Ready to add your favorite chili toppings, this one-pot recipe can easily stand alone, be served with sides, or be added to your appetizer spread for the big game or family movie night. I love pairing a bowl of chili with tortilla chips or a slice of homemade cornbread and offering shredded cheese, sour cream, and green onions for everyone to personalize their serving. For more one-pot soups, try my slow cooker chili, white chicken chili, and chicken tortilla soup.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Onion and Garlic – sauteing the onion and garlic in olive oil builds the foundation of flavor for the chili. Fresh garlic will offer the best flavor, but garlic powder can be used if needed. Use ¼ teaspoon per clove to substitute. Bell Pepper – cooked with onion and garlic, diced red bell pepper adds texture and color. You can use any color of pepper based on your preference. Turkey – any type of ground turkey will work for this recipe. A lean ground turkey will have reduced calories, while a higher fat ground turkey will have more flavor. Spices – chili powder, cumin, oregano, Cayenne pepper, brown sugar, salt, and pepper add complex flavor while keeping the taste of this dish reminiscent of classic chili. For added heat, increase the Cayenne pepper to your taste. Diced Tomatoes – canned diced tomatoes are a simple way to make the best turkey chili recipe with a rich flavor. Use the whole can, juice and all, as the juice adds valuable and flavorful liquid. To substitute, use 3 tablespoons tomato paste with 1 cup of water or one 8-ounce can of plain tomato sauce. Kidney Beans – two cans of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed, add protein and texture to this ground turkey chili. You can substitute some or all of the kidney beans for black beans, garbanzo beans, or white beans.
How to Make Turkey Chili
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the turkey and cook until no longer pink, breaking up any chunks with the back of a spoon.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to toast the spices.
- Stir in the canned tomatoes. (Remember, don’t drain the tomatoes!)
- Add the drained beans, chicken broth, and brown sugar, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any stuck-on or browned bits. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, until the chili thickens, about 45 minutes. Serve topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, and sliced green onions.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
Use a Dutch oven or thick-bottomed pan. A Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot will evenly distribute heat and prevent the chili from burning as it simmers. Heavier pans also help maintain heat well for chili which will stay warm longer after the cooking process is complete. Vary the vegetables. This recipe can be adapted to use vegetables you have on hand or feature your favorite veggie. Try adding diced carrots, celery, additional bell peppers, corn, zucchini, or sweet potatoes. Simmer to thicken the chili. To thicken the chili, continue simmering it uncovered until it reaches your desired consistency. You can also make this recipe ahead of time, and the chili will thicken as it sits. Thin the chili with additional chicken broth. If your chili becomes too thick, especially after refrigeration, you can thin the chili by stirring in additional chicken broth by the tablespoon until you have reached your desired consistency. Options for increasing the heat. If you prefer a spicier hot dish, increase the amount of Cayenne pepper or serve the chili with jalapeno peppers or drizzles of hot sauce! Make it ahead. This easy recipe can be stored for up to 4 days and is simple to reheat. Make it ahead before a big event to save time and free you up to focus on other cooking on game day, or during a busy week when a grab-and-reheat dinner is a must.
If you’ve tried this Turkey Chili recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
