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This is my favorite turkey chili recipe and it’s super easy to make. It’s packed with juicy ground turkey, hearty beans, and veggies simmered in a perfect blend of herbs and spices. It’s sure to fill everyone up on weeknights or game days!
Ground turkey keeps this chili recipe lighter and leaner than my beefy (and still delicious) chili con carne. You’re going to love it!
Chili is my go-to comfort food, especially when the temperatures drop and football season starts. I LOVE this turkey chili recipe because it’s quick and easy enough to make for the fam on weeknights, and it always gets rave reviews at our game day parties! It’s rich, flavorful, and just thick enough, brimming with lean ground turkey, veggies, beans, and spices.
Of course, like any great chili recipe, my turkey chili is perfect for customizing when it comes to the ingredients and toppings. If you’re a chili lover like I am, this recipe is definitely a keeper!
What Makes This the Best Turkey Chili Recipe?
- Chili made lighter. Lean ground turkey lightens up this chili recipe while keeping it hearty and flavorful. There’s plenty of protein and fiber to go around, here.
- It’s perfectly spiced. You don’t need any complicated seasonings to bring out the best flavor in homemade turkey chili. Just a few simple spices and dried herbs work wonders in this recipe! You probably have them in the pantry already.
- Make it on the stovetop. This chili comes together quickly and easily in my Dutch oven on the stove. It’s perfect for weeknight dinners! You can make it in the slow cooker, too, if you’re not in a hurry.
- Freezer-friendly. This turkey chili recipe is GREAT to make ahead and freeze. It stores well in the fridge for a few days, too, and tastes even better on the reheat! This is one of my favorite recipes to make ahead.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s a quick overview with notes on the ingredients for the best turkey chili. Scroll to the recipe card below the post for a printable list with the full amounts and recipe details.
- Olive Oil – Choose a good quality extra virgin olive oil, or avocado oil.
- Onion and Garlic – Chopped yellow onion and freshly minced garlic. If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can replace each clove in this recipe with ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
- Ground Turkey – You can also use shredded turkey, as I do in my leftover turkey pot pie soup. Or, swap out turkey for ground chicken or beef.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Or soy sauce for a hint of umami.
- Herbs and Spices – I use a combination of chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. You can also pick up a jar of ready-made chili seasoning from the store.
- Tomatoes – You’ll need canned diced or crushed tomatoes as well as tomato paste. Fire-roasted tomatoes will give the chili another layer of flavor.
- Chicken Broth – I like to use low-sodium chicken broth or stock. Vegetable stock works, too, or you can use beef broth.
- Corn and Beans – I use canned sweet corn, kidney beans, and pinto beans. You can use red beans or black beans, or make white bean turkey chili with navy beans, cannellini beans, or great northern beans. Be sure to rinse and drain canned beans and corn beforehand.
How to Make Turkey Chili
These are the steps to make this easy chili on the stovetop. And if you’d rather make it in your slow cooker, I have you covered with the instructions further down. Either way, this recipe turns out packed with flavor!
- Sauté the onions and turkey. Start by sautéeing chopped onion in a large Dutch oven until soft and fragrant. Next, add the ground turkey and break it up while it browns. Once that’s cooked through, stir in the garlic.
- Add seasonings. Mix in a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce followed by your chili seasonings, and let that cook off for a minute or two. Then, do the same with the tomato paste. This intensifies the flavors of the spices and gives the tomato paste a chance to caramelize.
- Combine with the remaining ingredients. Now, deglaze the pot with chicken broth and stir in the canned tomatoes. Finally, you’ll add the rinsed and drained beans and corn and bring the pot to a boil.
- Simmer. Afterward, lower the heat and leave the chili to simmer, covered, for 30-40 minutes. Remember to stir every so often and season to taste at the end.
- Finish and serve. Ladle your turkey chili into bowls and pile on the toppings! See below for more topping and serving ideas.
Chili Topping Ideas
Just about anything you’d put on tacos goes great with chili! We love our bowls topped with dollops of sour cream, sliced jalapeños, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, and fresh cilantro. You can also add Greek yogurt, avocado, spring onions, shredded lettuce, and more.
Tips and Variations
- Thicken up the chili. The easiest way to thicken chili is to take the lid off of the pot for the final 10-15 minutes of simmering. This lets some of the liquid evaporate. And if your chili is thicker than you’d like, add extra chicken broth or water while it cooks.
- Can I change up the protein? Absolutely. You can substitute ground chicken for a similarly light, lean chili. Or, if you’d prefer to make a more traditional beef chili, swap in lean ground beef.
- Make it the day before. This turkey chili is great to make ahead as it gives the flavors time to meld together. Like stew and spaghetti sauce, it tastes even better a day or two later! See the section later on for storage tips.
- Make it vegetarian. To make vegetarian chili instead, leave out the turkey, or replace it with more beans or your favorite plant-based ground meat.
- Give it some heat. If you like your chili on the spicier side, add more cayenne, or you can stir in diced jalapeños or canned green chilis to taste.
