Healthy Turkey Chili – This easy recipe is hearty and delicious with plenty of flavor! Can easily be made in the slow cooker as well. Nothing beats a comforting bowl of turkey chili!
I love to make all types of soups…they are so easy and delicious. This turkey chili recipe is one of my favorites, along with hearty vegetable soup, easy lasagna soup, tortellini sausage soup and chicken gnocchi soup.
Healthy turkey chili
This simple turkey chili recipe is made with lean ground turkey, chili seasonings and 3 types of beans. We love to top it off with all of our favorite toppings including cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro and chips. It makes it a little less healthy, but oh so yummy. It’s also SO delicious served with a warm slice of cornbread. YUM!
The thing I love most about this healthy chili recipe is that it’s even better the next day. I’m not a huge fan of leftovers, but I will definitely eat this healthy turkey chili the day after. It is that good!
Reasons to love it:
- Protein packed. Between the beans and turkey, each serving has almost 30g protein!
- Light on fat. There’s nothing fatty in this turkey chili recipe! Only 5g fat per serving.
- Made in one pot. Everything cooks together in one pot, making cleanup a breeze!
- Freezer-friendly. This soup freezes beautifully. Store leftovers in freezer for busy nights!
- Customizable. Add in extra veggies or leave out anything you don’t have on hand. Super easy to customize!
How to make turkey chili
Scroll down for the printable turkey chili recipe and step-by-step video tutorial.
Step 1: Brown the ground turkey
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-heat. Add in the chopped onion, peppers and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onions become translucent. Stir in the ground turkey and cook until lightly browned. Drain any excess grease if needed, then stir in seasonings.
Step 2: Add remaining ingredients and simmer
Next add in the chicken broth, tomatoes, beans and corn. Bring chili to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Then taste and add more salt and seasonings if desired.
Step 3: Serve and enjoy!
Ladle turkey chili into bowls and add your favorite toppings like sour cream, sliced avocado, red onion and crushed tortilla chips. Enjoy!
Crockpot version
This turkey chili is a really easy slow cooker recipe as well. Nothing better than slow cooker turkey chili…especially in the fall or winter!
- Simply follow the instructions, such as cooking the onions and ground turkey up until adding the seasonings.
- Then place the remaining ingredients in the slow cooker with the cooked turkey.
- Cook turkey chili on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
Freezing tips
This healthy chili recipe makes a great freezer meal! It holds up really well in the freezer and is perfect to pull out for busy weeknights.
To freeze:
- Place cooled soup in a freezer bag or container (leaving room for it to expand).
- Add a freezer label with the name of the recipe and date you cooked it.
- Store in freezer for up to 6 months.
- To thaw, let sit in fridge overnight or thaw in microwave.
- Then let simmer in a pot on low heat until warm.
Toppings to add to healthy chili recipe
Sour cream: We love to add a dollop of sour cream to our turkey chili. It makes it a little more creamy. You could use Greek yogurt too.
Shredded cheese: I typically sprinkle some shredded Mexican cheese on top of my healthy turkey chili. The cheese gets all melty and delicious.
Avocado or guacamole: Feel free to add some avocado slices or even a dollop of guacamole.
Tortilla chips or strips: One of my favorite toppings to add is crushed tortilla strips or tortilla chips. Adds the perfect crunch!
Cilantro: I’m a huge fan of cilantro and add extra to almost all Mexican recipes that I make. So flavorful and yummy!
Green or red onions: I usually add about a tablespoon of green or red onions to my turkey chili bowl. Gives it an extra boost of flavor.
What readers are saying about turkey chili recipe
“Best chili I’ve ever had!! Sooo easy and yummy!” – Hannah
“I love this chili! I have made it a bunch of times with varying beans and it always comes out amazing!” – Michelle
“This was super easy and really great! Loved that it’s a healthier version of chili, and was perfect for a chilly, winter evening. My husband loved it, too!” – Molly
“Love, love, love this chili!! Will work perfectly for meal prep. I love leftovers and these are amazing! Thanks for the great share.” – Lynda
More chili recipes:
- Homemade Chili
- White Chicken Chili
- Easy 3-Ingredient Chili
- Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
- Best Taco Soup
- Chili and Cornbread Skillet
Healthy Turkey Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion , chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper , chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 2-3 Tablespoons chili powder , more to taste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt , more to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1-2 cups chicken broth (depending on how thick you like your chili)
- 30 ounces petite diced tomatoes (two 15 oz cans)
- 15 ounce can dark red kidney beans , drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can black beans , drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can white chili beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups corn , canned or frozen (optional)
Optional toppings: cheese, sour cream, cilantro, avocados, tortilla chips
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-heat. Stir in the onion, peppers and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the onions become translucent. Add in the ground turkey and cook until lightly browned. Drain if needed. Stir in seasonings.
- Next add in the chicken broth, tomatoes and beans. Add corn if desired. Bring chili to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes. The longer the better. Taste and add more salt and seasonings if desired.
- Ladle turkey chili into bowls and top with your favorite toppings.
The chili tasted delicious! I used the ingredients suggested, even adding a dollop of sour cream to my serving. Yum!
Yay! Sour cream makes everything better :)
Great recipe, I only used 1 cup of broth and added 1 T of tomato paste. I used black beans and pinto beans because that’s all I had in my pantry. The next time I make this chili I’m gonna make a double batch because my family loved it . I topped it with cilantro , green onion and sour cream .
I’m glad you enjoyed it! :)
Loved making this chili! So easy and so delicious! Im trying to record the macros but im not sure how much is one serving. Would 1bowl be around 1 cup?
It would be closer to 1 1/4-1/2 cup :)
Just made this turkey chili? It is delish!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
OMG! Your TURKEY CHILI RECIPE looks amazing, perfect recipe to make using left over turkey after Thanksgiving.
Love that this is so tasty and so healthy! Best of both worlds!