This healthy turkey chili 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 chili!
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Award Winning Turkey Chili
As soon as the cooler weather hits, I immediately start craving a big bowl of chili. While I love my easy homemade chili recipe, sometimes I’m looking for a healthier alternative. Queue this healthy turkey version! It’s packed with protein, light on fat and is FULL of flavor.
This simple turkey chili recipe is made with lean ground turkey, chili seasoning 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 or cornbread croutons on top. 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 soup the day after. It is that good!
Reasons to Love it
This turkey chili is not only delicious and full of flavor but it has all the great reasons to love it too. Healthy, create it just the way you like it, and easy to make in one pot, plus all the ways to store 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!
Recipe Ingredients
With just lean ground turkey, chili seasoning, and 3 types of beans, you can have a lighter version of a comforting meal any night of the week.
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Ground turkey: I love how this lean meat helps lighten the chili and make it somehow turn this comfort food into a feel-good food.
- Onion: The sweetness of cooked onion works so well with the slight heat of red bell pepper.
- Bell pepper: I like to use red because I like a little stronger pepper flavor in this chili.
- Garlic: The minced garlic helps round out the onion and pepper and give a nice base for the chili.
- Chicken broth: I use chicken broth instead of beef broth to keep things light, but you could also use vegetable if you like.
- Tomatoes: I love the petite diced tomatoes for this chili as they give texture as well add a nice acidity to the base.
- Beans: This chili is all about the beans, using a mixture of kidney beans, black beans, and white chili beans.
- Corn: This is optional, but I love the sweetness and color corn adds.
- Seasonings: A mixture of chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt provide the perfect background to make all the other flavors shine.
Favorite Toppings
Make your turkey chili just the way you like it with all the yummy toppings! There are endless ideas to garnish and add to the top of your homemade chili. Here are some ideas to get you started!
- Sour cream: We love to add a dollop of sour cream to make it a little more creamy. You could use Greek yogurt for a lighter option.
- Shredded cheese: The cheese gets all melty and delicious…yum!
- Avocado or guacamole: Feel free to add some avocado slices or even a dollop of guacamole on top.
- Tortilla chips or strips: Crushed tortilla strips or tortilla chips add the perfect crunch!
- Cilantro: A delicious Mexican herb that adds an extra oomph of flavor.
- Green or red onions: I usually add about a Tablespoon of green or red onions.
How to Make Healthy Turkey Chili
Three easy steps to a hearty and feel-good meal! You will love how simple this healthy turkey chili is to make. It is one of those dump and go kind of meals. Only 30 minutes for this delicious chili with turkey to be made in one pot!
- Brown 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.
- 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.
- Serve. 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 turns into an easy slow cooker turkey chili as well. Nothing better than homemade chili simmering in the slow cooker all day…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 on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, please! Chili always tastes better the next day, after the flavors have had time to really meld, so feel free to make this up to 2 days in advance and reheat on the stovetop on low until warmed through.
Absolutely! Skip the ground turkey and swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth. Add a few more cans of beans to make sure the chili isn’t too liquid-y.
Each bowl of soup is different but on average a bowl of turkey chili with beans is about 224 calories per one cup. Turkey chili is known to be healthy and low in calories compared to other chili recipes.
Freezing Tips
This soup also makes a great freezer meal! It holds up really well in the freezer and is perfect to pull out for busy weeknights. To freeze healthy turkey chili, follow the simple steps below:
- Place cooled soup in a freezer bag or an airtight 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.
What Readers are Saying about this Healthy Chili
“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
Looking for more ways to use ground turkey? You’ll also love my turkey meatloaf recipe, egg roll in a bowl and turkey meatballs.
More Chili Recipes to Try
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Healthy Turkey Chili
Equipment
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 , plus more to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt , plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1-2 cups chicken broth (depending on how thick you like your chili)
- 2 (15-ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can dark red kidney beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can white chili beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups corn (canned or frozen, optional)
Optional toppings: Shredded cheese, Sour cream, Cilantro, Avocados, Tortilla chips
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Stir in the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, or until the onions become translucent. Add the turkey and cook until lightly browned. Drain, if needed. Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, and oregano.
- Add the broth, tomatoes, beans, and corn, if using. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Simmer at least 30 minutes, but the longer the better. Adjust seasonings, as needed.
- Ladle into bowls and top with your favorite toppings to serve.
Video
Notes
- Use ground beef in place of ground turkey.
- Make the spices your own by adding smoked paprika, turmeric, garam marsala, or whatever sounds good to you.
- Add some heat with cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Just had a warm bowl after taking out of freezer. So good A Favorite!
Highly recommend 🤩
Yes! I made a tweak here or there because of what was in my pantry, but we loved it! Happy 2023!
So glad you enjoyed the turkey chili! Happy New Years!
My go-to chili recipe!
Thanks for sharing, Kathy. Happy Thanksgiving!