- Make it milder. On the other hand, if you’re sensitive to spice, leave out the cayenne and opt for your favorite mild chili powder.
What Goes With Chili?
My favorite chili night side dish is a loaded baked potato and a side of homemade cornbread for dunking! Other times, I’ll serve this easy turkey chili with veggie sides, like creamy Mexican street corn salad, these stuffed portobello mushrooms, or grilled potato wedges (pro tip: toss them with taco seasoning for a Tex-Mex twist). And you haven’t lived until you’ve made churros with chocolate dipping sauce for dessert!
To round out a game day spread, serve chili with sides like steak nachos or shrimp nachos, and guacamole or seven layer dip with tortilla chips.
Can I Make This Recipe in a Crock Pot?
Yes! You can easily make this turkey chili in your slow cooker or crock pot. I still recommend browning the ground turkey and onions before adding them to the slow cooker. Afterward, stir in the rest of the ingredients and cook for 6-7 hours on Low or 3-4 hours on High.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. This turkey chili stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to use leftovers to make chili cheese fries or chili cornbread casserole.
- Reheat. Warm the chili on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s hot throughout.
- Freeze. In the colder months, I almost always have a stash of turkey chili on standby in my freezer! It’s the best freezer-friendly meal. To freeze it, allow the chili to cool and then transfer it to freezer-safe containers to freeze for up to 3 months.
More Chilis, Soups, and Stews
Turkey Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 1½ pounds ground turkey
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1½ tablespoons chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes, or crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounce can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounce can of pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounce can of sweet corn, rinsed and drained
- For topping: shredded cheddar cheese, sliced avocado, tortilla chips, fresh jalapeños, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, spring onion, fresh cilantro, etc.
Instructions
- In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion to the pot. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent and becomes tender, about 5 minutes, developing an aromatic sweetness base for the chili.
- Add the ground turkey to the pot. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until it is evenly browned. Ensure the turkey is fully cooked through, with no pink remaining. This process should take around 7-8 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 20 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly to ensure the spices are evenly distributed and the meat is well-coated. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes to allow the spices to intensify.
- Stir in the tomato paste, ensuring it blends well with the meat and spices. Cook the mixture for 1-2 minutes. This step adds depth of flavor and a slight caramelization to the chili.
- Pour in the chicken broth and add the diced or crushed tomatoes. Stir the mixture to combine all ingredients. The liquid will deglaze the pot, lifting any flavorful bits stuck to the bottom.
- Add the rinsed and drained kidney beans, pinto beans, and sweet corn. Stir gently to distribute these ingredients evenly throughout the chili.
- Bring the chili to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover the pot and allow the chili to cook slowly for 30-40 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
- Taste the chili and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Add more salt, pepper, or chili powder to suit your preference.
- Ladle the chili into bowls. Garnish with an assortment of toppings such as shredded cheddar cheese, sliced avocado, tortilla chips, fresh jalapeños, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, sliced spring onion, and fresh cilantro. These additions will complement the chili, adding layers of flavor.
Equipment
Notes
- If you prefer a thicker chili, you can let the chili simmer uncovered for the last 10-15 minutes of cooking to reduce the liquid. If you prefer it thinner, add a bit more chicken broth or water during cooking.
- Using ground turkey keeps this chili lighter than traditional beef chili, while still providing a great source of lean protein. You can also substitute ground chicken for a similar result.
- This turkey chili tastes even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld together. It stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or you can freeze it for up to 3 months.
- To make this recipe vegetarian, simply omit the turkey and add more beans or meat substitutes like plant-based ground meat.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
So much flavor everyone just loved your recipe!
I’m thrilled it was such a hit! Nothing better than a flavorful dish everyone enjoys! Thank YOU! 🙂
I love how rich and hearty this chili is while still being a healthier option. We loved it, and I’ll be making it again!
So happy you enjoyed it! Rich, hearty, and healthy is the best combo—glad it’s a keeper for you! 🙂
As someone who usually goes for beef chili, I was honestly skeptical about using turkey, but this totally won me over.
So glad to hear it! Turkey can be surprisingly delicious in chili—glad it won you over! Thank YOU! 🙂
I made this Turkey Chili for a cozy night in, and it was so flavorful and filling! The turkey made it light, but it still had all the heartiness of a classic chili.
So glad it hit the spot! Turkey really does keep it light while still delivering that classic, hearty chili feel. Perfect for a cozy night in! Thank YOU! 🍂😊
We are cooking lighter and using more ground turkey and this turkey chili turned out fantastic. Will be making a lot this fall!
That sounds perfect for cozy fall meals! Ground turkey is such a great choice for a lighter, flavorful chili. Thank YOU! 🍂😊
This chili was to make, healthy, and perfect for a cozy weeknight meal.
So glad you enjoyed it! Chili really does make for a cozy, satisfying dinner—especially when it’s healthy and easy to whip up. 😊