Turkey Chili

I’m constantly craving weeknight meals that are comforting, use minimal dishes, include as many healthy ingredients as possible, but most importantly are flavorful. This turkey chili recipe hits all of these requirements: 

1. Turkey chili is such a comforting, nostalgic dish. All of the warm spices used in this dish create a dinner that feels like a big hug in a bowl. 

2. This is a one-pot dinner! This turkey chili is great because all of the flavors develop together in the same dutch oven, creating a delicious dinner all while using minimal dishes. 

3. This chili recipe utilizes many different veggies, including two bell peppers, two stalks of celery, and 1 large carrot — delivering an impactful punch of nutrients in this dinner.

4. Not only does this recipe list a flavorful variety of dried spices including chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and red chili flakes, but there’s also a ton of flavor that’s developed from including fresh ingredients such as peppers, garlic and onion.

What to eat with turkey chili? There are many different options of side dishes you can serve with turkey chili — my favorite being a classic cornbread. If you’re looking to include a fresh side dish to serve with this recipe, I recommend a fresh garden salad or our autumn salad, that includes tasty sweet potatoes that complement the chili well.

What toppings go with turkey chili? The possibilities are endless when it comes to toppings you can use for turkey chili: 

• Sour cream or greek yogurt

• Grated cheddar cheese 

• Diced jalapeños or hot sauce for extra heat

• Crushed tortilla chips

Can turkey chili be frozen? Absolutely, turkey chili can be frozen in zipper bags for up to 3 months to retain optimal freshness. When ready to eat frozen chili, defrost in the microwave or in the fridge overnight. 

How long does turkey chili last in the fridge? I recommend consuming leftover turkey chili for up to 4 days in the fridge in order to maintain optimal freshness and texture of the beans. If you’re looking to meal prep in larger batches that you can grab for a quick dinner, I recommend freezing the chili in individual portions. 

What type of beans are best in turkey chili? For this recipe I prefer to use a can of beans that includes a mix of different varieties. With that being said, many different beans are wonderful in turkey chili, including: 

• Kidney beans

• Black beans

• Chickpeas 

• Cannellini beans 

• Pinto beans

• Great northern beans

When do you add beans to chili? I highly recommend adding the beans in the last 15 or 20 minutes of the cooking time for the chili. The reason why I recommend adding them later in the cooking time is because canned beans are delicate, they take on flavor quickly, and if cooked too long they can break up in the sauce.

How to make turkey chili:

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Turkey Chili

Yield: 4 servings

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Ingredients

• 15 oz can of tomato sauce
• 15 oz can of diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
• 15 oz can of mixed chili beans or kidney beans
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 large carrot
• 1 large onion
• 2 stalks of celery
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 2 scallions

Dried Spices

• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 4 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp red chili flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat and add olive oil. Prepare the vegetables (bell peppers, carrots, onion, and celery) by chopping them into small, uniform pieces. Sauté the chopped vegetables in the dutch oven for 8-10 minutes or until softened.
2. Meanwhile, slice your garlic and scallions and set aside. Add ground turkey to the pot, browning the meat over medium heat with the vegetables. Add the garlic to the pot along with all of the dried spices (red chili flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder) and toast them with the meat and vegetables for two minutes.
3. Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and stir until all ingredients are well incorporated. Simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down and all of the veggies are tender.
4. Drain and rinse the beans and add them to the pot for the remaining 15 minutes. Top with scallions and enjoy!

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