Lean Ground Turkey Chili Recipe

This Ground Turkey Chili recipe is one of my all-time favorite easy meals that everyone loves!  With tons of delicious flavor, loaded with beans, and of course, the ground turkey – it is a recipe the whole family will love.  You can make this in 30-minutes and have zero guilt eating it on most diet plans!

Serve this chili with my whole wheat cornbread muffins recipe.

Lean Ground Turkey Chili Recipe

Chili is the ideal winter evening recipe.  Full of protein, tons of spices adding flavor, and a warm base that fills the belly, this is a family-favorite meal. Since the spices can be adjusted to your own preference of heat level, it is also a perfect kid-friendly meal.  This is not only delicious but so healthy!  I love that it is a recipe I can make for my kids, and they automatically ask for seconds!

If you prefer a beef chili, you’ll love my classic Cincinnati chili recipe.  It’s my own healthier spin on the classic chili often served over spaghetti.

Can this turkey chili be frozen? 

As with almost all of my soup and chili recipes, this is a perfect option to freeze for future meals.  Since it is fast to cook, you can definitely make a big double or triple batch of this ground turkey chili.  I prefer to pour soups and chili into freezer soup containers that are individual portions.  It makes it so much easier to grab one and thaw overnight for a single portion at lunch.  If you want to keep in family-sized portions, you can put into double bagged plastic freezer bags instead.

This turkey chili recipe is good for up to 4 months in the freezer.  Always make sure to label and date the containers so you can keep track of when recipes need to be used.

Can I use just one kind of bean? 

I love the combination of beans in this recipe, but I know not everyone likes a variety of beans.  If you prefer, you can use three cans of a single type of beans.  Pinto, kidney, and black beans are the most commonly used in chili and can be interchangeable in this recipe in whatever manner you prefer.

Hint:  You can even make homemade pinto beans in your slow cooker and use leftovers in this chili for a richer flavor and to reduce sodium.

What should I top my chili with? 

What you top your chili with is as unique to you as what you put on your favorite salad.  There are so many options and I love most of them. Some of my favorite chili toppings are below.

• Sliced jalapeno
• Sour cream or Nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• Shredded cheese (Cheddar, Colby, Jack, or Mozzarella)
• Diced onions, green onions, or chives
• Tortilla chips, corn chips, crackers, or cornbread
• Diced olives

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Garlic
• 99% fat-free ground turkey breast
• Onion
• Pinto beans
• Kidney beans
• Black beans
• Diced tomatoes
• Chicken or beef broth
• Tomato paste
• Chili powder
• Cumin
• Paprika
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Cinnamon

How to Make Ground Turkey Chili

I always begin this recipe by preparing my onions and garlic.  Having these cut and ready to cook makes it so easy to throw things together.

Next, I grab a large stockpot and heat the oil over medium heat to cook down the garlic, onions, and ground turkey.

Once the turkey is cooked through and no pink is showing, you will add the remaining ingredients to the pot and stir well.

Simmer this for another 20 minutes before serving.