The turkey chili recipe is a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional chili.
Using lean ground turkey instead of ground beef makes this dish much lower in fat and calories, while adding beans and vegetables provides filling fiber and essential nutrients.
Make it your own by adjusting the spice level to your liking, adding your favorite vegetables, or customizing the toppings.
How to Make Turkey Chili
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
Place a large pot on the stovetop and add the olive oil. Preheat the oil over medium-high heat. Add in the ground turkey and chicken bouillon and cook until it’s well browned, stirring and breaking up until no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium, add chipotle powder, oregano, coriander, cinnamon, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, and garlic powder, and cook frequently, stirring for 2 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add the yellow onion, poblano, and fresh tomatoes to the pot and cook them until they’re tender, about 10 minutes.
Next, add the crushed tomatoes, beer, and brown sugar to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beans and bring back to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook for 20 minutes.
If your mixture becomes thicker than you prefer, add the water gradually until the chili reaches your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, continue simmering until it reaches your desired thickness.
While the chili is simmering, prepare your toppings and anything you are serving alongside it. Once the chili has reached the desired consistency, add the lime juice, taste the chili, and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Add kosher salt and pepper to your preference. Ladle the chili into bowls and enjoy.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground turkey preferably a combination of light and dark meat
- 1 (40.5-oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons Knorr Chicken Flavor Bouillon or 1-¾ to 2 teaspoons of kosher salt , adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion or 2 small , minced
- 1 poblano pepper or bell pepper , minced
- 5 Roma Tomatoes , chopped
- 6 cloves garlic , minced
- (1) 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder (use less if you prefer a milder chili)
- 1 tablespoon pasilla chili powder or ground ancho chili
- 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder (use less if you prefer a milder chili)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked or regular paprika
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or sub with molasses or honey
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground chile de Arbol or ½ teaspoon red peppers flakes
- ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
- (1) 12 oz Dark Mexican beer such as Dos Equis, or 1 cup of red wine Malbec or sub with 1 cup of water
- 2 tablespoons Masa Harina such as Maseca Brand , optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Kosher salt , to taste
Instructions
- Place a large pot on the stovetop and add the olive oil. Preheat the oil over medium-high heat. Add in the ground turkey and chicken bouillon and cook the turkey until it’s well browned, stirring and breaking up until no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium, add chipotle powder, oregano, coriander, cinnamon, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, and garlic powder, and cook frequently stirring for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
- Add the yellow onion, poblano, and fresh tomatoes to the pot and cook them until they’re tender about 10 minutes. Next, add the crushed tomatoes, beer, and brown sugar and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beans and bring back to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook for 20 minutes.
- If your mixture becomes thicker than you prefer, you can add the water gradually until the chili reaches your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, continue simmering until it reaches your desired thickness. While the chili is simmering, prepare your toppings and anything you are serving alongside your chili.
- Once your chili has reached the desired consistency, add the lime juice, taste the chili, and adjust the seasonings as needed. Add kosher salt and pepper to your preference. Ladle the chili into bowls and enjoy.
Notes
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
