This turkey chili is the classic red kind, made with 93% lean ground turkey, kidney beans, black beans and tomatoes, all in one pot on the stove. I simmer it uncovered for about 30 minutes, and it comes out thick and hearty, the kind of chili a spoon can almost stand up in. The whole thing takes about 45 minutes.
Below you’ll find the recipe, how to thicken chili if yours is runny, how turkey chili compares to beef chili on USDA numbers, and simple swaps that cut the sodium by about 70%. Each bowl has about 266 calories, 22g of protein and 8.7g of fiber.
What Do You Need for Turkey Chili?
- 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey. Lean enough that there’s almost no fat to drain, with enough fat to keep it from tasting dry. A pound has about 85g of protein, according to USDA FoodData Central (FDC 172850).
- Two kinds of beans: one 15 oz can each of kidney beans and black beans, drained. They add body, protein and most of the fiber.
- Tomatoes: a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes plus an 8 oz can of tomato sauce. The sauce is what gives the chili its thick, rich base.
- Onion, green bell pepper and garlic for flavor and texture.
- Spices: 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1 teaspoon dried oregano.
- 1 cup chicken broth, 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt.
Have extra cans of beans? Our dense bean salad uses the same pantry cans in a cold, make-ahead lunch.
How Do You Make Turkey Chili on the Stove?
Brown the turkey, soften the vegetables, toast the spices, then simmer everything together uncovered. Toasting the spices in the pot for a minute before the liquid goes in is a small step that makes the chili taste deeper and less raw.
- Brown the turkey in olive oil, breaking it up, until no pink remains.
- Add the onion and pepper and cook until soft, then the garlic.
- Stir in the spices and salt and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth and beans, and bring to a boil.
- Simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick.
Ground turkey is safe once it reaches 165°F, the USDA’s safe minimum temperature for ground poultry. After browning and a half-hour simmer, it’s well past that.
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Turkey Chili
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook, breaking it up, for 5 to 6 minutes until no pink remains.
- Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano and salt. Stir and cook for 1 minute to toast the spices.
- Add the diced tomatoes with their juice, tomato sauce, broth, kidney beans and black beans. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick.
- Taste and adjust the salt and heat. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Too thin: simmer uncovered longer, mash some beans, or stir in 1 to 2 tbsp masa harina or cornmeal mixed with a little broth.
- Lower sodium (about 293mg per bowl): rinse the kidney beans, use low-sodium black beans, no-salt-added tomatoes and sauce, low-sodium broth, and skip the added salt.
- Slow cooker: brown the turkey, vegetables and spices first, use 1/2 cup broth, then cook on low 6 to 8 hours or high 3 to 4 hours.
- Storage: refrigerate up to 3 to 4 days or freeze for best quality up to 3 to 4 months. Reheat to 165°F.
- Nutrition is per bowl (6 servings), calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient as written. Toppings not included.
How Do You Thicken Turkey Chili?
Simmer it uncovered. That’s what thickens this recipe, since the extra liquid cooks off while the beans release starch. If your chili is still runny after 30 minutes, any of these will fix it.
- Keep simmering, lid off, for another 10 to 15 minutes.
- Mash some beans. Press a cup of beans against the side of the pot with a spoon and stir them back in.
- Add masa harina or cornmeal. Stir 1 to 2 tablespoons into a little broth, add it to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. It also adds a nice corn flavor.
- Stir in tomato paste, 1 to 2 tablespoons, for a thicker, richer base.
- Use less broth next time. Start with ½ cup and add more only if it gets too thick.
Turkey Chili vs Beef Chili: How Do They Compare?
Made with this exact recipe, swapping 93% lean turkey for 85% lean ground beef adds about 49 calories and more than doubles the saturated fat per bowl, while the protein stays almost the same. These numbers come from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (FDC 172850 for the turkey and 171796 for the beef).
So the main difference is fat, not protein. If you prefer the taste of beef, 90% or 93% lean ground beef lands much closer to the turkey version. For more ground meat dinners, our easy ground beef tacos are on the table in 15 minutes.
How Can You Make Turkey Chili Lower in Sodium?
