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.

Course main meal chili

Cuisine American

Keyword best turkey chili, ground turkey chili, how to make turkey chili

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 105kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground turkey
1 small onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste
1 can 28 ounces crushed tomatoes or diced tomatoes
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cans 15 ounces of dark red kidney beans, pinto beans, or black 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.
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 tomatoes, chicken broth, kidney beans, and brown sugar. Simmer for 35-45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

I prefer using ground turkey meat which has both dark and white meat ground in it. The ground turkey breast is too lean and lacks flavor.
Ground beef and ground pork can be substituted for ground turkey.
Instead of trying to tilt the large pot over and drain the fat out, lean it a little bit until the fat drains to one side, and use a paper towel to absorb the excess grease. It is so much easier, and you won't lose any of the meat while trying to get rid of the fat.
Adjust the seasonings to your taste. If you love spicy food, be sure to read the section above on kicking up the heat.
To make it in a slow cooker, follow the recipe up to and including the step where you add the garlic and other spices. Once that step is complete, transfer everything over to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the beans) and cook on low for about 5 hours, then add the beans and cook for 1 hour.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Nutrition