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Hearty turkey chili recipe bubbling in a Dutch oven, packed with beans and seasoned meat.

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5 from 1 review

Weeknight Turkey Chili

Recipe by Kelli Avila

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.

  • Total Time40 minutes
  • Yield4-6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 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)
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons paprika (smoked or sweet)
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2-1/2 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

  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  2. Add in onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the turkey and cook, stirring frequently, until no pink remains in the meat, about 5 minutes.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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 1/4 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.

Find it online: https://everydayfamilyeats.com/weeknight-turkey-chili/