Taking just 40 minutes from start to finish, this Turkey Chili is perfect for a weeknight meal. It’s quick to make yet packed with rich, balanced flavors—and it’s mild enough that even the little ones will be asking for seconds.
Chili is one of those meals that warms you from the inside out, especially on a cold, dreary winter evening. While many chili recipes require hours of simmering, this version skips the wait by using ground turkey and canned beans, so you can get dinner on the table without sacrificing flavor.
The seasoning is just right—bold enough to satisfy your chili craving but not so spicy that it’s overwhelming for kids. With a mix of sweet, tangy, and savory ingredients, this recipe is a go-to for a hearty and satisfying weeknight dinner.
What Makes This Recipe Stand Out
- The standard chili recipe uses ground beef and is often meant to be cooked slowly over a long period of time. Instead, this recipe uses ground turkey, which doesn't require a long cooking time to get that tender delicious taste we're going, since turkey is a leaner meat than beef.
- Since we're skipping the long cook time, the recipe uses a few ingredients and techniques to still pack a flavorful punch, including adding ingredients like brown sugar and lime juice to really balance the flavors.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here is a brief overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The full recipe with quantities is listed below this text in the recipe card.
- ground turkey (if possible use dark meat, or a mixture of light and dark meat)
- onion (yellow or red is fine)
- bell pepper (use any color you'd like, and you can optionally add in a spicy pepper like poblano, serrano or jalepeno here to intoduce a bit more heat to the dish)
- garlic
- spices: chili powder, paprika, salt, cumin, oregano, garlic powder (this isn't a hot spicy dish, but it is well seasoned so you know you are in fact eating chili)
- tomato paste
- brown sugar (this isn't a very common ingredient but really helps balance out the dish, and I just want to ask you to trust me on this one!)
- canned diced tomatoes
- canned pinto beans (add in whatever beans you have, it doesn't need to be kidney beans)
- chicken stock
- corn (you don't need to use corn, and can really swap in any other veggie you like here)
- lime juice
How to Make It
Making this chili is as simple as it gets: one pot cooking. But there are a few tips for making the most out of this weeknight dinner. This is a quick visual overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. If you are looking for the full recipe, keep scrolling!
Step 1: Cook the aromatics, being sure not to to burn them at any point. It's best to bring out the sweetness in these ingredients, not the bitterness.
Step 2: Add in the turkey and stir often. The goal here is to cook the turkey through, but not brown the meat. Stirring frequently also helps break it up.
Step 3: Add in the spices and cook slightly. The goal here is to "wake up" the spices and tomato paste.
Step 4: Stir in the remainder of the ingredients.
Step 5: Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chili has thickened.
Step 6: The most important step: seasoning the chili at the end! Add in more salt, sugar, or lime juice as needed to balance out this quick cooking dish.
Slow Cooker + Instant Pot Cooking Suggestions
You can make this in the slow cooker, but I suggest cooking the turkey, onion, and pepper first in a separate skillet. Then add all ingredients to a slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours.
It likely will work in the Instant Pot, but it won't need nearly as much broth added to it, and I haven't tested it yet. So feel free to experiment with it.
Making It Ahead and Freezing It
Chili is one of those recipes that’s perfect to make ahead of time. Stored in the refrigerator, it will keep for up to 5 days, as long as the turkey you’re using is fresh. This chili also freezes beautifully.
How to Freeze Chili:
- Allow the chili to cool completely.
- Transfer it to a freezer-safe container, leaving a little space at the top for expansion.
- Label and freeze for up to 3 months. It's fine to consume after this, but for the best flavor consume beforehand.
Reheating Instructions:
- Defrost Overnight: The best way to thaw chili is to let it defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Then, reheat in a pot until hot.
- Quick Thaw Method: If you’re short on time, place the container in a bowl of warm water until the edges have softened enough to remove the chili. Transfer it to a pot with ¼ cup of water, then cook over low heat until it reaches a simmer. Let it simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and serve.
More Weeknight Dinner Recipes
Making this Weeknight Turkey Chili recipe? Be sure to leave a comment with a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on your experience! Have a question? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you as quickly as I can!
PrintFull Recipe
Weeknight Turkey Chili
- Prep Time: 00:10
- Cook Time: 00:30
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
Description
Taking just about 40 minutes to cook from start to finish, this Turkey Chili can truly be made on a weeknight when you need a comforting and hearty dinner to feed your family. Despite it's quick-cooking time, this chili is deeply flavorful yet not so over-spiced that the littlest ones in your family can't enjoy it.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow or red onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds ground turkey (use all dark meat, or a mix of dark and white meat)
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons paprika (smoked or sweet)
- 1-½ teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2-½ cups of chicken stock (more as needed)
- 1(15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1(15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (or your favorite beans)
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels (fire-roasted if possible)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, more to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add in onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the turkey and cook, stirring frequently, until no pink remains in the meat, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, brown sugar, paprika, salt, cumin, oregano, and garlic powder and cook until the spices become fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the stock, tomatoes, beans, and corn and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat slightly and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chili has thickened slightly. Add additional stock as needed for desired consistency.
- Add the lime juice to the chili. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding in more salt, sugar, or lime juice as needed to balance out the dish.
- Serve garnished with your favorite chili toppings, if desired.
Notes
This recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If you use Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, decrease the volume by half.
Dark meat turkey works best because it’s more flavorful, tender, and stays juicy during cooking. A mix of dark and white meat is okay. Do not use only white turkey meat.
Chili is a great make-ahead meal, lasting up to 5 days in the fridge if made with fresh turkey and freezing well for longer storage. To freeze, cool it completely, transfer to a freezer-safe container, and thaw overnight in the fridge when ready to use. For a quicker thaw, place the container in warm water until you can transfer the chili to a pot, add ¼ cup water, and simmer over low heat until warmed through.
Originally published in 2022, this turkey chili recipe has been regularly re-tested and updated to ensure it remains perfect.
Eleanor
Just finished a bowl of this delicious chili. And it did come together quickly.
Thanks, Kelli 😊😋