As written, one bowl has about 978mg of sodium, roughly 43% of the FDA’s 2,300mg Daily Value. Most of it comes from the canned beans, tomato products, broth and chili powder rather than the salt shaker. Five swaps bring it down to about 293mg per bowl, roughly 70% less.
| Ingredient | Swap |
|---|---|
| Kidney beans | Drain and rinse them under the tap |
| Black beans | Low-sodium canned black beans |
| Diced tomatoes and tomato sauce | No-salt-added versions |
| Chicken broth | Low-sodium broth |
| ½ tsp salt | Leave it out and salt to taste at the table |
| Sodium per bowl | About 978mg as written, about 293mg with all five swaps |
Chili powder blends vary a lot in salt, so check the label too. With less salt, a squeeze of lime at the end keeps the flavor bright.
What Are the Best Toppings for Turkey Chili?
- Something creamy: sour cream, plain Greek yogurt, or a spoonful of whipped cottage cheese for extra protein.
- Something cheesy: shredded cheddar, or a drizzle of our cottage cheese queso.
- Something fresh: cilantro, sliced green onions, diced avocado or a squeeze of lime.
- Something crunchy: tortilla chips or crushed saltines.
Can You Make Turkey Chili in a Slow Cooker?
Yes, with one adjustment. Brown the turkey with the onion, pepper, garlic and spices in a skillet first, since a slow cooker won’t brown meat. Then add everything to the slow cooker with only ½ cup of broth, because the lid traps moisture. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. I make mine on the stove, so treat these times as a starting point.
How Do You Store and Freeze Turkey Chili?
Cool it, then refrigerate it in airtight containers for up to 3 to 4 days, the USDA’s guideline for leftovers. Chili also freezes well. The USDA notes frozen leftovers keep their best quality for 3 to 4 months. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until it reaches 165°F, adding a splash of broth if it has thickened.
Need another make-ahead dinner? Our cottage cheese lasagna feeds 12 and freezes well by the slice.
Want a chili without tomatoes? Our white chicken chili uses chicken breasts, great northern beans and cream cheese, with about 36g of protein per bowl.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories are in turkey chili?
About 266 calories per bowl when this recipe is split into 6 servings, with 22g of protein and 8.7g of fiber, based on USDA FoodData Central values. Toppings like cheese and sour cream add more, so measure them if you’re counting.
Do you drain ground turkey for chili?
With 93% lean ground turkey there’s usually so little fat that you don’t need to. If you use 85% lean turkey or ground beef, spoon off the extra fat after browning, before you add the vegetables.
How do you thicken chili without flour?
Simmer it uncovered so the liquid cooks off, mash some of the beans against the side of the pot, or stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of masa harina or cornmeal mixed with a little broth. Tomato paste also thickens it.
Can you make turkey chili without beans?
Yes. Leave out the beans and add another diced bell pepper, or use a second pound of turkey. It will be thinner, so cut the broth to ½ cup and simmer a little longer. Without beans the fiber drops sharply, since they supply most of it.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central: Turkey, ground, 93% lean, 7% fat, raw (FDC 172850); Beef, ground, 85% lean meat / 15% fat, raw (FDC 171796); Beans, kidney, red, canned, drained solids (FDC 174285) and rinsed (FDC 175243); Beans, black turtle, canned (FDC 175188) and low sodium (FDC 175238); Tomatoes, canned, packed in tomato juice (FDC 170051) and no salt added (FDC 170138); Tomato products, canned, sauce (FDC 170054) and no salt added (FDC 169074); Soup, chicken broth, ready-to-serve (FDC 174536) and low sodium (FDC 171609); onion (FDC 170000), green pepper (FDC 170427), garlic (FDC 169230), chili powder (FDC 171319), cumin (FDC 170923), paprika (FDC 171329), oregano (FDC 171328), salt (FDC 173468), olive oil (FDC 171413); retrieved 2026-10-09. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, retrieved 2026-10-09. fsis.usda.gov
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Leftovers and Food Safety, retrieved 2026-10-09. fsis.usda.gov
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels (sodium 2,300mg), retrieved 2026-10-09. fda.gov
