See my guide on how to use an Instant Pot.

The BEST turkey chili recipe! It’s richly flavored, perfectly spiced and so hearty, filled with beans and ground turkey. Make this easy chili recipe on the stove top, in the slow cooker or in the Instant Pot.

Turkey chili served in bowls topped with sour cream, shredded cheddar, green onions, cilantro and sliced jalapeno.

This Turkey Chili Recipe is the Real Deal

We had a few days of cooler weather last week, and the first recipe I added to our meal plan when I saw lower temperatures in the forecast was this turkey chili. I love that this recipe is a bit healthier than a classic beef chili recipe, but still every bit as delicious and satisfying. My family always goes back for seconds when I make this!

This turkey chili starts with ground turkey, onion and garlic. Then I add in a generous amount of chili seasonings, plus tomato paste and fire roasted tomatoes for richness and flavor. Three kinds of beans make this recipe especially hearty and healthy.

Besides the incredible flavors, what I love most about this turkey chili recipe is that you can make it on the stove, or in the Instant Pot or slow cooker. So whether you’re looking for a make ahead meal, or you want the quick convenience of an Instant Pot recipe, or you want to gently simmer a pot of chili on the stove, this recipe has your cooking needs covered.

This is the most amazing Chile recipe — turkey or otherwise — that I’ve ever made.  I will make it again and again and again.  (I think adding the spices and tomato paste to the meat/onion/garlic mixture before adding any liquid might have something to do with it.)

Mary
Turkey chili on a ladle held over pot of chili.

Ways I’ve Served this Turkey Chili

  • Loaded with toppings. This chili is delicious as is, but it’s even better when you add your favorite toppings. Try shredded cheese, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, avocado, chopped red onion or green onion, fresh cilantro, crumbled tortilla chips, or sliced jalapeño.
  • With cornbread or biscuits. My family loves this chili with our favorite Cornbread Recipe or Homemade Biscuits.
  • With a salad. Turkey chili and a green salad make a healthy and satisfying meal!
  • Turn leftover chili into a new meal by making chili mac. Stir cooked pasta and shredded cheddar cheese into the chili for a delicious meal the next day.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients for turkey chili recipe.
  • Olive Oil: For sautéing the onion.
  • Onion: Adds flavor.
  • Ground Turkey: I usually use 93% lean ground turkey. It has a little more fat than 99% lean, which means your chili will be more flavorful. You can use whichever type of ground turkey you prefer.
  • Garlic: You can’t beat the flavor of fresh garlic!
  • Brown Sugar: Adding just one tablespoon of brown sugar to the chili balances out the acidity of the tomatoes and gives this turkey chili the best flavor. If you prefer a no-sugar recipe, you can omit the brown sugar.
  • Seasonings: Chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, salt and pepper provide the perfect mix of seasonings for the best turkey chili.
  • Tomato Paste: Adds richness and thickens the chili base.
  • Chicken Broth: I recommend using low sodium broth so that you can better control the amount of salt in the chili.
  • Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes: Fire roasted tomatoes bring a rich, slightly sweet and smoky flavor that is so good in this turkey chili recipe. I prefer the smoother texture of crushed tomatoes over diced, but you can substitute diced if that’s what you have on hand.
  • Beans: I like to use kidney beans, black beans and pinto beans. Other beans that work well in chili include cannellini beans and chickpeas.

How to Make Turkey Chili

Here’s an overview of the key steps to making turkey chili. Find the full instructions with measurements in the recipe card below.

Cook onion, garlic and ground turkey. First, sauté the onion in olive oil. Then, add the ground turkey and cook, crumbling the meat, until browned. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Browned ground turkey, onion and garlic in pot with a wooden spoon.

Add seasonings and tomato paste. Stir in the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and tomato paste. Stirring these into the meat mixture for a minute before adding the broth enhances the flavors.

Tomato paste, brown sugar and seasonings added to pot.
Seasonings and tomato paste stirred into meat mixture.

Add broth, crushed tomatoes and beans. Scrape up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Broth, crushed tomatoes and beans stirred into pot.

Simmer the chili for 1-2 hours, until it’s thick and flavorful. Cover the pot at the beginning of the simmer time and then uncover it during the last 30 minutes or so to thicken the chili.

How to Thicken Chili

If you find that the chili isn’t thick enough for your tastes, just simmer it a bit longer with the lid off to cook off some of the extra liquid.

