There are few things as comforting on a cold day than a piping hot bowl of chili. My Ultimate Turkey Chili is a versatile and nutritious crowd-pleaser that's perfect for chilly evenings, game day gatherings, or simply when you're craving a bowl of hearty goodness.
When it comes to hearty and satisfying comfort food, few dishes can rival the perfection of a well-made bowl of chili! Packed with lean protein, a colorful array of vegetables, and a delicious blend of spices, my ultimate turkey chili is a versatile and nutritious dish.
This delicious and healthy turkey chili recipe is a fun dish to share with friends on game night. It’s also equally suitable for a casual weeknight dinner that the whole family will love. It's one of my favorite chili recipes because it tastes like it's been simmering away on the stove top for hours but it cooks in just about 30 minutes!
The beauty of this ground turkey chili lies in its versatility. Chili is one of those recipes that you can tailor with your favorite ingredients to make it your own.
You can add other vegetables to the dish like corn, zucchini or sweet potatoes. You can even leave out the meat altogether and make this a vegetarian chili. Or toss in some diced butternut squash and make a delicious butternut squash and turkey chili.
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Why You'll Love This Dish
- So much flavor- this homemade turkey chili has a delicious blend of smoky and spicy TexMex flavors.
- Hearty and satisfying- with its protein and fiber-packed ingredients, it's a filling meal that will keep you satisfied for hours.
- Quick and easy- quickly whip up a batch of this easy turkey chili recipe all in one pot.
- Healthy Twist: with lean ground turkey, this chili offers a lighter alternative to traditional beef chili without skimping on flavor.
- Meal prep champion: leftovers are even better the next day so make a double batch and enjoy the leftovers over the next few days. Plus, it freezes well.
- Crowd-pleaser- whether you're hosting a sports night with friends or tailgating at the stadium, a big pot of chili is the ultimate crowd-pleaser.
Doctor's Tips
- The combination of lean protein, fiber-rich beans, and nutrient-packed vegetables makes this hearty turkey chili recipe a well-rounded and satisfying meal.
- One serving of this chili has 24 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber. Fiber is a crucial component of a balanced diet as it promotes digestive health, helps control blood sugar levels, and supports weight management. To add even more fiber, toss some more vegetables into this healthy turkey chili or serve it on a bed of brown rice or quinoa.
- Use "reduced sodium," "low sodium" or "no salt added" canned beans and chicken broth to control the amount of sodium in this turkey chili. Drain the beans and rinse them under running water. This can reduce the amount of sodium by more than 40%!
Ingredients
Ingredient notes and substitutions (see recipe card at end of post for full ingredient amounts):
- Ground turkey- I use 93% lean ground turkey; you can substitute ground chicken or lean ground beef
- Beans- I use a combination of pinto beans and red kidney beans for texture, protein, and fiber. You can use other types of beans like black beans or cannelini beans
- Dried spices- I use a combination of chili powder (you can use regular chili powder or ancho chili powder), cumin, and oregano; you can also add cayenne pepper for additional heat. Sometimes I add canned chipotles in adobo, which have a nice smoky flavor.
- Tomatoes- I use canned fire roasted tomatoes and tomato sauce; the fire roasted tomatoes add a nice smoky flavor to the turkey chili
- Chicken broth- I use reduced sodium broth to control the amount of sodium in the dish
- Chopped green chiles- add a boost of tangy flavor to the chili
How To Make Turkey Chili Step-By-Step
See full recipe instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Step 1- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed large pot over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and brown it, breaking it up with a spatula or wooden spoon as it cooks.
- Step 2- Add the onion, bell pepper,and garlic to the ground meat and cook until softened.
- Step 3- Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf.
- Step 4- Stir to combine.
- Step 5- Add the diced green chilis, beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken stock, and salt.
- Step 6- Stir it all together and simmer the chili for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Spoon turkey chili into bowls and serve with your favorite toppings.
Chef's Tips
- Use "reduced sodium," "low sodium" or "no salt added" canned beans and chicken broth to control the sodium in this turkey chili. Be sure to drain the beans and rinse them under running water to reduce the sodium even more.
