Turkey Chili
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This turkey chili is rich, spicy, and packed with fiber—perfect for cheering on your favorite team or a cozy night in.
When the temperatures drop, few things are as comforting as a big pot of chili simmering on the stove—whether it’s for game day or just a cozy night in. This turkey chili, adapted from The Complete One Pot Cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen, is my go-to when I’m craving something lighter than beef chili. It’s rich, spicy, and packed with fiber from hearty kidney beans.
What makes the recipe special is how it handles lean ground turkey, which can dry out easily. By sautéing some of the turkey first to build flavor, and adding the rest in chunks later, you end up with tender, juicy bites in every spoonful. Serve it with tortilla chips, cornbread, and all your favorite fixings—and trust me, you won’t miss the beef!
“You could sell this stuff. It’s that good.”
What You’ll Need To Make Turkey Chili
- Onions, Red Bell Pepper, Garlic: These form the aromatic base of the chili, providing a foundation flavor.
- Spices (Chili Powder, Ground Cumin, Ground Coriander, Red Pepper Flakes, Dried Oregano, Cayenne Pepper): A crucial component for any chili, these spices create a complex smoky, earthy, spicy, and herbal flavor profile.
- 93% Lean Ground Turkey: A healthier alternative to beef, ground turkey makes the chili lighter while still providing a hearty texture. Remember, 93% lean ground turkey, which includes both light and dark meat, is your best bet here (the leaner stuff will dry out and taste a bit bland).
- Canned Kidney Beans: Add substance and texture to the chili, as well as fiber and protein, making the dish more filling and nutritious. Feel free to substitute black beans or any other variety you prefer.
- Diced Tomatoes and Crushed Tomatoes: The combination of these tomatoes adds moisture, acidity, and a rich tomato flavor that forms the base of the chili’s sauce.
- Chicken Broth: Used to adjust the consistency of the chili and add an additional layer of savory flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Roughly chop the onions, bell pepper, and garlic, then toss them into the bowl of a food processor with the steel blade attached. Pulse until the veggies are finely chopped, scraping down the sides as needed. No food processor? No problem—you can chop everything by hand.
Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped veggies along with the spices and herbs. Give it all a good stir to combine.
Cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are nice and soft.
Add 1 1/4 pounds of the turkey to the pot and turn the heat up to medium-high. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until it’s no longer pink, about 4 minutes.
Stir in the beans, diced tomatoes with their juice, crushed tomatoes, broth, and salt. Bring everything to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the chili cook, uncovered, until it begins to thicken, about 1 hour. While it’s cooking, gently shape the remaining 3/4 pound of turkey into a ball, then pinch off teaspoon-sized pieces of meat and stir them into the chili.
Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the turkey is tender and the chili thickens slightly, about 40 minutes.
Serve with toppings like shredded Jack or cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, cilantro, avocado, or jalapeños. For a hearty twist, try it over cilantro lime rice, a baked potato, or a baked sweet potato. Chili can be made up to 3 days ahead of time or frozen for longer storage.
Video Tutorial
You May Also Like
Turkey Chili
A lighter twist on my classic beef chili recipe, this hearty turkey chili brims with rich, spicy flavor—perfect for cozy nights or game day gatherings.
Ingredients
- 2 medium yellow onions
- 1 red bell pepper
- 6 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¼ cup chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (add up to 1 teaspoon for a spicier chili)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 pounds 93% lean ground turkey, divided (see note)
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth, plus extra as needed
- 1¾ teaspoons salt
For Serving (Optional)
- Cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream, cheese, scallions
Instructions
- Roughly chop the onions, bell pepper, and garlic and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse, scraping down the sides as necessary, until the vegetables are finely chopped. Do not over-process; the vegetables should not be puréed. (Alternatively, finely chop the onions, bell pepper, and garlic by hand.)
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables, chili powder, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, oregano, and cayenne pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add about 1¼ pounds of the turkey, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in the beans, diced tomatoes and their juice, crushed tomatoes, broth, and salt and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until the chili has begun to thicken, about 1 hour.
- Pat the remaining ¾ pound turkey together into a ball, then pinch off teaspoon-size pieces of meat and stir into the chili. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until turkey is tender and chili is slightly thickened, about 40 minutes. (If the chili begins to stick to the bottom of the pot or looks too thick, stir in extra broth as needed.) Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, and serve.
- Note: Be sure to use 93% lean ground turkey, which is a combination of light and dark meat, rather than 99% lean ground turkey breast. (The 99% lean ground turkey breast will have a dry texture.)
- Make Ahead: Cool slightly, and then refrigerate uncovered until cold. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The chili can be frozen for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost it in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 466
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 37g
- Sugar: 15g
- Fiber: 12g
- Protein: 39g
- Sodium: 1484mg
- Cholesterol: 114mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
I would like to make this recipe for 8 people, would you just add a little more meat?
Hi Raina, To keep the ratios correct, I would actually recommend multiplying all the ingredients by 1.5. You may have some leftovers but it keeps nicely in the fridge for a few days and freezes well. Hope everyone enjoys!
I love classic chili but don’t eat beef. This was perfect. Tender and flavorful. Used white kidney (cannellini) beans. It’s going into the winter rotation.
Does this recipe really call for 1/4 cup of Chili powder???!
Hi Anna, I know it sounds like a lot, but yes, that’s correct (and I don’t think you’ll find the flavor overwhelming). Hope you enjoy if you try it!
Hello! I love your recipes and cook them often! I was wondering if I could substitute another can of crushed tomatoes for the can of diced tomatoes. I have a picky eater who does not eat diced tomatoes (sigh). If not, what would you recommend? Thank you!
Sure, Rebecca, that should work. It will just have a little less texture, but will still be good – hope you enjoy!
Very nice! The method to add turkey again towards the end made for some nice tenderness. The dish was a pretty big taste and quantity payoff, especially considering how easy it was to put together. Was it as good as Jenn’s chicken meatballs, spicy glaze thighs, or spare ribs? Not quite, but in my experience OUC recipes do not disappoint, this one included. Solid 4 stars. Next time I might add another kind of pepper in at the beginning with the bell. Thank you, tasty!
Another winner!
I made the chili and the cornbread tonight to eat while watching the football playoffs. These two recipes were perfect. My husband who had Pooh poohed turkey chili had two helpings and said he loved it. I also sent both recipes to my three kids snd their families. Thank you for such great recipes.
Great recipe – and easy to make – my family loved this one – and I didn’t even tell my husband it was turkey! He had seconds! I will make this again.
Hi Jenn,
I have a friend who’s allergic to all onions. Can I just leave them out or do I also need to add any seasonings to it to offset the missing onions?
Hi Cherry, the onions definitely add flavor here but you could replace them with an equal amount of celery. Please LMK how the chili turns out!
It turned out great. I don’t have a food processor so I hand chopped everything. Used probably 3 celery stalks (it was more in terms of count but I had to trim out a lot of bad parts lol) finely chopped. At the one hour mark it had an aftertaste of celery but once the second hour hit (after the meatballs went in and were simmering) you couldn’t taste it. I liked the fact that it wasn’t too sweet. Usually my chili ends up a little sweet from the onion but this wasn’t. I liked it a lot.
What is the purpose of reserving some of the turkey to make into meatballs and then adding to the chili?
Hi Mary, Because ground turkey is lean and can easily dry out, adding those little “meatballs” near the end of cooking time helps to ensure the meat stays moist. Hope you enjoy if you make it!