Recipe Variations

  • Add more veggies. Chopped bell peppers, carrots or celery can be added along with the onion. Chopped sweet potatoes can be added at the step when you add the garlic. Or stir in some chopped fresh spinach once the chili has finished simmering.
  • Spice level: Use 2 tablespoons chili powder for moderately spicy chili. Use 1 tablespoon for more mild chili. The spiciness will also depend on how spicy your chili powder is, so adjust as needed. If you really want to add a kick to your turkey chili, add a little bit of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (a little goes a long way here!).
  • Beans/Meat: I like to use 3 cans of beans (kidney, black and pinto) to add lots of plant-based protein to the chili. If you prefer a meatier chili, you can double the meat and omit or reduce the quantity of beans.
  • You can swap the ground turkey for ground beef or ground chicken to vary the flavors.
  • Make it in a slow cooker. I’ve included slow cooker instructions in the recipe card below. You’ll brown the ground turkey and sauté the onion in a pan on the stove before adding it to the slow cooker. This step adds flavor and improves the texture of the meat so don’t skip it.
  • Make it in an Instant Pot. Find Instant Pot instructions in the recipe card below.

Storage Tips

Leftover chili makes delicious leftovers for lunch or dinner. So make a big batch and enjoy it for easy meals later on!

  • Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
  • Freezer: Once cool, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
  • To Reheat: Reheat in a covered pot on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Or reheat in the microwave until steaming hot.
Bowl of turkey chili with toppings and spoon.

More Favorite Chili Recipes

When you’re craving comfort food, this turkey chili recipe is just the cozy meal to warm you up. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!

Turkey chili served in a bowl with toppings.
4.94 from 16 ratings

The BEST Turkey Chili Recipe

Servings: 6 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
This Turkey Chili is healthy, hearty and so delicious! Made with ground turkey, chili seasonings and three kinds of beans, it's richly flavored and so satisfying. I've made this recipe on the stove top, in an Instant Pot and in a slow cooker. You'll find instructions for all three cooking methods below.
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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder, use 1 tablespoon for less spice
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 ¾ cups low sodium chicken broth, or one 14.5 ounce can
  • 28 ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes, or fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 15 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 15 ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • For topping: shredded cheese, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, cilantro, chopped onions, etc., as desired

Instructions
 

To Make on the Stove Top:

  • Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook 2 minutes, until onion starts to soften. Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring to crumble the meat, until turkey is browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
  • Add the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Add the broth and stir, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot.
  • Stir in the crushed tomatoes and beans.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. Cover the chili during the first part of the cook time, and then uncover during the last 30 minutes to thicken.
  • Serve chili with toppings, as desired.

To Make in the Slow Cooker:

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook 2 minutes, until onion starts to soften. Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring to crumble the meat, until turkey is browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
  • Turn off the heat and add the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Add the broth and stir, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Transfer the mixture into your slow cooker insert.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes and then beans to the slow cooker and stir.
  • Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
  • Stir and serve chili with toppings, as desired.

To Make in the Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker):

  • Turn Instant Pot on sauté setting. Add the olive oil and onion and cook 2 minutes, until onion starts to soften. Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring to crumble the meat, until turkey is browned, about 5 minutes. Turn off the Instant Pot and stir in the garlic.
  • Add the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Add the broth and stir well, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes and then beans on top of the meat mixture and DO NOT stir in.
  • Close the Instant Pot lid and move the valve to the sealing position. Pressure cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.
  • Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release for 10 minutes (by leaving it off after it finishes cooking). Then, carefully do a quick pressure release (use a potholder or long spoon to carefully move the steam release valve to venting) to release the remaining steam and pressure. Once the float valve drops down, carefully open the Instant Pot lid away from you, as the steam will be hot.
  • If the chili is not thick enough, simmer it using the sauté function to thicken it up. Stir and serve chili with toppings, as desired.

Notes

  • Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
  • Reheat leftovers in a covered pot on the stove over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. Or reheat in the microwave until steaming hot.
Serving: 1.5cups, Calories: 459kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 79mg, Sodium: 834mg, Fiber: 18g, Sugar: 12g
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course
Tried this recipe?Mention @kristines_kitchen on Instagram or tag #kristineskitchenblog.

Recipe originally shared in 2018. Updated December 2022 and September 2024.

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