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This hearty Turkey Chili is thick, cozy, and packed with tender shredded turkey, two kinds of beans, and just the right amount of smoky heat. I make a big pot the week after Thanksgiving to use up leftover turkey, and it disappears fast. It is the ultimate comfort bowl, like our white chicken chili.
Leftover turkey and pantry staples simmer into a rich, deeply seasoned chili that tastes like it cooked all day.
Turkey Chili Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 391kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Hearty, savory, smoky, and a little spicy
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a simple one-pot simmer, like our stuffed pepper soup
Quick Answer
To make turkey chili, cook diced onion and green bell pepper in olive oil until softened, then stir in the garlic and chili seasonings and cook until fragrant. Deglaze the pot with turkey or chicken stock, then add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with green chiles, kidney beans, pinto beans, shredded leftover turkey, and corn. Bring it to a boil, then cover and simmer for about an hour, stirring often so nothing sticks. Serve the turkey chili hot with your favorite toppings like cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Uses up leftover turkey. Shredded leftover turkey turns into a brand-new cozy meal, perfect after the holidays.
- Thick and hearty. Two kinds of beans, corn, and plenty of turkey make this chili filling enough for a full meal.
- Deeply seasoned. Chili seasoning plus cumin, garlic, and onion powder build a rich, smoky, well-rounded flavor.
- One pot, easy cleanup. Everything simmers together in a single Dutch oven, so there is barely any mess.
- Even better the next day. Like all great chili, the flavors deepen overnight, making it perfect for meal prep.
- Totally customizable. Adjust the heat, swap the beans, and pile on your favorite toppings to make it your own.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tender shredded turkey, two kinds of beans, and corn simmer into a thick, hearty chili.
- It is the perfect cozy way to use up leftover turkey after the holidays.
- It is comfort food at its best, right up there with our vegetarian chili.
- It has earned a permanent spot in our rotation, right up there with our leftover turkey sandwich.
- It has earned a permanent spot in our rotation, right up there with our wendy’s chili.
- It earns a spot in the rotation right next to our turkey pinwheels recipe.
Key Ingredients
Pantry staples and leftover turkey come together for this hearty chili.
- Shredded turkey: Leftover cooked turkey adds protein and makes this chili a complete, filling meal.
- Kidney and pinto beans: Two kinds of beans add heartiness, texture, and plenty of fiber.
- Tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes with green chiles build a rich, smoky base.
- Chili seasoning and spices: Chili seasoning, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder give deep, classic chili flavor.
- Corn and aromatics: Sweet corn, onion, and green bell pepper round out the chili with color and texture.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Make this turkey chili your own with a few easy swaps.
- Use ground turkey: No leftovers? Brown a pound of ground turkey and use it in place of shredded.
- Change the beans: Black beans or great northern beans work great in place of kidney or pinto.
- Make it spicier: Add diced jalapeno, extra chili powder, or a pinch of cayenne for more heat.
- Make it in the slow cooker: Brown the aromatics, then add everything to a crockpot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
- Try a different chili: For a lighter option, make our white chicken chili instead.
- Craving a different flavor next time? Our turkey burger delivers the same easy comfort with its own twist.
- Craving a different flavor next time? Our new york style hot dog chili delivers the same easy comfort with its own twist.
- In the mood for something different? Our coffee syrup scratches a similar itch.
How to Make Turkey Chili
- In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the diced onion and green bell pepper in olive oil until softened and lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic until fragrant, then add the chili seasoning, sugar, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute.
- Deglaze the pot with the turkey or chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Add the shredded leftover turkey and stir it into the seasoned base.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with green chiles, kidney beans, pinto beans, and corn.
- Bring the chili to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring often, and serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Cook the aromatics well so the onion and pepper turn soft and sweet before the seasonings go in.
- Bloom the spices for a minute in the hot pot to deepen their flavor before adding any liquid.
- Do not drain the beans since the starchy liquid helps thicken the chili and add flavor.
- Stir often while it simmers so the thick chili does not scorch on the bottom of the pot.
- Make it ahead since this chili tastes even better the next day once the flavors meld.
- Serve it with cornbread for the ultimate cozy meal, like our jalapeno cornbread.
