Turkey Chili

    Turkey chili is such a comforting, tasty meal! Packed with ground turkey, tender vegetables, hearty beans, and a blend of bold spices, it’s filled with the most delicious flavor. Great for making ahead and feeding a crowd!

    Overhead shot of a bowl of turkey chili garnished with sour cream, avocado, cheese, lime slice, and tortilla strips.

    Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

    • Easy to Make: Turkey chili comes together with very little effort in one pot! I love making this cozy dish on busy weeknights when it’s cold outside!
    • High-Protein and Filling: This recipe is loaded with protein! There’s a whole 34 grams of protein in each serving!  
    • Great for Meal Prep: It tastes even better the next day, making this chili great for quick lunches and dinners during the week. Pair it with jalapeño cornbread and top it with air fryer tortilla strips to complete the meal!
    Overhead shot of labeled ingredients.

    How to Make Turkey Chili

    Grab your ingredients, pull out the soup pot, and let’s make chili! Cooking up turkey chili is an absolute breeze. Just sauté the veggies, brown the meat, and mix in the other ingredients. Then, let it simmer until it’s hearty, thick and flavorful!

    1. Sauté: Add the olive oil to a large pot and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook until almost tender.
    2. Brown: Add the ground turkey and cook until browned and no pink remains.
    3. Combine: Add the chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, pinto beans, kidney beans, chili powder, oregano, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Stir to combine.
    4. Simmer: Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until it starts to thicken and flavors combine, for about 30 minutes. Serve with the toppings of your choice.
    Overhead shot of celery and onion and garlic sautéing in a pot.
    Overhead shot of ground turkey added to the veggies in the pot.
    Overhead shot of beans, tomatoes and seasonings in the pot with the ground turkey and veggies.
    Overhead shot of all ingredients simmering in a pot.

    Turkey Chili Variations

    Here are a few ideas for easily changing up this turkey chili recipe. You can customize it to make it exactly how you want!

    • Add some more vegetables! You can add diced potatoes, carrots, celery, mushrooms, or zucchini. A cup or two of any of these would add great flavor to this chili. Cook them in the pot with the onion and bell pepper before browning the turkey.
    • Use Different Flavorings: Try adding a couple of tablespoons of adobo sauce and a teaspoon or two of smoked paprika. If you want a smokey flavor, add ½ teaspoon of liquid smoke!
    • Adjust the Heat: To make it spicier, add a little more cayenne pepper! To simmer down the spice, omit the cayenne pepper completely. If it’s still too spicy, try adding a tablespoon of brown sugar or a spoonful of sour cream.
    • Topping Suggestions: Top with lime wedges, sour cream, shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, diced tomatoes, avocado, Fritos or tortilla strips, jalapeños and/or red onions.
    Overhead shot of turkey chili in a pot.

    How to Store Leftovers

    I love to meal prep this turkey chili because it stores well for days! Cook up a big batch to have ready for lunches or dinners throughout the week. It’s even tastier the next day!

    • Fridge: Store leftover turkey chili in the fridge in an airtight container for 5-7 days.
    • Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through and steaming.
    • Freezer: You can freeze turkey chili in an airtight container or a freezer ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating and serving.
    Close up shot of a bowl of turkey chili with avocado, lime, cheese sour cream and tortilla strips for garnish.

    More Delicious Chili Recipes

    During the winter months, my family is all about chili for dinner! There’s nothing better to warm you up after a chilly day. Here are some of our favorite recipes that I make all the time. I know your families will love them just as much as mine does.