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.
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
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
- 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.
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.
Add broth, crushed tomatoes and beans. Scrape up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the 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.
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!
The BEST Turkey Chili Recipe
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.
Recipe originally shared in 2018. Updated December 2022 and September 2024.
This was really good. I made it on the stovetop and didn’t have enough time to let it simmer for 1-2 hours, but it still tasted great.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this chili, KaLynn!
Great recipe! Used stovetop method. A-
I just made this for the first time and had to write to say how much I loved it! I added chopped red bell pepper in with the onions and by mistake added diced tomatoes instead of crushed out of habit from my usual recipe, but otherwise followed amounts and ingredients. The seasoning was perfect for my littles! I’m just starting to try and substitute things for hamburger (we love it, just eat way too much red meat!) and this was an awesome start! Thanks so much!!!
Could you substitute the canned beans with dry ones? How would the amounts needed differ?
I wouldn’t recommend subbing dry beans for the canned in this recipe. I would have to test it myself to figure out the amounts of liquid/beans, as well as the cook time. If you want to avoid canned beans, I would recommend cooking your dry beans first, separately, and then using those cooked beans in this recipe. You’ll need about 1 3/4 cups of cooked beans per 15 ounce can.
Thank you!
Amazing chili! This is our go to recipe.. The hubs & kids love it! 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that! I love this recipe, too!
Great Chili but I like my chili with a thicker sauce. What do you recommend to thicken the sauce so its not so watery. Maybe add corn starch or ???? I used your recipe for my 6 Qt Instant Pot.
I would recommend simmering the chili after it pressure cooks using the sauté function until it thickens to your liking.
I had the same results and know better. When using an instant pot, always reduce the liquid that’s recommended for a traditional cooking method. 1 rather than 2 cups would be better for instant pot. I pressed sauté for a few minutes to reduce some liquid.
The flavor is great though!
This is an absolutely delicious and easy turkey chili recipe. Even family member that don’t usually like turkey chili really liked this one. I sautéed an orange pepper in with the onions and used our favorite beans. I appreciate that you provided instruction for cooking on stove top, slow cooker or pressure cooker. My original intent was to use the pressure cook on the Instant Pot, but stirred in the tomatoes and beans before reading your DO NOT stir in…. At that point I switched the Instant Pot from pressure cook to slow cooker function. Will definitely make this again soon. It was great reheated for lunches.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this chili! It’s one of our favorites, too! You have to be careful with beans in the pressure cooker, as they can sometimes give you a burn warning. That’s why I recommend not stirring in the beans and tomatoes. I’m glad the slow cooker function worked for you.
Hi!! Wanting to try this recipe with my 8 qt instant pot, should I change anything about the recipe for the larger IP? Maybe just more liquid?
Thanks!!
You don’t need to change anything to make this in an 8 quart instant pot. I’ve made it in my 8 quart with success. Just be sure to add the tomatoes and beans last and don’t stir them in, since the 8 quart Instant Pot is more prone to getting a burn warning, especially with these ingredients. 🙂
I am prob late to the game but I just made this tonight in the IP and it turned out AMAZING! I’m not much of a turkey ground type person and this turned out so good. I left out the black beans but did the rest. Subbed onion for onion powder and that was it. Glad I found this! Thanks for your great instructions. ?
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! This is one of my favorites in the Instant Pot. 🙂
can I ask how long it took for your IP to go from “on” to countdown? My IP was on the “on” setting for 25 minutes and was hissing all along. I ended up turning it off then starting it again, only to keep waiting again. After 30 minutes I shut it off again and served the chili as is. The chili still tasted good but most of the liquid was gone. Anyone else have this problem?
Hi Lori, your Instant Pot should have come to pressure and counted down unless the valve was left open or your pot isn’t working correctly. You may want to try a simple water test with your Pot, see my guide. https://kristineskitchenblog.com/instant-pot-guide/
Thank you for this healthy recipe! I made it just like the recipe called for in the instant pot. Seasoning and timing were perfect. I put out little bowls of green onions, shredded cheddar and light sour cream for toppings. My family loved it!
We love it too!
Made this as written the other day (in my InstantPot) and it was delicious. It is now my husband’s favorite chili recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Made the turkey chili tonight and it was delicious!! Added sweet potato too:). Thank you!!!
Can’t wait to make this! Can the chili be frozen and then thawed for a later date?
Yes, this chili freezes well. Enjoy!
This was the most perfect chili! Not too salty, not too spicy. Easy to make but still feels like you deserve to pat yourself on the back for cooking that night. ? it was delicious made in the Dutch oven! Can’t wait to make again! Thank you!
Can I substitute ground beef? I’ve made this with turkey and it was amazing but my husband is requesting beef this time. Thanks!
That will work perfectly! Enjoy!
Thanks for including recipes for dinner top, slow cooker and instant pot. I am new to pressure cooking so I’ve been trying out lots of recipes for pressure cooking. I had to add more seasoning to get a good chili flavor but it was very easy to following. I hope my critics like it.
My girls are VERY picky eaters, but they DEVOURED this chili. I was out of pinto beans so I subbed canned lentils instead, SO GOOD.
I am SO happy to hear that!!!
I made this the other night in my insta pot and it was delicious! I am new to using my insta pot, but was wondering if the time would change if I were to double the recipe?
The cook time stays the same for a double recipe. It will just take a little longer for the pot to come to pressure and release pressure, since there’s more in the pot. I’m glad you loved this! It’s one of my favorites.
Hello,
I would love to make this recipe but I’m cooking for 1! Can I cut the recipe in half and still cook according to the instructions?
Thanks!
Yes, that will work well. Enjoy!
Just made this recipe in the slow cooker for my roommate and I! We both absolutely loved it, added red pepper flakes for a bit of an extra kick. Reheats really well and super filling!
Good flavor but very watery with instapot method, i followed recipe exactly. Think I’ll drain the crushed tomatoes next time. Otherwise pretty good.
Can I use frozen ground turkey? If so does tw cook time change?
I recommend thawing the turkey first so that you can brown it, which adds flavor. You can thaw it in the refrigerator, or if it is in a vacuum sealed wrapper you can put it in a bowl of cool water for about 20 minutes to thaw.
Good chili, but needs some heat.
Added cayenne pepper 1/4-1/8 teaspoon.
Hi. I noticed on the nutritional chart it says serving size 1.5 cups….. That doesnt sound like enough to feed 3-4 people……..how do i make enough to feed 3-4 people in my 6qt instant pot duo? I just got the instant pot so i want this to be my first recipe to try (after the water test)
The serving size is for one serving. At the top of the recipe card it says that the recipe makes 6 servings. So you will have 6 servings of 1.5 cups each if you make the recipe as written. Enjoy your new Instant Pot!
Can I double this recipe in my 8ct duo. I have a very large family
I haven’t tried making a double recipe in my 8 quart. It may fit, but I am not sure.
So I have recently been making this for my husband and I… I am always trying to make things healthier/sneak veggies in when I can because I absolutely love veggies.. I experimented with putting cauliflower in the chili and I was surprised at the outcome! You absolutely couldn’t even tell it was in there at all. This is a very easy recipe to sneak veggies into, especially if you have kiddos/other people who don’t particularly care for veggies. The chili is sooooo yummy and flavorful, and when you let the veggies cook with the chili (I added it in when I added the beans), the veggies soak up all the yumminess of the chili!
I am the biggest fan of this recipe! I’ve made it a few times now in my slow cooker. It is delicious! I’m not the best cook in the world, but this is easy to make and honestly it’s pretty fun to make! I absolutely love it. I add one bell pepper to the onion as suggested. Thank you Kristine! I’ll be making this on repeat for life.
Can i sub turkey for pork? We have a food allergy in the house.
Yes, that should work fine.
Anyone used beef for this recipe? Wondering if I would use beef broth
Yes, you can use beef and beef broth in place of turkey and chicken broth.
This chili is so good! It was a huge hit at a party I just had. I doubled the recipe and it was almost gone with only 20 people. This is a keeper. So easy to make but doesn’t taste like it! Thank you for sharing!
Delicious! I made this with my new Instant pot. It was really a perfect blend of seasonings and it really made a lot of chili. I will definitely be making this again.
Does the nutrition label include toppings such as cheese and sour cream?
No, it doesn’t because the toppings and amounts that people may choose to add will vary. Nutrition information is always an estimate.
I love this recipe, use it all the time! It’s a family favorite and in our rotation. I make it in the instant pot. The only change I have to make is I use diced tomatoes because every time I’ve tried crushed I get the burn notice. But otherwise it’s an easy, quick week night meal!
Hello, I entered a Chili Cook Off at work, just to participate and increase the submissions. I took 1st place! One judge said she doesn’t like turkey meat, but voted for mine. Thank you.
I’m so excited to try this. I’m still learning to use my instapot. Think I’ll try it that way. I’m
Glad you can also use pork or beef as I’m allergic to Turkey.
Could you add canned corn to this? If so, how much would you suggest?
I’d suggest adding about 1 cup, or a full can (drained) if you really like corn. Enjoy!
Thank you for your recipe.
Easy to make; delicious to eat!
This is a great!! Filling and flavorful
Wonderful! The only thing I changed was using freshly fire roasted tomatoes from my garden and a little more salt. Thanks for posting.
I haven’t made this yet, but plan to this week. I’ve seen some comments that it’s not thick enough when cooking in the instant pot. Would you recommend cutting the chicken broth back to 1 cup instead of 2?
I would not recommend reducing the broth to 1 cup, since you’d likely get a burn message. You’d probably be ok using just 1/4 cup less broth, or you can thicken the chili by simmering it with the sauté function after pressure cooking. With all that being said, I find the chili to be thick enough as is. 🙂
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.)
I’ve made this and it is very good. Next time I’ll use more spices. Like pasta dishes, I’ve found it’s even better reheated the next day. Loaded with healthy protein. It is part of my tried and true recipes to make again and again. Thank you.
I did the stovetop method and it turned out amazing! I added diced green chili and jalapeños to give it an extra kick! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Questions: Before I make turkey chili; Why add any sort of broth? I’ve never seen it in recipes using ground beef. I use one nineteen ounce can of tomato puree, and one nineteen ounce can of whole tomatoes; plus half a can of spaghetti sauce. Even if its optional; just wondering why you add it? Does it improve the flavor? Would you include it in a beef recipe?
It sounds like you’re adding more liquid in the form of the various canned tomato products (puree, whole tomatoes with liquid, spaghetti sauce). In this recipe I use 28 ounces crushed or diced tomatoes plus tomato paste, which is very thick and needs some liquid to thin it out. Without the broth this chili would be too thick. I also use broth (beef broth) and a similar method in my beef chili recipe.
Thank you so much for all your recipes. They work well for our family of 3 and I can now easily bring variety throughout the week. This turkey chili is a game-changer. My family wolfed it down in record time.
I have made many chili’s but this recipe nails all the spices you need for a flavor. Ground turkey is boring in taste so the chef’s job is to spice it up and add the flavor. I added green chilies, heavier on chili powder and1 can crushed tomatoes and one diced. Came out wonderful and even better the next day!
Delicious! I made the turkey version of this chili and it was easy and tasty. It had great flavor and would rival any beef chili. A keeper for sure!
This was excellent. I made it for the challenge but I can’t find how to enter. I will definitely be making it again.
Hi Cindy,
See the “How to Enter” section of the challenge rules here. Thank you!
What a great recipe!
So easy to make. You can’t even taste that it’s turkey & not beef,fooled my husband.
Thanks for sharing!😊
This chili recipe is delicious! I made it with ground chicken and added green and red bell peppers. I think the fire roasted tomatoes really adds depth of flavor! It’s so easy in the slow cooker!
Delicious!
I love my old chili recipe that Ive been making for years but when I saw Kristine’s Cooking Challenge for turkey chile, I decided to give it a try, as well as enter the challenge!
My family loved it and so did I!!
I really liked the depth of flavors in this recipe. Very different from my old recipe. Once again I’ve found a new recipe from Kristine’s Kitchen and it’s a keeper. Thanks Kristine.
Super delicious! I just left out the onion for food sensitivity reasons, used the stovetop method. Turned out wonderful and very easy!