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Does anyone else agree that soups and chilis make some of the easiest freezer meals?
I mean, for the most part, you cook everything in a slow cooker and stuff it all in a freezer bag. And to be honest, I think it tastes better after being frozen.
This Turkey Chili didn’t take long to make at all, especially since I cooked the meat on Sunday. Then all I had to do was open a bunch of cans and add everything to my slow cooker. And drool whenever I walked into the kitchen and smelled it.
We had intended to eat this for dinner and freeze the other half, but we still had a lot of leftovers from the Baked Penne so I divided the chili into two freezer bags instead. I got 6-7 cups per bag, with each bag serving 4. Not bad!
Going back to Sunday, cooking all 3 pounds of ground turkey for the week was SO helpful. And adding the shredded vegetables really made a difference in making me think there was more meat. Seriously, you’ll save a lot of money by reducing the meat and adding veggies!
If you choose not to add anything to the meat, just add an extra pound of meat- so two pounds instead of one.
When it comes time to reheat the chili, let it thaw overnight. It won’t be completely thawed, but just enough to crumble it into pieces in the pot and simmer it for awhile.
And when we get around to eating this chili, I’m making my Healthy Cornbread Muffins to go with it! It’s one of my favorites and I always make sure I have the ingredients at home.
How’s your freezer cooking going? Leave a comment and let me know!
Turkey Chili
A perfect dinner for a cold night, this healthy Turkey Chili is made in the slow cooker and is freezer friendly! Eat half now and freeze the rest!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground turkey or beef (Or use 1 pound with 1 cup each shredded zucchini and carrots)
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 can pinto beans
- 1 can kidney beans
- 1 46-ounce can tomato juice
- 2 6-ounce cans tomato paste
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Cook the ground turkey or beef with the onion and drain.
- Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours on LOW.
Notes
Recipe adapted from PinkWhen.
To freeze, divide into 2 gallon-sized labeled freezer bags. Lay both flat on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer.
To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and let simmer on the stove for about 20 minutes.
Other Posts in “4 Weeks to Fill Your Freezer” Series
–4 Weeks to Fill Your Freezer Week 1- Breakfast
–Whole Wheat Waffles (Day 1)
–Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal (Day 2)
–Breakfast Burrito Packs (Day 3)
–Morning Glory Muffins (Day 4)
–Healthy Breakfast Sausage Balls (Day 5)
–4 Weeks to Fill Your Freezer Challenge Week 2- Lunch
–Freezer Ham and Cheese Pockets (Day 6)
–Slow Cooker Mexican Burritos (Day 7)
–Pepperoni Pizza Pockets (Day 8)
–Santa Fe Chicken Frozen Lunches (Day 9)
–Cream Cheese Chicken Chimichangas (Day 10)
–4 Weeks to Fill Your Freezer Week 3- Dinner
–Freezer Friendly Baked Penne (Day 11)
–Turkey Chili (Day 12)
–Freezer Sloppy Joes (Day 13)
–Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas (Day 14)
–Red Chicken Enchiladas (Day 15)
–4 Weeks to Fill Your Freezer Week 4- Snacks/Dessert
–Peanut Butter Energy Bites (Day 16)
–Cinnamon Banana Muffins (Day 17)
–Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread (Day 18)
–Freezer Chocolate Chip Cookies (Day 19)
–Carrot Cake Cookies (Day 20)