Easy Turkey Chili
Hearty, filling, nutritious, and made in under 30 minutes, this Easy Turkey Chili is a weeknight staple your entire family will enjoy. Learn how to set up a DIY Chili Bowl Bar with a variety of toppings and serving suggestions.
Gluten Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free, Soy Free
We’re in the coldest months of the year and I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking of COMFORT FOOD.
There’s no comfier food (in my opinion) than CHILI! Perhaps childhood nostalgia plays a role, but chili is just do darn comforting, no?! It’s warm, fun to decorate your bowl full of toppings, and so versatile.
You can make it vegan (full of beans), put it over cornbread, make a taco salad-style “chili salad,” enjoy it over a grain, or eat as is, straight from the pan!
No matter how you chose to enjoy this Easy Turkey Chili, it should be added to your weekly menu rotation STAT!
While we’re on the topic, let’s talk about your weekly menu. Are you a planner?
I find it best when I take 5 minutes over the weekend to scribble down our meals for the week (get a FREE meal planning template here!). Especially with a baby and bedtime schedules, I no longer have the mental energy by 7pm to start thinking of “what’s for dinner?”
I need to know what we’re eating, and usually make it in less than 30 minutes.
This Easy Turkey Chili comes together in just 30 minutes (how convenient!), so it’s great to food prep over the weekend, and then assemble during the week. Or just warm up leftovers in the microwave, because let’s be real…
How to Meal Prep Easy Turkey Chili
There are several ways you can meal prep chili.
- Make it in advance, then eat in different styles during the week (chili salad one night, over rice another night, with cornbread a third night, for example). By switching things up, you won’t get bored of eating something similar.
- Cook + freeze so you can always pull a healthy meal out of your freezer. Freeze in individual portions to enjoy at a later date (usually I suggest no longer than 3 months later). I actually love to freeze chili in Stasher Bags. I flatten them out in the freezer to take up the least amount of space possible.
- Transform your made-ahead chili into a “new” meal. For example, pair the chili with scrambled eggs for a “huevos rancheros” type of dish. Or add it to a quesadilla. Alternatively, stuff it into peppers or zucchini to make a stuffed veggie dish (like these zucchini turkey taco boats, but with chili!).
Ingredients in Easy Turkey Chili
Being so versatile, you may ask yourself, what’s in this Easy Turkey Chili?
Well, let me share…
Ground Turkey – I used organic turkey (find out why organic is personal preference here). You can use any ground meat you’d like (beef, chicken, bison, lamb, etc.), but I prefer white meat turkey (again, personal preference for the white meat part).
Canned Fire Roasted Tomatoes – Canned tomatoes are a pantry staple! Fire roasted varieties have SO much flavor with minimal extra ingredients. If you can’t find fire roasted tomatoes, regular diced canned tomatoes work too!
>>> Learn more about the health benefits of canned tomatoes HERE! <<<
Black Beans + Red Kidney Beans – I like to use two varieties of beans for additional flavor. Plus, kidney beans are high in potassium. Both contribute fiber and starchy carbs to this chili.
Corn – I think all chili recipes should contain corn. It just adds an extra layer of sweet flavor. I love using frozen corn kernels.
Spices – You can have chili without the spice! This recipes uses a bunch of pantry staple spices, including:
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper
Cilantro – I’m a cilantro fan, but if it tastes like soap to you (it’s genetic!), skip it. It’s a great garnish, but can also be kept in the chili itself too.
Easy Substitutions For Turkey Chili
Instead of turkey – Sub any ground meat you’d like. If you want to make a 100% vegan chili, only use beans. I have a very veggie chili recipe you may enjoy in that case!
Instead of canned tomatoes – Opt for fresh tomatoes, if you wish. However, turkey chili is usually a winter dish when tomatoes aren’t in season, which is why I prefer and recommend using canned tomatoes.
Spices – Chili requires spices to get that quintessential chili flavor, but you can use a store-bought seasoning packet, if you wish. My favorite blends are Primal Palate’s taco seasoning, or if you follow a Low FODMAP diet, Fody’s taco seasoning.
Beans – Not a fan of beans? Skip ’em. Have a different variety at home? Swap ’em! As you can tell, this recipe is very customizable based on what you have available.
Is Easy Turkey Chili Healthy?
Did you check that ingredient list? This Easy Turkey Chili is loaded with nutritious ingredients, fitting my PVCF formula.
Protein: turkey + beans
Veggies: onions, peppers, canned tomatoes
Carbs: beans + corn
Fat: oil for cooking (+ avocado for topping)
Regularly consuming balanced meals helps you stay energized, promotes satisfaction, balances your blood sugar, boosts your metabolism, and much more.
If you regularly find yourself craving sugar or snacking after dinner, you may need more BALANCE in your life!
How to set up a DIY Chili Bowl Bar
One of my favorite reasons for loving chili night when I was younger is because there was a DIY element to it. My love of cooking or “assembling” started young!
My mom would put a bunch of different bases and toppings in bowls and we could decide how we enjoyed chili night.
Here are some ideas for bases:
- Rice (or another grain)
- Cornbread
- Shredded lettuce
- Shredded cabbage or tangy cabbage slaw
- Tortillas or tortilla chips
Here are some ideas for toppings:
- Guacamole or avocado
- Shredded cheese
- Jalapeno slices
- Chopped tomatoes
- Shredded lettuce
- Tortilla chips (I <3 bean-based chips, like these)
Other Mexican-inspired meals you may enjoy:
PrintEasy Turkey Chili
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground turkey (chicken or meat; organic preferred)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion, about 1 medium onion
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 1 bell pepper, chopped*
- 1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen and thawed)
- 2 15-ounce cans fire roasted tomatoes (optional: with chiles)
- 1 15-ounce jar salsa (with no added sugar preferred)
For topping/serving: cilantro, brown rice, mashed avocado, sour cream/plain Greek yogurt, shredded lettuce
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey to brown. Move around the pan and break up meat into smaller pieces for about 7 minutes. Season with cumin, chili powder, black pepper, oregano, and smoked paprika.
- Once meat is nearly cooked, add garlic and onion. Saute until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Add bell pepper, beans, corn, canned tomatoes, and jar of salsa. Mix to combine.
- Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
- Serve over salad, brown rice, corn muffins, etc. If not serving immediately, cover and let cool. Once cooled, chili can be stored in the refrigerator for 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
*May use frozen and thawed bell peppers.
Don’t Forget to PIN IT…
XO