Turkey Chili Recipe

Ground Turkey Chili with Real Flavor

For spicy food lovers and non-spicy food lovers alike, a good bowl of chili is TOPS. Chili satisfies an appetite and a craving like few other foods can. Even though you can make a good mild bowl of chili, it's a spicy food lover's dream dish because you can throw in spices and peppers from medium heat to the hottest of the hot and that chili will develop them in so many wonderful ways.

Can you tell I just love chili?

Don't get me wrong. If you decide to incorporate superhot chili peppers into your chili, like the wonderfully hot 7 Pot Pepper, fruity hot ghost pepper, or even the current hottest pepper in the world, the Carolina Reaper, you'll get a crazy hot chili that not many people can handle. Outside of yourself, that is, you crazy chilihead, you.

Still, it doesn't matter what level of spicy food lover you are. You can make a chili from mild-medium heat all the way up to crazy hot, no matter how you enjoy it. It is very easy to customize.

It isn't just the heat and spices that makes a satisfying chili. It's all about the peppers and sauce, the quality of the ingredients going into it, and the meat. You have MANY meat options for making chili, and I've made it with different cuts of pork, beef, ground beef and chicken. Today, though, we're cooking with ground turkey.

Yeah, baby! Turkey chili!

Why You'll Love This Turkey Chili

Turkey is a great choice of meat for making chili. Turkey may not contain the fat of other meats, which translates into flavor and mouth feel, but because of that it is a good lower calorie choice for those of us looking to eat a bit healthier.

Also, turkey is a milder protein, which means it will absorb and reflect back any flavors you decide to build into your pot of turkey chili. I see that as a huge positive. When I cook with turkey, particularly ground turkey, all the flavors of my chosen chili peppers, fire roasted tomatoes, chili powders and other seasonings have free reign to do what they do best - make a GREAT pot of turkey chili.

I'm calling this recipe the "Real Deal" Turkey Chili because it does exactly that. It incorporates a collection of outstanding ingredients that comes together into one beautifully flavored meal. Talk about tasty! And yep, it's super easy to make.

Let's talk about how to make turkey chili, shall we?

Turkey Chili Ingredients

Here is what you need to make an excellent pot of turkey chili.

• Olive Oil.
• Ground Turkey.
• Beans. I'm using red kidney beans here, but you can vary it up with different beans. Try it out with black beans, great northern beans, white beans, or a combination of beans. So many options!
• Onion and Garlic.
• Chili Peppers. Use bell peppers for a milder chili, or jalapenos or hotter for a bit of heat.
• Fire Roasted Tomatoes. Or use equivalent fresh. You can also used diced tomatoes or tomato sauce.
• Chili Powder. I love the combination of ancho powder and guajillo powder, but you can use your favorite chili powder blend.
• Other Seasonings. Freshly ground cumin, red chili flakes, salt and pepper.
• For Serving. Sliced roasted jalapenos, spicy chili flakes, fresh chopped parsley or cilantro

How to Make Turkey Chili - the Recipe Steps

1. First, heat the oil in a large pot and add the ground turkey meat, onion and peppers. Brown the turkey and cook it all down about 10 minutes, or until the turkey is cooked through and the vegetables are softened.
2. Add the garlic and cook another minute, stirring.
3. If using fresh tomatoes, chop them and add them to the pot. Cook about 10 minutes to let them break down. If using canned fire roasted tomatoes, just add them to the pot and go to the next step.
4. Add the remaining ingredients and give it all a good stir.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the chili on low for at least 1 hour to let the flavors develop, stirring every now and then. Adjust for seasonings if you wish.
6. Serve in bowls with your favorite fixins. Some of my favorites are spicy chili flakes, sliced roasted peppers, chopped red onion, avocado, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Recipe Heat Factor

I kept this to about a medium-hot level heat factor by using jalapeno peppers and a Devil's Tongue pepper from my garden, but you can dial back on the heat by using only jalapenos. Keep it mostly mild by using only sweet bell peppers, or go hotter with something like a ghost pepper or hotter. You can also swirl in some cayenne pepper or spicy chili flakes before simmering and that will add an extra touch of heat.

Storage & Leftovers

You can store any leftover turkey chili in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To enjoy it again, simply reheat it over medium heat in a pot on the stovetop.

You can also freeze turkey chili in freezer proof containers for 3 months or longer. I freeze batches all the time. It reheats perfectly after thawing.

Try Some of My Other Popular Chili Recipes

• White Bean Chicken Chili
• Southwest Style Slow Cooker Chili
• Beef Chili
• Homemade Roasted Tomatillo Pork Chili
• Pork Chili with Roasted Red Hatch Chili Peppers
• Chili Colorado
• Chili Verde
• Cheesy Chili Mac and Cheese
• Chipotle Chili
• Crockpot Chili
• Chili Recipes Collection