Turkey Chili

This thick, robust, hearty turkey chili recipe uses ground turkey, kidney beans, onions, garlic, and the perfect blend of seasonings. It is one of our favorite chili recipes; the whole family enjoys it.

I love to serve this with cornbread or cheddar beer bread for a complete meal. What warms the soul better than a big pot of slow-cooked meat, vegetables, and beans? Dinner doesn’t get much better than that. Chicken tortellini soup, white chicken chili, and loaded potato soup are just a few of our favorites.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.

• Ground turkey: I prefer using ground turkey with dark and white meat. Ground turkey breast is too lean and lacks flavor. You can substitute ground beef or ground pork. If using ground beef, switch to beef broth.
• Seasonings: chili powder, cumin, dried oregano (fresh is too bitter), smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a little bit of ground cayenne.
• Crushed tomatoes: if you prefer chunkier tomatoes, use a 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes and a 6-ounce can of tomato paste.
• Chicken broth: preferably low-sodium
• Dark red kidney beans: you can substitute pinto beans or black beans

How to make Ground Turkey Chili

This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.

Brown the ground turkey over medium-high heat in a Dutch Oven or heavy stockpot on the stovetop. When the turkey is about halfway brown, add the onion and cook until the onion is soft. Drain any excess fat from the pan.

Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, paprika, onion powder, ground black pepper, and ground cayenne pepper. Cook for a minute, stirring constantly. Next, add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, kidney beans, pinto beans, and brown sugar. Simmer for about 35-45 minutes or until all the flavors have melded together and the chili has thickened. Spoon into bowls and top with your choice of toppings.

Preparation Tips

• Instead of tilting the large pot over to drain the fat, lean it until the fat drains to one side. Then, use a paper towel to absorb the excess grease. It is so much easier, and you won’t lose any meat while trying to eliminate the fat.
• Adjust the seasonings to your taste. If you love spicy food, read the section above on kicking up the heat.
• Try bell peppers, sweet potatoes, celery, or carrots if you want more veggies.
• Customize with your favorite toppings, such as pickled jalapenos, crispy bacon, sour cream, green onions, avocado, chopped cilantro, and tortilla chips.

Store and Reheat

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.

To freeze, thoroughly cool the chili. Then, spoon it into an airtight container and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power. I always use reduced power so the beans do not explode.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Chili Recipes

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Easy Turkey Chili Recipe

Start fall off right with a healthy turkey chili recipe.  This chili is perfectly seasoned and slow simmered for a thick, robust finish. Make a big hot pot today, and get ready to hear the accolades.

4.99 from 89 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: main meal chili

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 105kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey not turkey breast
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ⅛-¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes do not drain
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 (15 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Brown the ground turkey in a Dutch Oven or heavy stock pot over medium heat. When the ground turkey is about halfway browned, add the onion and continue cooking until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Stir in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, kidney beans, pinto beans, and brown sugar.  Simmer for 35-45 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

• Instead of tilting the large pot over to drain the fat, lean it a little bit until the fat drains to one side. Then, use a paper towel to absorb the excess grease. It is so much easier, and you won’t lose any meat while trying to eliminate the fat.
• Adjust the seasonings to your taste. If you love spicy food, read the section above on kicking up the heat.
• Try bell peppers, sweet potatoes, celery, or carrots if you want more veggies.
• Customize with your favorite toppings, such as pickled jalapenos, crispy bacon, sour cream, green onions, avocado, chopped cilantro, and tortilla chips.

Nutrition

Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 310mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 758IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg

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