Skip to main content

Simple Turkey Chili With All the Toppings

Ground turkey with kidney beans and diced tomatoes in a bowl topped with sour cream avocados slices cilantro lime wedges...
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
  • Active Time

    30 minutes

  • Total Time

    1 hour 15 minutes

Having a dependable turkey chili recipe in your culinary repertoire means that a hearty, crowd-pleasingweeknight dinneris never far from reach. This one-pot dish is filling and satisfying, yet not as rich as many other chili recipes can be. By swapping out beef for turkey, the chili develops a lighter, more mild flavor that allows the spices to shine. Any variety ofground turkeycan work here, whether you prefer ground dark meat with a higher fat content or the leaner white meat more commonly found in grocery stores. While many turkey chili recipes call forslow cookers, this version comes together on the stovetop in one large pot. This speeds up the cooking process and gives the vegetables the opportunity to take on some color for added depth of flavor.

While you can certainly serve the chili as is, the true fun comes in garnishing your bowl with an array of toppings. Creamy avocado and sour cream provide a nice foil to the heat while fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and jalapeños brighten it up. And for an added pop of texture, crush sometortilla chipson top too.

All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

What you’ll need

Ingredients

6 servings

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped
2 medium jalapeños, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
2½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
1½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
1½ tsp. dried oregano
1½ tsp. ground coriander
1½ tsp. ground cumin
1 lb. ground turkey
2 15.5-oz. cans red kidney beans, rinsed
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Sliced avocado, sour cream, cilantro leaves with tender stems, sliced jalapeños, crushed tortilla chips, and/or lime wedges (for serving; optional)
  1. Step 1

    Heat¼ cup extra-virgin olive oilin a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Cook2 medium onions, finely chopped,1 medium red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped, and2 medium jalapeños, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped, stirring often with a heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until very soft and deep golden and bottom of pot is starting to brown in spots, 10–15 minutes.

    Step 2

    Add8 garlic cloves, finely chopped,3 Tbsp. tomato paste,2 Tbsp. chili powder,1 Tbsp. smoked paprika,1 Tbsp. light brown sugar,2½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt,1½ tsp. freshly ground pepper,1½ tsp. dried oregano,1½ tsp. ground coriander, and1½ tsp. ground cuminand cook, stirring constantly, until tomato paste darkens in color and starts to stick to bottom of pot, about 4 minutes. (It’s okay if the bottom of the pot starts to darken slightly.) Add1 lb. ground turkeyand cook, breaking up turkey into smaller pieces and stirring often, until combined and turkey is no longer pink, 2–3 minutes.

    Step 3

    Addtwo 15.5-oz. cans red kidney beans, rinsed,one 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted,2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, and2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and mashing some of the beans, until flavors are melded and chili is thickened, 34–45 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

    Step 4

    Divide chili among bowls and top withsliced avocado, sour cream, cilantro leaves with tender stems, sliced jalapeños, crushed tortilla chips, and/or lime wedgesas desired.

    Do ahead:Chili (without toppings) can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool. Transfer to an airtight container; cover and chill.

Sign InorSubscribe
to leave a Rating or Review

How would you rate Simple Turkey Chili With All the Toppings?

Leave a Review

  • This was delicious and really easy to make

    • Ashleigh

    • England

    • 9/1/2023

  • Turned out great!

    • Jim Haugen

    • Napa, CA

    • 8/17/2023

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Vegan Chili
Our best vegan chili recipe is flavored with lots of spice and both fresh tomatoes and tomato sauce—and gets extra heft from a bit of bulgur.
Chili Oil
Chili oil is a Chinese pantry staple that's easy to make at home.
Chili Crisp Panzanella
Take panzanella up a notch by mixing chili crisp into golden-brown bread cubes to add the right amount of heat and savory notes to this refreshing salad.
White Chicken Chili
This creamy white chicken chili with beans and corn is a quick one-pot meal. Add avocado, cilantro, and tortilla chips and you have a crowd-pleasing dinner.
Chili Crisp Bucatini
这个碳添加辣椒的转换ara into a delicious cycle of flavors: rich and luscious, peppery and spicy, and then sharp and salty.
Falafel-Spiced Turkey Burgers
Molly Yeh’s turkey burgers are genuinely juicy, supremely crispy, flavored like falafel, and browned in a skillet for ultimate ease.
Cozy and Quick White Chicken Chili
Lightly mash some of the white beans for a creamy, velvety texture without any added dairy.
Chili Bean Tofu and Vegetable Skewers
These tofu vegetable skewers are a little sweet and a little salty with tons of umami from chili bean paste.