This healthy turkey chili recipe is one of my favorite one pot recipes. Full of veggies and ground turkey that is generously seasoned, this chili is perfect for a weeknight meal or a gathering. It has that classic chili flavor you know and love, is thick in texture, but lighter than traditional chili, thanks to the ground turkey. You won’t even miss the beef!
This recipe is definitely a cold-weather favorite, but I love making it all year-round. It’s so easy to make, and leftovers reheat wonderfully. It only takes around an hour to make and yields a tender, delicious bowl of chili every single time.
It’s such a hearty and satisfying recipe, but don’t let that stop you from serving it with some sides! Serve this easy turkey chili with one of my homemade bread recipes like my garlic bread recipe, breadstick recipe, or cornbread recipe!
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Aromatics — don’t skip the onion and garlic in your chili! Onion and garlic add a ton of flavor to the chili. Use freshly minced garlic when possible instead of jarred pre-minced garlic.
Bell pepper — I like using red bell pepper, but you can also use yellow, orange, or even green bell pepper. Keep in mind that green bell pepper is less sweet than the other colors.
Turkey — you can use any type of ground turkey. Using a less lean ground turkey will add a little more flavor to the chili.
Seasoning — I season the turkey chili with chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne, and black pepper. Make sure your seasoning is fresh, as over time, they will taste stale.
Diced Tomatoes — I use diced tomatoes, but if you prefer a smoother texture, try crushed tomatoes.
Beans — I use kidney beans. Make sure to drain and rinse them to remove the extra sodium.
Chicken broth — you can use store-bought or homemade chicken broth. If you want to control the salt levels, use low-sodium chicken broth.
Toppings — I love to top my chili with green onions, shredded cheese, and my homemade sour cream. My guacamole, salsa, and pico de gallo recipes are great toppings for turkey chili.
How to Make Turkey Chili
1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook stirring frequently until tender.
2. Add the turkey and cook until no longer pink, breaking it up into chunks with the back of a spoon.
3. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
4. Stir in the canned tomatoes.
5. Add the beans, broth, and brown sugar, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any stuck-on or browned bits. Bring to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, until the chili thickens. Serve topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, and sliced green onions.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- For some extra heat, you can add extra cayenne pepper and add some sliced jalapeños as toppings.
- Want to add more veggies? Go for it! Carrots, celery, more bell peppers, corn, and zucchini make for a great addition to your ground turkey chili.
- If you’re not a fan of kidney beans, you can use black beans, pinto beans, or even navy beans.
- To make the chili thicker, increase the time you spend simmering it uncovered.
- I recommend getting a good quality heavy-bottomed pot to distribute the heat evenly for a long simmer.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make this turkey chili in a slow cooker by starting the process on the stovetop, but after seasoning the vegetables and turkey, transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours.
Once the turkey chili is at room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. You can reheat leftovers on the stovetop or microwave. Avoid adding toppings to the chili if you plan on storing it for later.
This chili with ground turkey freezes wonderfully! After cooking, give it time to cool to room temperature. Then, transfer the chili to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze it for up to 3 months.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Turkey Chili recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Turkey Chili
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 pound ground turkey (450g)
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 (14.5-ounce/411g) can diced tomatoes
- 2 (15.5-ounce/439g) cans red kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 1½ cups chicken broth (360mL)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Toppings:
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
- sliced green onions
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook stirring frequently until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and cook until no longer pink, breaking up and chunks with the back of a spoon. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Stir in the tomatoes, beans, broth, and brown sugar, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any stuck-on or browned bits. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, until the chili thickens, about 45 minutes. Serve topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, and sliced green onions.
Video
Notes
- For some extra heat, you can add extra cayenne pepper and add some sliced jalapeños as a topping.
- Want to add more veggies? Go for it! Carrots, celery, more bell peppers, corn, and zucchini make for a great addition to your chili.
- If you’re not a fan of kidney beans, you can use black beans, pinto beans, or even navy beans.
- To make the chili thicker, increase the time you spend simmering it uncovered.
- I recommend getting a good quality heavy-bottomed pot to distribute the heat evenly for a long simmer.
