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Ground Turkey Chili

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This is the best ground turkey chili recipe! It's got two types of beans - cannellini and kidney, as well as onions, garlic, and lots of spices.

It's a wonderfully flavorful and healthy chili recipe that's sure to be a family favorite.

Simmering and developing its flavor takes some time but doesn't require much hands-on time. This healthy turkey chili recipe is great for a cozy weeknight meal.

A closeup shot of a bowl of turkey chili, topped with jalapeno and avocado.

What's not to love about a hearty bowl of chili on a cold day? This is the best turkey chili recipe for busy weeknights when you want comfort food.

This healthy turkey chili hits all the high flavor points you want in a chili - lots of richness from the aromatics and turkey, a little heat and bright notes from the spices, and texture and creaminess from the beans.

Ground turkey is easy to cook with and browns beautifully. It adds great flavor to this dish and is lower in saturated fat than ground beef.

We love cooking with ground turkey - check out some of our favorite healthy ground turkey recipes that we frequently make.

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Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this easy turkey chili recipe.

Ingredients for turkey chili - including beans, ground turkey, onion, tomato sauce, garlic, and spices on a marble background.

Turkey - You'll need 1 pound of ground turkey for this recipe. We used lean ground turkey, but you can use whatever kind you'd like.

Aromatics - You'll need one small yellow onion and three cloves of garlic.

Beans - You'll need 1 (14-ounce) can of red kidney beans and 1 (14-ounce) can of cannellini beans.

Tomato Sauce - You'll need 1 (14-ounce) can of tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes.

Stock - You'll need 2 cups of chicken broth or stock. You can substitute vegetable stock or vegetable broth as well. Here's a list of substitutions for chicken broth if you need other ideas.

Oil - You'll need one tablespoon of neutral oil (like canola). You can substitute this for olive oil or avocado oil as well.

Spices - You'll need three teaspoons of kosher salt, 1 ½ teaspoons of cumin, one teaspoon of dried oregano, one teaspoon of chili powder, and ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

See the recipe card for full details.

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once it's hot, add the diced onion and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Onions being sautéed in a dutch oven.

Add the minced garlic and allow it to cook for 30 seconds. Then add half the salt, the cumin, oregano, chili powder, and cayenne. Stir and sauté for 1 minute.

Onions and spices in a large pot.

Add the ground turkey to the pot and break it up with the back of a wooden spoon. Allow it to cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until browned.

Ground turkey added to the onions and spices in a pot.

Add the remaining ingredients - chicken stock, kidney beans, cannellini beans, and tomato sauce to the pot. Increase the heat and bring it to a low boil.

Beans and tomato sauce added to the chili pot.

Cover, reduce to medium heat, and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Then, remove the lid and stir. Allow the chili to simmer for another 20 minutes until reduced.

Serve immediately or save in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Favorite Toppings for Chili

You can certainly serve this chili on its own, but if you're looking to jazz it up, here are some of our favorite chili toppings.

  • Diced avocado
  • Sliced jalapeno peppers
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Tortilla chips or strips
  • Sliced green onions
  • A dollop of sour cream
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Hot sauce
An overhead shot of a red dutch oven with ground turkey chili and a wooden spoon.

More Delicious Chili Recipes to Try

Love a warm bowl of chili? We do, too! Check out some of our other favorite healthy recipes.

Substitutions & Variations

Want to make some ingredient substitutions? Here are some optional swaps to make.

  • Beans - instead of using cannellini beans, you can use pinto beans or black beans.
  • Bell Peppers - add one or two chopped red or orange bell peppers to the chili if you'd like some additional veggies.
  • Stock - Instead of chicken stock, you can use bone broth or vegetable stock.

Storage

This hearty chili will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.

I think it's even better the next day - something about sitting in the refrigerator overnight really brings the flavors together! You can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave.

The chili can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months.

A closeup shot of a bowl of turkey chili topped with avocado and slices of jalapeno.

Tips for Making this Recipe

Links on some posts are affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Recommended Tools - I like cooking this dish in a Dutch oven, but any large, heavy-bottomed pot will work.

Alternate Cooking Methods - You can make this recipe in the slow cooker, but you need to brown the onions and beef before adding everything to the slow cooker and cooking on low for 6 hours.

A Note on Spiciness - If you are making this recipe for kids or anyone who doesn't like spicy food, feel free to omit the cayenne and reduce the amount of chili powder. I find this chili lightly spicy, but some friends I've served it to found it spicier than I did.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Connect with us on Instagram and share your photos, or leave us a rating.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ground Turkey Chili

Ground turkey chili in a bowl with avocado and jalapeno.

This delicious healthy ground turkey chili recipe is full of flavor and is sure to be a family favorite.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 3 teaspoons of kosher salt, divided
  • 1 ½ teaspoons of cumin
  • 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon of chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon of cayenne
  • 1 pound of ground turkey
  • 2 cups of chicken stock
  • 1 (14-ounce) can on kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (14-ounce) can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (14-ounce) can of tomato sauce

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once it's hot, add the diced onion and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add the minced garlic and allow it to cook for 30 seconds. Then add half the salt, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and cayenne. Stir and sauté for 1 minute.
  3. Add the ground turkey to the pot and break it up with the back of a spoon. Allow it to cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until browned.
  4. Add the chicken stock, kidney beans, cannellini beans, tomato sauce, and remaining salt to the pot. Increase the heat and bring it to a low boil.
  5. Cover and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Then, remove the lid and stir. Allow the chili to simmer for another 20 minutes until reduced.
  6. Serve immediately or save in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 383Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 1171mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 7gSugar: 4gProtein: 30g

Tammy

Monday 2nd of October 2023

This was a really tasty (and healthy) chili. Made exactly as written and didn't change a thing. So nice. Thank you.

EW

Monday 2nd of October 2023

So glad you liked it!

Jessica

Monday 6th of March 2023

The recipe is good but a 28oz can of tomato sauce made it too tomato flavor. I had to double the amount of cumin and chilli powder to make it taste more like chili. Half of a 28oz can would be better. Honestly even just using regular tomatoes. I usually use two tomatoes when making chili which taste better than tomato sauce in my opinion. Overall good recipe.

Mary

Friday 19th of January 2024

@Jessica, turkey chili doesn't even need tomato sauce to be good. Try it without it, using the other ingredients, and some great northern canned beans, and see for yourself. My mother never put tomato sauce in hers, and it was always delicious!

Liz

Tuesday 29th of November 2022

Looks tasty, I’m making this now! When does the rest of the salt come into play? I only see step 2 mentioning half the salt.

EW

Tuesday 29th of November 2022

Hello! Recipe card is updated - thanks for letting me know about that. It goes in with the stock and other ingredients before simmering.

Kammy

Sunday 12th of December 2021

Does this recipe freeze well?

Emily

Monday 13th of December 2021

Yes, it does freeze well! In fact, I have some in the freezer now :)

Linda

Saturday 30th of October 2021

This recipe is so delicious. Second time making it.

Emily

Monday 1st of November 2021

I'm so glad you like it! It's one of my favorites too!

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