- You can adjust the heat level of this chili and add some cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes or hot sauce for more spice.
- You can easily make this a vegetarian chili by leaving out the ground turkey and substituting vegetable broth for chicken broth. You can add other ingredients to the chili like more beans, chickpeas, lentils, or leafy greens.
- The best part about this chili is that it tastes even better the next day so feel free to double the recipe- you won’t regret it!
- You can make this turkey chili in the slow cooker as well. See "Recipe FAQs" section below for instructions.
How To Serve This Dish
If you're hosting a gathering, consider setting up a chili bar with everyone's favorite chili toppings and let your guests or family customize their bowls. It's a fun and interactive way to serve this hearty turkey chili! Here are some ideas for toppings:
- Shredded cheese- like Mexican blend, Monterey jack or cheddar cheese
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Green onions
- Diced avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Diced tomato
- Diced red onion
- Lime wedges
- Sliced jalapeños
- Hot sauce
You can also serve homemade cornbread on the side. If you're watching your carbs, try my low carb cheesy cauliflower bread.
And don't forget the chips! Tortilla chips are an excellent sidekick to your chili. They add a satisfying crunch and are perfect for scooping. I like to set out bowls of chips with my homemade game day guacamole and chipotle corn salsa or mango salsa.
Recipe FAQs
You can store leftover turkey chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. After that, you can move it to the freezer. It can be stored in the freezer for 3 months.
Yes, you can make this healthy turkey chili in the slow cooker. Brown the turkey, onions, and bell pepper before adding them to the slow cooker. Add the rest of your ingredients to the slow cooker in the same amounts except reduce the chicken broth to ½ cup. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours.
The combination of spices including chili powder, cumin, and oregano, adds the most flavor to chili, enhancing its depth and complexity. I also like to add chicken broth and canned fire roasted tomatoes for depth of flavor.
Chili pairs wonderfully with various toppings such as shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, and a side of cornbread.
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Recipe
The Ultimate Turkey Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground turkey (93% lean)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 can diced green chilis
- 1 can (15.5 oz) reduced sodium pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15.5 oz) reduced sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced, fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 small can (8 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 cup reduced sodium chicken stock
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
Optional garnishes
- shredded cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, scallions, cilantro, avocado
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the turkey and season it with a pinch of salt. Brown the turkey, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Add the onion, pepper and garlic and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables start to soften, 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf. Then add the green chilis, beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken stock, and salt. Stir to combine well.
- Simmer the chili for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
- To serve, spoon chili into bowls and serve plain or topped with desired garnishes like shredded cheese, sour cream or yogurt, scallions, cilantro, and/or diced avocado. Chili can also be served over pasta or rice.
- To make this turkey chili in the slow cooker, brown the turkey, onions, and bell pepper before adding them to the slow cooker. Add the rest of your ingredients to the slow cooker in the same amounts except reduce the chicken broth to ½ cup. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours.
Notes
- Use "reduced sodium," "low sodium" or "no salt added" canned beans and chicken broth to control the sodium in this turkey chili. Drain the beans and rinse them under running water to reduce the sodium even more.
- You can adjust the heat level of this chili and add some cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes or hot sauce for more spice.
- You can easily make this a vegetarian chili by leaving out the ground turkey and substituting vegetable broth for chicken broth. You can add other ingredients to the chili like more beans, chickpeas, lentils, or leafy greens.
- This chili tastes even better the next day so feel free to double the recipe- you won’t regret it!
Sarah says
Oh no! I’ve been making this recipe for years & it’s changed. What happened to the chipolte chilies?
sonaliruder says
Hi Sarah! I'm so happy to hear that you've been making this recipe for years! I did recently update the recipe to try and use ingredients that are more readily available for most people. Hence the change from chipotles in adobo to chili powder (which is something most people have in their spice cabinet). If you like, you can substitute 1-2 chipotles and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce for the chili powder. If you're looking for other turkey chili recipes that use chipotles in adobo, try my Butternut Squash and Turkey Chili or my Pumpkin Turkey Chili.
Thanks for being a long time supporter!
Tania Mushtaq says
Thank you for delicious and easy recipe. I will definitely try it