Three Bean Turkey Chili is a hearty and simple chili recipe, made easy on the stove top. Whip it up any night of the week for a hearty meal. Don’t forget the cornbread to go along with it!
The best turkey chili recipe for those times you’re itching for healthy comfort food?
This hearty turkey chili recipe is pure gold.
Not only is it just so packed with those yummy chili flavors we all know and love, but it’s an incredibly filling meal.
Loaded with lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber, and lower in fat, this homemade turkey chili is a great way to hit your targeted macros.
I mentioned in my Instant Pot Lentil Soup recipe that beans and lentils are remarkably satiating.
This in conjunction with the satiety factor of protein makes turkey chili a great option for those times you want your meals to make you full and not be remarkably calorically dense.
I originally shared this recipe way back in 2016.
At the time, I felt so strongly about the fact that there are three types of beans in this turkey chili recipe, that I was compelled to name it 3-Bean Turkey Chili.
While I was very tempted to give it a new title, the fact does remain: This soup is bean rich.
In addition to all the beans, there are all sorts of flavors being stewed up in this pot. My top tricks for making amazing chili are adding plenty of chili powder, tossing in a little cocoa powder, and adding red wine for richness and depth of flavor.
Of course, if you don’t cook with alcohol, you can leave the wine out but it does give it a little something special.
Let’s discuss the ingredients in this easy turkey chili recipe.
Ingredients for Turkey Chili:
Avocado Oil: Used to sauté the veggies and brown the meat. Use olive oil if you prefer.
Vegetables: Onion, Garlic, and Bell Peppers. This combination of flavors does wonders for chili! Feel free to add in any of your vegetable favorites like carrots, sweet potato, and celery.
Lean Ground Turkey: The star of the show here. You can also use ground beef or ground chicken.
Seasonings: Chili Powder, Dried Oregano, Cocoa Powder, and Salt. I recommend using regular chili powder for mild chili, not chipotle chili powder or ancho chili powder, which are much spicier.
This perfect blend of spice results in the absolute best flavor. While three tablespoons chili powder may seem like a lot, I find it makes for a flavorful chili.
Canned Diced Green Chilis: I use mild canned green chilis but you can go with the spicy option for a kick if you’d like.
Liquid: Chicken Broth and Diced Tomatoes. Add red wine as an option.
Pure Maple Syrup or Brown Sugar: I love adding a little sweetener to offset the acidity of chili. I go with a little pure maple syrup, but you can also use brown sugar or regular cane sugar. Omit if if you don’t do added sweeteners.
Beans: I use a combination of black beans, red kidney beans, and pinto beans. Select your favorite beans if you’d like.
Increase the heat level of this chili by adding cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or your favorite hot sauce to your personal taste. The chili is pretty mild as written.
Recipe Adaptations:
- Use crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes if you’d like.
- Swap the chicken broth for beef broth.
- Mix and match your favorite beans. You can also go with garbanzo beans or white beans.
- For meatier chili, use 2 pounds of ground turkey instead of one pound of ground turkey.
- Use red bell peppers or color of choice instead of the green pepper.
- Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste for more tomato flavor.
- If you love the flavor of ground cumin, add 1 to 2 teaspoons. I find that the amount of ground cumin that is in chili powder is plenty for me.
Now that we’re familiar with the ingredient list for this easy turkey chili recipe, let’s make it!
How to Make Turkey Chili:
Heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat in a large pot such as a Dutch oven or stock pot.
Add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until it has softened, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and bell peppers and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant.
Add in the ground turkey and use a spatula to break it into small chunks. Stir in the chili powder, cocoa powder, dried oregano and sea salt.
Pour in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, beans, and canned green chilis. If you’re adding red wine, do so now too.
Cover the pot with a lid and bring the chili to a full boil. Reduce to medium heat to a gentle boil and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes (ideally cook the chili longer for maximum flavor).
Serve turkey chili with your favorite chili toppings such as red onion, green onions, avocado, sour cream, grated cheese, or tortilla chips. Whip up my Gluten-Free Cornbread for the perfect pairing to this healthy turkey chili recipe.
Store chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
You can also make Instant Pot Turkey Chili by pressure cooking on high pressure for 15 minutes and natural release for 30 minutes.
For a slow cooker turkey chili, make my Crock Pot Turkey Chili with Black Beans.
And that’s it! A hearty chili recipe the whole family will love!
If you love homemade chili, also try these great recipes.
More Chili Recipes:
- Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
- Best Steak Chili Recipe
- Turkey Pumpkin Chili
- Instant Pot Paleo Pumpkin Chili
- Crock Pot Vegan Pumpkin Chili
Enjoy a big bowl of this ground turkey chili on any cold day. It’s the perfect meal during the cold fall and winter months.
3-Bean Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 medium-sized red onion or yellow onion
- 1 green bell pepper
- 4 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 3 Tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp cocoa powder
- 1 28-oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth or beef broth
- 1 (14-oz) can black beans, drained
- 1 (14-oz) can kidney beans, drained
- 1 (14-oz) can pinto beans, drained
- 1 (7-oz) can diced green chilis (mild)
- 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup or brown sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper to taste
- ½ cup red wine optional*
Instructions
- Heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat in a large pot such as a Dutch oven or stock pot. Add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until it has softened, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and bell peppers and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add in the ground turkey and use a spatula to break it into small chunks. Stir in the chili powder, cocoa powder, dried oregano and sea salt.
- Pour in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, beans, and canned green chilis. If you're adding red wine, do so now too.
- Cover the pot with a lid and bring the chili to a full boil. Reduce to medium heat to a gentle boil and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes (ideally cook the chili longer for maximum flavor).
- Serve turkey chili with your favorite chili toppings such as red onion, green onions, avocado, sour cream, grated cheese, or tortilla chips. Whip up my Gluten-Free Cornbread for the perfect pairing to this healthy turkey chili recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
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Made this tonight, absolutely love it!!! Red wine was a nice touch, green chilis were yummy!
I’m so thrilled to hear it, Peggy! Thanks for reporting back!! xo
This was really easy and tasty. I didn’t add the herbs de provence because I don’t keep that on hand. I added a small chopped b-nut squash which was a nice addition. Overall, great recipe with tasty flavors.
Wahoooooo! Thanks so much for making the recipe and for letting me know, Kelli! The butternut squash addition sounds fabulous!
Tell us more about the beans please?
My apologies, Louise! I fixed the recipe to include the beans 😉 Have a great weekend!
How many servings is this recipe?
Hi Nicole! It serves 6 comfortably! 😀 Hope you enjoy!
I may not be shredding the gnar, as they say (my husband says this after he goes snowboarding and I’m like WHOAREYOU), but my tummy is still growling like whoa for this chili!
Yes, also waiting to hear which beans you used/suggest, canned or dry, with or without liquid from the can, and amounts – thanks!
Hiya, Brenda! Sorry for the confusion. I used all canned beans – black, pinto, and kidney. Made the change in the recipe. Let me know if you try it out!
Interesting addition of cocoa powder, wow, be t that gives it a colour and richness like no other! The colours and presentation are gorgeous too!
Thanks so much, Debra! I love adding both cocoa powder and wine to chili…they both provide such unique flavor! Let me know if you try the recipe!
So yum! This looks deliciously hearty 🙂
This looks delicious, but where are the three beans?? Black beans, kidney, and what? Can’t wait to make this 🙂
Hey Veronica! Sorry about that – such a pivotal part of the recipe and of course I forget to add in the beans. I used black, kidney, and pinto. Fixed the recipe, so we’re good to go now 😉 Enjoy!