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The Best Turkey Chili Recipe

This Turkey Chili Recipe is a healthy, hearty comfort meal of lean ground turkey, bold spices, veggies, peppers, and beans. In less than an hour, you'll have a pot full of delicious chili to serve for a cozy fall dinner or football festivity! And of course, this recipe is gluten-free!
4.92 from 12 votes
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Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 326kcal
Author: Capri Lilly

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Ground turkey
  • 1 tbsp Cooking oil
  • 1 Medium onion diced
  • 5 Garlic cloves minced
  • 1 Jalapeño seeded and finely diced
  • 1 Red pepper seeded and finely diced
  • 1 tbsp Brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp Tomato paste
  • 1 ¼ cups Chicken broth
  • 2 (15 oz) Cans of petite diced tomatoes (liquid included)
  • 2 (15 oz) Cans of red kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 oz) Can of sweet corn drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 oz) Can of pinto beans drained and rinsed
  • 3 Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce + 4 tbsp adobo liquid  plus more to taste

Spices

  • 2 ½ tbsp Smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp Chili powder
  • 1 tbsp Ground cumin
  • 1 ½ tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Ground black pepper or to taste
  • ½ tsp Ground cayenne pepper

Instructions

  • In a large soup pot over medium heat, add cooking oil. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes. Then, add minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the ground turkey to the pot and half of the seasoning mixture. Break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6-7 minutes, until the ground turkey, is browned, stirring occasionally.
  • Add remaining spices and tomato paste. Stir until combined.
  • Add the drained beans, diced tomatoes (with their juice), chopped peppers, brown sugar, drained corn, chipotle peppers, adobo liquid, and broth. Stir until combined.
  • Bring the liquid to a low boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low to gently simmer the chili, uncovered, for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove the pot from the heat. Top with cheddar cheese, green onions, cilantro, sliced jalapenos, a dollop of sour cream, avocado, or other favorite toppings.

Notes

Tips and Customizations for Making The Best Turkey Chili

  • The key to making the best chili is to generously season it. Don’t skimp on the spices. The flavor will be well worth it! Start by mixing the spices in a small bowl. This will make it easier to add to the recipe when instructed.
  • You can use leftover turkey to make this recipe. Use shredded turkey breast or leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. Just be sure to shred it with a fork before adding it to the chili. You will skip the step for cooking the ground turkey and add the cooked, shredded turkey when adding the beans. 
  • To make it spicier, add more chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. It will give the chili even more flavor and heat. 
  • Make it meatier: This recipe works for up to 2 pounds of ground turkey.
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you want to freeze the chili, store it in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Let frozen chili thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating it in a pot or microwave.
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Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 36.8g | Protein: 26.8g | Fat: 10.4g | Saturated Fat: 1.6g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 1396mg | Potassium: 942mg | Fiber: 12.5g | Sugar: 9g | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 6mg