- Make it a spread. When you are feeding a crowd, round out the table with our how to make chili oil.
- Make it a full spread. Our whole turkey rounds out the table.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This turkey chili is made for piling high with toppings. Set out bowls of shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, diced avocado, and tortilla chips so everyone can build their own. It is the perfect cozy bowl for game day, chilly nights, and easy meal prep, right alongside our Italian wedding soup.
Store leftover turkey chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of stock if it has thickened. For another way to use up the bird, try our creamy turkey tetrazzini next.
Turkey Chili FAQs
Yes, ground turkey works great if you do not have leftover cooked turkey. Brown about a pound of ground turkey with the onion and bell pepper at the start, breaking it up as it cooks, then continue with the recipe as written. You can also use ground chicken or a mix. Leftover shredded turkey gives the chili a heartier, more rustic texture, while ground turkey makes it a bit more uniform.
This turkey chili thickens naturally as it simmers uncovered and the beans break down. For an even thicker chili, simmer it a little longer with the lid off, mash some of the beans against the side of the pot, or stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste. Leaving the bean liquid in the pot also helps. Avoid adding too much extra liquid, and remember it will continue to thicken as it sits.
Absolutely. For the best flavor, cook the onion, pepper, garlic, and seasonings on the stove first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Since the turkey is already cooked, you are really just letting the flavors meld and the chili thicken. Give it a stir before serving and add toppings.
Turkey chili is a blank canvas for toppings. Classic choices include shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, a dollop of sour cream, sliced green onions, and crushed tortilla chips or Fritos. Diced avocado, fresh cilantro, pickled jalapenos, and a squeeze of lime are all delicious too. Set out a toppings bar so everyone can customize their own bowl, which makes it a fun and easy meal for a crowd.
Yes, turkey chili freezes beautifully, making it ideal for meal prep and using up holiday leftovers. Cool it completely, then portion it into airtight containers or freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of stock or water if it has thickened. The flavor is just as rich after freezing, so make a double batch.
Turkey chili is a wholesome, balanced meal. It is high in lean protein from the turkey and beans, full of fiber, and loaded with vegetables and tomatoes. It is naturally lower in fat than beef chili, especially if you use lean turkey. To lighten it further, go easy on cheese and sour cream toppings, or add extra beans and veggies. It is a satisfying, nutritious way to enjoy a cozy bowl of comfort food.
Looking for more ways to use up the bird? Try our creamy turkey tetrazzini next for another cozy leftover-turkey dinner.
Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion small diced
- 1 green bell pepper small diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 – 1.25 ounce packages chili seasoning
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup unsalted turkey or chicken stock
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 16 ounces dark red kidney beans undrained
- 16 ounces pinto beans undrained
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles undrained
- 4 cups shredded leftover turkey
- 1 & 1/2 cups frozen corn
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or large stockpot over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once the olive oil is hot, add the onion and bell pepper, and cook until lightly browned and the onions are translucent, about 15 minutes, sitting often.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium sweet onion, 1 green bell pepper
- Add the garlic, and stir it in until fragrant, 30 seconds.4 cloves garlic
- Add the chili seasoning, sugar, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, stir it in and cook for 1 minute.2 – 1.25 ounce packages chili seasoning, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Deglaze the pan with the stock, and scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan.1 cup unsalted turkey or chicken stock
- Add the crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, pinto beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with green chiles, turkey, and corn, and stir it in. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Stir often so nothing burns on the bottom.28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 16 ounces dark red kidney beans, 16 ounces pinto beans, 15 ounces tomato sauce, 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles, 4 cups shredded leftover turkey, 1 & 1/2 cups frozen corn
- Serve immediately with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Thicker Chili: Want your chili a bit thicker? Let it simmer uncovered for an extra 10-15 minutes.
- Fresh Veggies: Feel free to add extra fresh veggies like zucchini or carrots.
- Stir Often: Remember to stir your chili regularly to prevent sticking.
- Taste Test: Always taste your chili while cooking and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Meal Prep: This is a great recipe for meal prep. Just portion it out into small containers.
- Slow Cooker Option: You can also make this chili in a slow cooker for a more gentle simmer. Refer to our Slow Cooker Chili on tips!
Nutrition
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