This rich and healthy Turkey Chili is made with lean turkey mince and is an easy and comforting meal with minimal effort that is full of flavour. It is very quick to prepare and you can throw everything into the pan and let it cook away. It is all done in one pot, meaning less washing up and it's a good way to use up what you have in the fridge too. You can even cook it in the slow cooker.
This thick and rich chili is made using turkey mince as it is lower in fat than most meats and still has all that comforting flavour of a chili. A delicious smokey and spicy (can be made mild) tomato sauce that is packed with beans and vegetables and served up in a big bowl. Top with crunchy tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream and you have yourself a hug in a bowl.
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Why should you try it?
- Lean protein
- One pot meal
- Easy to pack with vegetables
- Freezes well
Step by step
One: Prepare all the vegetables by cutting them into 2cm/1 inch cubes
Two: Heat the oil in a large pan and add the vegetables. Cook for 5 minutes.
Three: Add the turkey mince, breaking it up as it cooks. Cook until all the mince has browned.
Four: Add all the spices and mix.
Five: Add the chopped tomatoes, sweetcorn, kidney beans, tomato puree and chipotle paste. Stir until all mixed.
Six: Add the stock and simmer for 15 minutes.
Seven: Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, grated cheese and sliced jalapenos (all optional).
What can be used instead of turkey?
You could use any ground meat in this recipe, so feel free to swap the turkey for beef, chicken, pork or lamb. You could even make a vegetarian version with tofu, extra beans or a vegetarian mince alternative.
Can it be frozen?
This Turkey chili recipe is the ultimate batch cook recipe that is just perfect for going in the freezer. This makes 4 portions, so feel free to double it if you want to keep lots in the freezer. Wait for it to cool and then portion it out and put in the freezer.
It will keep for 2-3 months and then once fully defrosted it can either be heated up on the hob or in the microwave.
What vegetables to add?
This is a great recipe to make when you have a few different vegetables in your fridge that need using up. Just chop them all up and add them in. Mushrooms and courgettes (zucchinis) work well, as does aubergine (eggplant) and celery.
We also sometimes add some spinach or kale in at the end for a green veggie boost. You could swap the sweet potato for chunks of butternut squash instead.
What to serve it with?
Because this recipe has sweet potato in it, we just serve it up in a bowl topped with some tortilla chips, sour cream and a little cheese. However, if you wanted a more filling meal, you could serve it on rice, quinoa or a baked potato. Any leftovers of this make a really good nacho topping.
Make it in a slow cooker
Yes, this recipe can easily be adapted to be made in the slow cooker. Simply follow all the steps until the tomatoes go in, and put it all the in the slow cooker and then cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
Extra tips
- You can swap the turkey mince for beef mince, chicken or even a vegetarian alternative. Or, use just beans.
- Grate a little bit of dark chocolate in, along with a sprinkle of cinnamon to really intensify the flavours.
- Add some extra vegetables with butternut squash, spinach or kale.
- You can serve this in a bowl by itself, or with rice or on a baked potato.
- If you wanted to prep some of this in advance, you could brown the turkey and vegetables the day before and then just dump everything in the pan when you are ready to cook it.
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Recipe
Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 500 g turkey mince
- 1 onion diced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 sweet potato peeled and diced
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 400 g chopped tomatoes canned
- 400 g kidney beans canned; drained
- 150 g sweetcorn
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon chipotle en adobo
- 1 pinch sea salt and black pepper
- 125 ml vegetable stock
To serve:
- sour cream
- jalapenos sliced
- fresh coriander chopped
- cheddar cheese grated
- limes quartered
- tortilla chips
Instructions
- Prepare all the vegetables by cutting them into 2cm/1 inch cubes
- Heat the oil in a large pan and add the vegetables. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the turkey mince, breaking it up as it cooks. Cook until all the mince has browned (about 5 minutes)
- Add all the spices and mix.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, sweetcorn, kidney beans, tomato puree and chipotle paste. Stir until all mixed.
- Add the stock and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, grated cheese and sliced jalapenos (all optional).
Notes
- You can swap the turkey mince for beef or chicken or even a vegetarian alternative. Or, use just beans.
- Grate a little bit of dark chocolate in, along with a sprinkle of cinnamon to really intensify the flavours.
- Add some extra vegetables with butternut squash, spinach or kale.
- You can serve this in a bowl by itself, or with rice or on a baked potato.
- If you wanted to prep some of this in advance, you could brown the turkey and vegetables the day before and then just dump everything in the pan when you are ready to cook it.
Antonia Gibala
Regards for helping out, fantastic information.
Scarlet
I just love chili and I love how many great variations there are on one simple idea. Using turkey is a great way to make this dish even healthier since my husband shouldn't eat too much red meat.
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
I love delicious and comforting dishes such as this. I'm trying to think up new and tasty meals for the family to eat in lockdown so we will definitely be trying your recipe.
Adrianne
Yum Turkey Chilli is the best!! We all need to eat more white meat. Love this recipe it looks great.
Mustapha
Oh this looks so good.
Ethel
Thank God I have seen this recipe in time for Thanksgiving! I have tried it and it tasted amazing, my guests were thrilled! A different kind of Thanksgiving meal. Happy holidays!
Damian Teevan
At least you tried to let her out because it's not good if she stayed to long in your womb. If spice didn't work the trick, then it works for me, it's perfect for the cold evening. Something spicy for dinner is awesome!
Lisa Lambert (mumdadplus4)
We love cooking Turkey soup in the winter is so simple to make and cheap as well.