Healthy Ground Turkey Chili

Even though it is still 80 degrees here in California, I am in full autumn mood, which means... it's time for the first chili of the season (you thought I was going to say it's time for pumpkin spice, didn't you? It's time for that too)! This healthy ground turkey chili has loads of spices and flavor and is the ultimate comfort food. It will keep you nice and warm as the temperature begins to cool.

I choose to use turkey in my chili as it is a little healthier than ground beef, however, you could totally substitute for beef depending on your family's preference. Unlike a lot of chili recipes, I love adding corn to my chili. The corn adds a tad of sweetness and I'm also a sucker for anything with corn.

Now let's talk spice... I'd say this chili has a medium spice level. If you want a mild chili, remove the seeds of the jalapeño and omit the cayenne. Alternatively, I love putting sour cream or Greek yogurt on the table so that people can add it to cool it down if they would like. Speaking of which, don't slack on the toppings! See the notes section for topping ideas.

Finally, I love that this recipe is also pretty inexpensive to make. While it might look like a lot of ingredients below, most of them are common spices and canned foods. It is a great meal for feeding a big family or to enjoy leftovers all week long! I love making this chili on a Sunday afternoon and having leftovers for lunch over the next few days. It reheats great (see notes for instructions) and can last for 3-4 days in the fridge.

If you try this healthy ground turkey chili, I'd love to hear what you think in the comments below!

P.S. Since we're chatting about comfort food... go ahead and serve these silver platter chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

📖 Recipe

Healthy Ground Turkey Chili

One-pot healthy ground turkey chili packed with flavor, perfect for fall nights.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: stovetop, winter

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 people

Author: Caitlin from CC's Table

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1 large yellow onion diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper finely diced, seeds optional
• 2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 lb ground turkey
• 2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 28 oz canned diced tomatoes
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 32 oz chicken stock
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 15.5 oz canned kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 15.5 oz canned canellini beans drained and rinsed

Instructions

• In a large pot or dutch oven, melt butter on medium-high heat. add onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic. Stir occasionally until onions begin to be translucent and garlic is fragrant (about 3 minutes).
• Add the ground turkey and all spices (chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper) to the pot. Use a large spoon to break up the ground turkey and mix the spices in. Cook until turkey is no longer pink and begins to brown (about 5-8 minutes).
• Add the diced tomatoes along with the juice. In a bowl, mix together the tomato paste and chicken broth. Add this mixture to the pot along with the corn, kidney beans, and cannellini beans. Stir everything together.
• Bring to a low boil then reduce heat to a low simmer and cover for at least 30 minutes. The longer you wait, the more the flavors will meld together, just be sure to stir every once in a while. Serve in a bowl and top with your favorite toppings (see notes for ideas).

Notes

• This chili reheats great. It will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish or on the stove top in a pot.
• Topping ideas include shredded cheese, sour cream, Greek yogurt, cilantro, jalapeño, avocado, corn chips, or tortilla chips.
• I love using frozen fire-roasted corn from Trader Joe's. It is more flavorful than your average frozen corn and tastes like it has been grilled.