Turkey Chili Recipe

This turkey chili recipe has been on the regular rotation for years. It is hearty, meaty, and so easy! This chili can be made in 30 minutes on the stovetop or as a crockpot turkey chili.

Chilis are quite popular in our house like this easy beef chili or instant pot white chicken chili.

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Turkey Chili Recipe:

Turkey chili is loaded with lean ground turkey making it healthier than traditional chili but just as hearty and satisfying.

My friend Gina from nursing school, shared this award winning slow cooker chili recipe with me. She made it for a chili cook-off fundraiser and I couldn’t stop refilling my bowl. It’s delicious!

Chili Toppings!

Every good chili needs a “chili bar” to go long with it. We love all the fixings including:

• Shredded cheese (Mexican, cheddar, Colby Jack, etc)
• Sour Cream
• Sliced Avocados or Spicy Guacamole
• Cilantro sprigs or chopped cilantro
• Lime wedges to squeeze over chili
• Chopped green onion or diced red onion
• Sliced jalapeños (fresh or canned)
• Sliced olives
• Tortilla chips

Ingredients for Turkey Chili:

Since canned food are the largest source of BPA (here’s more info on that from Mayo Clinic) in people’s diets which is a big no-no for pregnancy and children so you can cook your own beans or look for canned foods specifically marked “BPA free.”

How to Make Turkey Chili:

Stovetop chili is the quickest and easiest way to make chili. It all comes together in one pot and the cooking time is minimal. We added Amazon affiliate links below to tools used to make this chili.

1. In a pot or Dutch oven, saute ground turkey in 1 Tbsp olive oil 5 min, breaking it up with a spatula
2. Add diced onion, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Saute 5 min until onions are soft.
3. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil then simmer* for 20 minutes.

*For a thicker chili, simmer uncovered. Cover with lid or partially cover to retain more of the liquid for a looser chili.

How to Make Crockpot Turkey Chili:

I love crockpot chili recipes; set ’em and forget ’em. I make this slow cooker turkey chili in the morning and it’s ready for my children to enjoy when they get home from school. Here are the steps to make this in a crockpot:

1. Saute the ground meat and onion and seasonings as usual.
2. Transfer ground turkey mixture to crockpot, add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
3. Set on low for 3 to 4 hours until piping hot. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

Turkey Chili Recipe

4.92 from 107 votes

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

This turkey chili recipe is on the regular rotation at our house for years! It is hearty, meaty, and so easy! This chili can be made in 30 minutes on the stovetop or as a crockpot turkey chili. Serve in warm bowls with tortilla chips and your favorite chili toppings. 

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

Servings: 8 bowls of chili

• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 1 medium purple onion, diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt , or to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste
• 15 oz black beans, drained and lightly rinsed
• 15 oz pinto beans with juice
• 15 oz white beans with juice
• 2 oz jar of diced jalapeños or green chilis, or to taste
• 30 oz canned diced tomatoes, seasoned or plain
• 15 oz tomato sauce
• 15 oz corn, drained (or use 2 ears cooked corn)

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Instructions

• In a 5 Qt pot or dutch oven over medium/high heat, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and sautee 1 lb ground turkey until cooked through (5 min). 
• Add diced purple onion, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Saute 5 minutes or until onions are softened. 
• Add drained and rinsed black beans, pinto beans with juice and white beans with juice. Also add diced jalapeños, canned diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, and drained corn.
• Stir to combine and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer uncovered 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste towards the end of cooking (I like to add an extra 1/2 tsp salt). 

Nutrition Per Serving

211kcal Calories28g Carbs21g Protein2g Fat31mg Cholesterol841mg Sodium817mg Potassium6g Fiber5g Sugar420IU Vitamin A15.5mg Vitamin C61mg Calcium3.5mg Iron

• Full Nutrition Label
• Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

Turkey Chili Recipe

Amount per Serving

Calories

211

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

2

g

3

%

Cholesterol

 

31

mg

10

%

Sodium

 

841

mg

37

%

Potassium

 

817

mg

23

%

Carbohydrates

 

28

g

9

%

Fiber

 

6

g

25

%

Sugar

 

5

g

6

%

Protein

 

21

g

42

%

Vitamin A

 

420

IU

8

%

Vitamin C

 

15.5

mg

19

%

Calcium

 

61

mg

6

%

Iron

 

3.5

mg

19

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Turkey Chili

Keyword: crockpot turkey chili, turkey chili

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: $$

Calories: 211

This recipe was first published in 2014. We improved the recipe slightly and updated some of the text and photos in 2019. Here’s what it used to look like: