Healthy Turkey Chili

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Chili is a seasonal staple that’s flavorful, healthy, and easy to put together. With hearty ingredients and flexible preparation, my healthy turkey chili is a great recipe to add warmth to your autumn and winter evenings.

One thing I love about this dish is its versatility. The ingredients are flexible and can be tailored to your preferences pretty easily.

There are also a variety of cooking methods for you to choose from. You can make it in a slow cooker, an instant pot, or on the stovetop. 

This post may contain affiliate links that won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Chili is also a great game-day recipe. When you’re looking at feeding a whole party or a big family, it’s so easy to dump the ingredients into a slow cooker and let it simmer. 

We have several varieties we love to rotate through.  This award winning white chili is the easiest chili recipe you’ll ever make (it really did win an award), and if you like a more unique recipe for chili, you’ve got to check out this Turkey Chili with butternut squash. 

Why you’ll love this recipe

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

• Ground turkey – To keep it light use 93% lean. This is a great alternative to red meat, but you can also use ground beef if you desire. You can even lower the fat content by rinsing the browned meat in really hot water. Or make it vegetarian by removing the meat completely, and add extra beans.
  
• Beans – I like to use a variety of beans for color and texture, but you can use one kind, or change the combination that I have. Black beans are always good. I prefer to start with dried beans, prepare them, and then use in this recipe. If you opt for canned beans, I recommend a natural or organic brand that doesn’t have a lot of preservatives, then rinse them very well.
  
• Vegetables – Yellow, orange, and red bell peppers make this a colorful comfort food. You can adjust the ratios of which peppers you like best. Mild green chilis add a traditional flavor, but you can spice it up with some cayenne if you like more heat.
• Broth- Use turkey, chicken, or vegetable broth. To really increase the nutrition, use bone broth, it’s so good for your gut and your immune system.
  
• Spices– Garlic, chili, cumin, and oregano. Just a few, but flavorful spices complete this dish to pure perfection!
  
• Toppings – Add some sour cream or savory cheddar to your chili to garnish your meal. Greek yogurt is an exellent substitution for sour cream. Cilantro, jalapeno, and avocado are also stellar toppings.
  

Dried beans vs canned

I fell in love with dried beans when I learned a friend of mine’s parents owned a bean farm.

I love buying them from her because they are in their purest form. They’re very fresh and they keep a long time.

Canned beans work great in this recipe, but if you’re more of a purist and like to use dried, you want to prepare them in advance.

Because of the tomato sauce and the acidity in it, the beans will not soften if you try to slow cook them with everything else.

Preparing dried beans

Prefer watching to reading? Here’s a video.

It’s easiest to cook them ahead of time, but you can do it the same day as well. It just depends on how much time you have. I often cook big batches of beans and then freeze them.

Instant Pot

1. Rinse beans in a strainer
2. Optional: soak in 4-5 inches of water overnight. I have skipped this step many times and it’s fine. Better for your digestive system if you soak, but if you don’t, it’s okay.
3. place beans in the pressure cooker with 6-8 cups of water. Seal and set manual pressure for 5-20 minutes depending on the type of beans and if you soaked them.
4. You can either natural release or rapid release. Natural release is the best option. If the beans are not soft enough, just add a couple more minutes and pressure cook again.

Crockpot

• Follow steps one and two above
• Place in the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. Add more water if necessary.

Stove top

• After rinsing and optional soak, place in a heavy bottom pan and cover with a few inches of water.
• Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
• Continue to cook for 1-3 hours. The amount of time will depend on how fresh your beans are. No worries! They keep for a long time, but newer beans cook quicker.

How to Make Healthy Turkey Chili

STEP ONE | Saute’

• Heat your skillet to medium on the stovetop.
• Saute onions in olive oil until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
• Increase heat to medium-high and brown the ground turkey.
• Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

STEP TWO | ADD TO SLOW COOKER

• Transfer contents of skillet to the slow cooker.
• Add remaining ingredients and stir until combined.

STEP THREE | COOK & SERVE

• Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.
• Ladle into bowls and serve with preferred toppings.

Chef’s Tips and Variations

• Use less beans for a low carb option. I limit it to 2 cups when going for low carb chili.
• Time-saving tip— cut up the onions and peppers the day before.

• To make it in the Instant Pot:
  • saute’ the onions and brown the meat on the Instant Pot’s saute function.
  • Then turn the saute off and add the broth, scraping up any browned bits. Add remaining chili ingredients (except for the toppings).
  • Cook on the manual pressure setting for 15 minutes. Natural release for 15 minutes. Serve.
    
• To make it on the stovetop:
  • First, saute the onions, meat, and garlic as described in the steps above, then add the other ingredients and mix well.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for at least half an hour. A longer simmer will give you a fuller flavor.
  • Serve with your favorite toppings.

Faq’s

Serving Suggestions

• This Fall Salad pairs perfectly and I love the fresh fruit in it, it rounds out the meal so well.  
• You can also serve it over a big scoop of rice. Wild rice is especially tasty.
• Chips, salsa,and guacamole (my weakness!).
• Cornbread is absolutely delicious with it too.

Most of what you’ll need to make this delicious chili is likely already in your pantry. Add these simple ingredients to a chilly autumn evening, and you’ll have a recipe sure to please everyone at the table.

Storing

• Cool and transfer to an air tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Chili can also be spooned into freezer bags and stored in the freezer for 4-6 months.

Time in the fridge or freezer allows the flavors to mingle more, often resulting in a richer, more complex dish the second time around.

Reheating is easy! Once it’s thawed, it can be done on the stovetop by gently warming it in a pan, or by placing it in the slow cooker on low.

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter, to have recipes delivered to your inbox and to stay up to date on the latest!

More Ground Turkey Recipes

• Turkey Burgers
• Cottage Pie
• Turkey Skillet Dinner
• Egg Roll in a Bowl
• Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers

More Slow Cooker Recipes

• Chicken Tinga
• Taco Soup
• Orange Chicken
• Lentil Soup
• Mongolian Beef

Please share

Your shares are how this site grows, and I appreciate each one. Do you know someone who would enjoy this recipe?

I’d love it if you shared it on your favorite Pinterest board or Facebook! AND…if you like this recipe, please do me a favor and give it a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ rating! TIA 🥰

You can also follow along on YouTube and Instagram!