A homemade turkey chili recipe is an easy and healthy meal packed with flavor.
A rich and hearty meal, this chili is packed with onions, sweet peppers, lots of rich tomato flavor. It’s made a little bit lighter with ground turkey and simmered until thick and delicious.
A one-pot meal makes dinner easy to prepare ahead of time for those busy weekday nights.
Hearty and Healthy Turkey Chili
A great chili recipe is a go-to for an easy meal, packed with flavor and everyone in my family loves it!
- Healthy and hearty, this recipe is made with ground turkey to make it a little bit leaner.
- Jam-packed with flavor, this recipe uses ingredients you likely have on hand already.
- Turkey chili is ready in 45 minutes start to finish but tastes like it’s been slow-cooked all day!
- Make ahead and reheat throughout the week or freeze portions for single use in zippered bags for up to 6 months!
Ingredients for Turkey Chili
Turkey: Ground turkey keeps this recipe lower in fat and calories. No turkey? No problem, make this chili using ground beef, sausage, or chicken!
Beans: Kidney beans are loaded with fiber and antioxidants. Black beans, pinto beans, and even lentils can be used.
Sauce: The saucy part of this chili is made up of diced tomatoes, broth, and a bit of tomato sauce. It all simmers together with seasonings until rich and thick. Add fresh tomatoes (peel them first) in addition to the canned tomatoes if you’d like.
Seasonings: Pantry spices like garlic, chili powder, oregano, and cumin make turkey chili rich and flavorful. For extra heat, add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or some fresh jalapenos.
Extras: Turkey chili is perfect for sneaking in leftover veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, corn, carrots, and even potatoes!
How to Make Turkey Chili
- Cook the turkey with onions, garlic, and chili powder in a large pot until no pink remains.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pot (per the recipe below).
- Simmer uncovered for 35-45 minutes until thickened.
Toppings for Turkey Chili
Create a DIY Turkey Chili bar and let everyone choose their favorite toppings!
- salsa
- guacamole
- diced avocado
- sour cream or Greek yogurt
- tortilla chips
- shredded cheddar cheese or other shredded cheese
- chopped onions
- cilantro
- green onions
My mom always served chili with toast so that’s how I often serve it. This chili also pairs well with a side of homemade cornbread & honey butter!
Storing Turkey Chili
Keep turkey chili in a covered container in the refrigerator between 3 to 5 days and reheat portions on the stovetop being sure to stir every few minutes until it’s heated through.
Leftovers can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months. That in the fridge overnight and heat on the stove top or in the microwave.
Pop-out a portion and make sloppy joes, chili cheese dogs, chili cheese fries, or scoop some turkey chili on baked potatoes or omelets!
More Ground Turkey Recipes
Did your family enjoy this Turkey Chili? Leave us a rating and a comment below!
Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey or ground chicken
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
- 15.5 ounces kidney beans 1 can, drained and rinsed
- 10.5 ounces canned tomatoes with chiles such as Rotel
- 1 cup chicken broth or beef broth
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 bell pepper red or green
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
Instructions
- Brown ground turkey, onion, garlic, and chili powder in a big saucepan until no pink remains.
- Add remaining ingredients and bring chili to a simmer over medium high heat.
- Reduce heat to low and let simmer 35-45 minutes uncovered until thickened.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Entree, Turkey
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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Excellent recipe. I just added the cayenne pepper like my chili a little hot.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Steve!
This is by far one of the best chili recipes that I’ve tasted. I’m glad I doubled the recipe! I plan to include this chili during our Super Bowl festivities this winter.
I’m so glad to hear you loved this recipe Rose!
Can this be converted to a slow cooker?
It should work fine Sue. You might like double it as a slow cooker works best when it’s at least half full, and add a little less liquid as less evaporation takes place in the slow cooker. For times and temperatures you can reference this easy crock pot chili!
I am cooking this on Saturday.
Enjoy Alane!
I have been trying to eat a little healthier and stumbled across this recipe. It was soooo good! I will be using this recipe for chili from now on.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Rebecca!
I made this recipe as is, with the exception of adding additional beans because of can size. It is amazing! On the hotter side, which I love:) I will continue to use this recipe for a long time.
So glad you loved it Susan!
very good!
Why is raw ground Turkey included in a recipe for “left-over turkey”?
This can be made with leftover turkey. If you do not have leftover turkey, ground turkey can be used and will need to be browned per the recipe.
Hi, Just wondering do you know how much is actually in a serving? I know it serves 6 but didn’t want to have to measure out cupfuls if someone already knew. I have to measure so I can count my points Thank you!
Each serving is approximately 1-1 1/2 cups. Enjoy Denise!
Thanks Holly, for this much healthier Chili! I decided to serve it on game day (I’ll have to triple the recipe) along with several other goodies for our guests. I’m sure the ladies will also love it, and will ask for the recipe. I will direct them to your wonderful blog.
You’re welcome! I’m sure they will love it too!