Cooking for a family often means trying to please many different tastes, so finding a recipe everyone loves is a victory. For our household, this turkey chili has become that rare, dependable meal. It’s a go-to for weeknight dinners, Sunday gatherings and even birthdays. When my daughters left home, they called almost immediately for the recipe, and my new son-in-law now makes it for his family, too.
Mom’s Best Turkey Chili
This turkey chili is warm, mildly spicy and deeply satisfying. It’s also high in protein, relatively low in fat, and full of nutritious vegetables. The recipe makes a double batch—about 12 servings—so I usually freeze half for busy days. As a working mom, having a portion ready in the freezer is a lifesaver.
I like to serve the chili with shredded cheese, diced avocado and sliced green onions, and offer tortilla chips on the side. Beans are optional; if you add them, kidney or pinto beans work best.
Mom’s Best Turkey Chili
The method is straightforward. Start by sautéing ground turkey in a little olive oil with garlic, salt, oregano and chili powders. Browning the meat and briefly toasting the spices helps build flavor—this is especially true when combining mild chili powder with a touch of chipotle for depth.
When the turkey is almost done, add the diced onions and bell peppers and cook until they begin to soften. Because tomatoes are acidic, adding raw, firm onions and peppers later will keep them from fully tenderizing during the simmer, so give them a head start here.
Once the turkey is browned and the vegetables are softened, add pureed tomatoes and their juices. Simmer the chili gently on the stovetop for about an hour, uncovered. Taste halfway through and adjust seasonings as needed. Keep in mind that chipotle chili powder can intensify with longer cooking, so start conservatively. If the chili becomes too thick, thin it with a little water while it simmers.
Mom’s Best Turkey Chili
This turkey chili has become one of our family favorites. I hope yours enjoys it as well—try it and tell me how it turned out.
Mom’s Best Turkey Chili
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 packages 1.25 pounds each 85% lean ground turkey
- 2 cloves garlic pressed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons mild chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons chipotle chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons oregano preferably Mexican
- 2-3 teaspoons salt
- 2 medium onions diced fine
- 4 bell peppers diced fine
- 2 28- oz. or 4 14-oz. cans tomatoes diced or whole
- 2 cans kidney or pinto beans optional, drained and rinsed, or 3 cups cooked beans
Instructions
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Chop the onions and bell peppers and set them aside.
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Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey, pressed garlic, salt, chili powder and oregano. Brown the turkey, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks.
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When the turkey is nearly cooked, add the diced bell peppers and onions. Cook and stir until the vegetables are translucent and beginning to soften.
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Puree the tomatoes with their juice in a blender until smooth. Add the pureed tomatoes to the pot and simmer, uncovered, over medium heat for one hour. Taste halfway through and adjust seasonings; chipotle powder can become hotter with long cooking. Add a little water if the chili gets too thick.
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If using beans, add the drained, rinsed beans near the end of cooking and simmer until heated through.
Nutrition
Disclosures: The author was not compensated for the content of this post. The post may include affiliate links; purchases made through affiliate links may provide a small commission to help support publishing costs.
Photos by Marsha Maxwell and Yulia1971/Shutterstock.com
