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Home » Recipes » Soups and Stews

One Pot Turkey Chili

Last Modified: Oct 2, 2023. Originally Published: Feb 20, 2023 by Janessa.

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Made with lean protein and simple ingredients you can find at any grocery store, this one pot turkey chili gives a healthy dinner spin to a classic comfort food. In just a few easy steps and less than an hour, you'll have this hearty meal ready for the whole family to enjoy. It is also a great recipe to meal prep for work lunches.

Jump to:
  • The Ingredients
  • The Method
  • Leftovers and Storage
  • Make it Your Own
  • Serving Ideas
  • And if you liked this recipe...
  • Recipe Card
  • Comments
Two bowls of turkey chili topped with sliced avocado.

When the days are shorter and the weather is colder, nothing quite hits the spot like a big bowl of chili (though a bowl of potato soup comes close!).

From the moment that the smell of chili seasoning starts to fill the air until long after you have finished your bowl and cleaned the dishes (which is quick since this healthy meal is part of my collection of one-pot wonders!), the house will be filled with a feeling of comfort.

Great for busy weeknights and lazy Saturdays alike, this turkey chili has just a little bit of kick from the chili powder but is not overpowering.

If you're sensitive to spice, you can reduce the chili powder a bit or just add an extra dollop of Greek yogurt to your bowl to cool it down.

The Ingredients

Ingredients for one pot turkey chili.
  • Avocado Oil- Olive oil or another neutral cooking oil will also work.
  • Yellow Onion- You can also use a white onion.
  • Bell Pepper- I'm partial to using a red pepper but any sweet bell pepper works.
  • Lean Ground Turkey- We've made this with lean ground beef and ground chicken as well and it turns out great.
  • Chili Powder- I'm referring to the spice blend of chili powder which contains chili pepper, paprika, cumin, garlic powder and more. NOT Purely Ground Chili Pepper.
  • Cumin
  • Honey- Maple syrup or sugar can also be used. This helps to cut the acid from the tomato.
  • Tomato Paste
  • Garlic Powder- You can freshly mince 4-6 cloves of garlic instead.
  • Salt
  • Black Pepper
  • Water
  • Crushed Tomatoes
  • Red Kidney Beans- Another type of bean can be used or they can be omitted if you don't like beans in your chili.
  • Tomato Sauce

The Method

1. Sauté onions and peppers. In a large pot over medium heat, add the avocado oil and the chopped peppers and onions. Cook, stirring often until softened, about 5-8 minutes.

2. Brown the turkey. Increase to medium-high and add the ground turkey. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat into small pieces until cooked through.

3. Add the seasonings, tomato paste and honey. Reduce to medium-low heat and stir in the seasonings, tomato paste and honey. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

4. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the water, crushed tomatoes, beans and tomato sauce.

Collage of steps to make recipe starting with sautéing vegetables, then browning the meat and finally stirring in the liquids and seasonings.

5. Simmer for 30 minutes. Cover and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavor to develop, stirring every 5-10 minutes.

Pot of chili with a large spoon scooping out a portion.

6. Serve!

Leftovers and Storage

To Store: Store leftover one pot turkey chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: Rewarm in the microwave until heated through or on the stove top over medium heat for 5-10 minutes with a splash of additional water.

Two bowls of chili with a half avocado in the background.

Make it Your Own

  • Different Types of Beans- Black beans, pinto beans or white beans could all be used in place of the kidney beans. Or feel free to add an additional can.
  • Add Corn- Are you a fan of corn in your chili? If so, you can add 1-2 cups of frozen corn at the same time as the beans.
  • Include More Veggies- Add up to 4 cups of additional vegetables at the same time as the beans. The cook time may need to increase to 45 minutes depending on what you are adding to ensure that they are cooked through and tender. Some great additions to this chili would be:
    • Sweet Potatoes
    • Cauliflower
    • Zucchini
    • Butternut Squash
    • Carrots
    • Broccoli
    • Spinach (Stir it in to wilt in the last 5 minutes)
    • Mushrooms

Serving Ideas

Garnish your comforting bowl of chili with all of your favorite toppings:

  • Green onions
  • A dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • Tortilla chips
  • A fresh squeeze of lime
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Cilantro
  • Sliced avocado or Guacamole

And try serving this one pot turkey chili alongside some:

  • Corn Tortillas
  • Cornbread
  • Baked Sweet Plantains
  • Crispy Baked Fries
  • Rice
Chili being ladled out into two bowls.

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And if you liked this recipe...

