duty — protein *and* the fiber that helps with GLP-1 constipation. Add an extra can if you tolerate them well.
- No slow cooker? Simmer everything in a large pot on the stovetop for 30–40 minutes instead.
Gear that makes this easier
Optional — you likely have most of it. These are affiliate links to category searches on Amazon; as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
- Freezer-safe meal-prep containers — portion the batch so a high-protein meal is always ready on a low-energy day.
Log this 35g toward your daily target
ProteinDose tracks daily protein on a GLP-1 — one-tap presets, photo and barcode scanning, Apple Health sync.(Our own iOS app — free to download.)
