Made on the stove top and ready in just about an hour, this hearty, healthy turkey chili recipe is destined for your regular rotation. So filling and delicious, this recipe statrs lean ground turkey, but it bursts with deeply flavorful veggies, spices and gets an extra protein boost from not one, but two kinds of beans! Like all of our favorite chili recipes (check out our favorite Simple Chili, our Award-Winning Chili, and our hearty Vegetarian Chili, too!) our easy turkey chili is great left over, and freezes great! The best turkey chili you’ve ever tasted is just about an hour away — let’s cook!
Turkey Chili Ingredients
Turkey: The anchor of this simple turkey chili recipe, lean turkey is meaty and healthy. Done deal!
Beans: Another health + protein source! We love to use a combo of black and kidney beans, but you could use all black or all kidney. Heck, you could even swap in pintos — this is a simple, forgiving recipe (another reason this turkey chili rules!).
Onions: Like all soups, stews and chilis, onions are the base layer for this flavorful chili.
Peppers: Two bells (colors are up to you) and a jalapeño. The jalapeño just adds a hint of warmth, the finished turkey chili is not spicy.
Garlic: X2! Garlic powder, and fresh garlic. We want super flavorful chili!
Spices: Chili powder and cumin.
Canned tomatoes: We love to use fire-roasted because of that little extra smoky flavor.
Stock: Chicken stock is what we like to use here, but veggie stock would work, too, if that’s what you’ve got.
How To Make Turkey Chili
Grab your favorite stock pot, and dump in the turkey, onion, peppers and garlic. After a few minutes…
Add the seasonings, beans, tomatoes and stock.
Bring the chili to a boil. Simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes to let the turkey chili thicken a little.
Simmer the chili on low for another 45 minutes.
Serve! Ideally with lots of warm Cornbread on the side.
Can I Make It In A Slow-Cooker?
We get it — you see ‘turkey chili recipe’ and you think, OK! Set it and forget it! But this turkey chili recipe is so fast to make that there’s really no benefit or reason to make it in a Crock-Pot or slow-cooker. Save that baby for more involved and complex recipes, like our Award Winning Chili.
Toppings + How To Serve
Are toppings the best part of making turkey chili!? Quite possibly. If you want to have a little fun, serve this easy turkey chili with lots of fun topping options, like:
Shredded cheese
Sour cream
Avocado slices
And of course, cozy sides like Spoon Bread, Classic Corn Bread, or our Cornbread with Jalapeño Honey.
How To Store & Freeze Turkey Chili
This chili will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days stored in an airtight container. Reheat it on the stove top or in the microwave — it’ll be delicious!
You can also freeze it if you’d like to: Turkey chili will keep in the freezer for up to three months, but the beans may lose a bit of their texture. Simply thaw it out in the fridge and gently warm it in a pot on the stove.
More Simple Chili Recipes To Try
What’s Next?
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