...you might also like:

  • White Chicken Chili with Kale
  • Ground Beef Tacos
  • Turkey and Spinach Lasagna
  • Buffalo Chicken Chili (Slow Cooker)

Recipe Card

Top view of a bowl of chili in a grey dish topped with sliced avocado.

One Pot Turkey Chili

A hearty turkey spin on traditional chili, this recipe is quick and easy to make and tastes great as leftovers.
5 from 47 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour
Servings: 4
Calories: 330kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1 yellow onion 1 cup, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper 1 cup, chopped
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 3 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 tablespoon cumin
  • 2 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 and ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 and ½ cups water
  • 1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can red kidney beans
  • 1 7 oz can tomato sauce
(Prevent your screen from going dark)

Instructions

  • In a large pot over medium heat, add the avocado oil and the chopped peppers and onions. Cook, stirring often until softened, about 5-8 minutes.
  • Increase to medium-high and add the ground turkey. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat into small pieces until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  • Reduce to medium-low heat and stir in the seasonings, tomato paste and honey. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  • Stir in the water, crushed tomatoes, beans and tomato sauce.
  • Cover and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavor to develop, stirring every 5-10 minutes.
  • Serve with all of your favorite chili toppings.

Notes

Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.

Nutrition

Calories: 330kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 1108mg | Potassium: 975mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 2902IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 6mg
Did you make this recipe?Let me know what you thought in the comments below!

More Comforting Soups and Chilis!

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  • Bowl of pumpkin soup topped with green onions.
    Pumpkin Chicken Soup with Rice
  • Bowl of chicken tikka masala with a side of naan and garnished with cilantro.
    One Pot Chicken Tikka Masala (With Coconut Milk)
« Ground Beef and Broccoli
Honey Cinnamon Granola »

Comments

    5 from 47 votes (39 ratings without comment)

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  1. Chenée says

    February 20, 2023 at 11:43 pm

    5 stars
    We love turkey chili so I know I'm going to love this recipe! It looks so easy to make!

    Reply
    • Janessa says

      February 21, 2023 at 11:05 am

      I hope you love it!

      Reply
  2. Anjali says

    February 21, 2023 at 2:35 am

    5 stars
    This chili was hearty, spicy and so satisfying!! Everyone liked it so much that we had no leftovers after dinner!

    Reply
    • Janessa says

      February 21, 2023 at 11:05 am

      Yay, I'm so glad you liked this recipe, Anjali!

      Reply
  3. Katherine says

    February 21, 2023 at 4:06 am

    5 stars
    This turkey chili is so easy and healthy! Loved it.

    Reply
    • Janessa says

      February 21, 2023 at 11:04 am

      I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Katherine.

      Reply
  4. Rachna says

    February 21, 2023 at 5:44 am

    5 stars
    This chili is so hearty and delicious. Loved the use of turkey here. Everyone loved it at home.

    Reply
    • Janessa says

      February 21, 2023 at 11:04 am

      I'm glad you liked this recipe, Rachna!

      Reply
  5. Ned says

    February 21, 2023 at 6:06 am

    5 stars
    What a hearty delicious chili! I love having Turkey in it, makes it less heavy. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Janessa says

      February 21, 2023 at 11:04 am

      Thank you for your kind review, Ned!

      Reply
  6. Tegan says

    March 02, 2023 at 1:20 pm

    5 stars
    We made this chili in the instant pot, it turned out so yummy!! The flavour was just right. We added carrots and zucchini, will definitely make this again!

    Reply
    • Janessa says

      March 02, 2023 at 5:55 pm

      I'm glad you enjoyed this turkey! Thank you for your kind review, Tegan.

      Reply
  7. Ryan says

    November 04, 2024 at 6:11 pm

    5 stars
    Best chilli we’ve ever made. Would highly recommend!

    Reply
    • Janessa says

      November 04, 2024 at 6:42 pm

      I'm so glad you liked this recipe, Ryan! Thank you for your kind review.

      Reply
  8. Sandy says

    January 24, 2025 at 12:21 am

    5 stars
    I didn’t have any ground turkey so I used ground beef. The chili was very delicious and we loved it. The recipe was easy to follow. I definitely will make it again with turkey next time 😊

    Reply
    • Janessa says

      January 24, 2025 at 7:16 pm

      I'm so glad you liked this recipe, Sandy! We love it with beef too. Thank you for your kind review.

      Reply
Janessa

Hi, I'm Janessa and I'm passionate about sharing recipes that are made with wholesome ingredients, are quick and easy and most importantly, delicious!

More about me →

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