Turkey Chili Recipe
This turkey chili recipe has been on the regular rotation for years. It is hearty, meaty, and so easy! This chili can be made in 30 minutes on the stovetop or as a crockpot turkey chili.
Chilis are quite popular in our house like this easy beef chili or instant pot white chicken chili.
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Turkey Chili Recipe:
Turkey chili is loaded with lean ground turkey making it healthier than traditional chili but just as hearty and satisfying.
My friend Gina from nursing school, shared this award winning slow cooker chili recipe with me. She made it for a chili cook-off fundraiser and I couldn’t stop refilling my bowl. It’s delicious!
Chili Toppings!
Every good chili needs a “chili bar” to go long with it. We love all the fixings including:
- Shredded cheese (Mexican, cheddar, Colby Jack, etc)
- Sour Cream
- Sliced Avocados or Spicy Guacamole
- Cilantro sprigs or chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges to squeeze over chili
- Chopped green onion or diced red onion
- Sliced jalapeños (fresh or canned)
- Sliced olives
- Tortilla chips
Ingredients for Turkey Chili:
Since canned food are the largest source of BPA (here’s more info on that from Mayo Clinic) in people’s diets which is a big no-no for pregnancy and children so you can cook your own beans or look for canned foods specifically marked “BPA free.”
How to Make Turkey Chili:
Stovetop chili is the quickest and easiest way to make chili. It all comes together in one pot and the cooking time is minimal. We added Amazon affiliate links below to tools used to make this chili.
- In a pot or Dutch oven, saute ground turkey in 1 Tbsp olive oil 5 min, breaking it up with a spatula
- Add diced onion, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Saute 5 min until onions are soft.
- Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil then simmer* for 20 minutes.
*For a thicker chili, simmer uncovered. Cover with lid or partially cover to retain more of the liquid for a looser chili.
How to Make Crockpot Turkey Chili:
I love crockpot chili recipes; set ’em and forget ’em. I make this slow cooker turkey chili in the morning and it’s ready for my children to enjoy when they get home from school. Here are the steps to make this in a crockpot:
- Saute the ground meat and onion and seasonings as usual.
- Transfer ground turkey mixture to crockpot, add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
- Set on low for 3 to 4 hours until piping hot. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Turkey Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1 medium purple onion, diced
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt , or to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste
- 15 oz black beans, drained and lightly rinsed
- 15 oz pinto beans with juice
- 15 oz white beans with juice
- 2 oz jar of diced jalapeños or green chilis, or to taste
- 30 oz canned diced tomatoes, seasoned or plain
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 15 oz corn, drained (or use 2 ears cooked corn)
Instructions
- In a 5 Qt pot or dutch oven over medium/high heat, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and sautee 1 lb ground turkey until cooked through (5 min).
- Add diced purple onion, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Saute 5 minutes or until onions are softened.
- Add drained and rinsed black beans, pinto beans with juice and white beans with juice. Also add diced jalapeños, canned diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, and drained corn.
- Stir to combine and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer uncovered 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste towards the end of cooking (I like to add an extra 1/2 tsp salt).
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
This recipe was first published in 2014. We improved the recipe slightly and updated some of the text and photos in 2019. Here’s what it used to look like:
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
This is soooo good and is a great way to use leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. The corn really adds a great flavor too. My husband says it is the best turkey chili he’s ever had. I used a can of Peruvian beans which also added a slightly sweet taste. Yummy
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Andrea!
Natasha, our family truly enjoyed this. We ate it with cornbread. Yummy! I doubled it so we can have it for dinner tomorrow! 🙂
Yummy indeed! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I’m cooking this again tonight! How do I order your cookbook?
Hi Kelly! You can click on Cookbook at the top of the page.
I am wondering if leftover Thanksgiving turkey can be used in this recipe? If so, when should it be added? Would about 2 cups cooked turkey sufficient?
Hi Deanna! I think you could make that work. I would add it toward the end. Without having tested it myself, I do not have an exact quantity but you can add it to your preference.
Deanna, you can make it with leftover turkey. First time I had turkey chili was in the Navy….I was hesitant, but it was pretty good. Just shred the meat by hand and add it. You won’t be disappointed.
I made two versions of this chili today for a group of 15 people for a long day of watching sports. One in the crockpot and one in dutch oven on stove top. Made 2 adjustments, 1/2 lb more of turkey and substituted 1/2 of tomato sauce for “el pato sauce” to add spice. I paired the turkey with Ina Garten jalapeño cheddar cornbread. The meal was a big hit but the stove top version received the better reviews. This recipe is a keeper for sure!
Nice! Thanks for sharing that with us, it is helpful and useful info!
I made two pots of this chili today for a whole day of watching sports( Baseball NCLS & Sunday NFL games) with a large group of people. One version in crockpot and one version in stove top in Dutch oven. Both were very good but the stove top version received the better reviews from other people. I made minimal adjustments to the recipe; added 1/2 lb more turkey, and substituted half of tomato sauce for el pato sauce to add some spice. I paired it with Ina Garten’s jalapeño cheddar cornbread… everyone loved the meal and asked for the turkey chili recipe!
8 servings is a lot for the two of us. Can I freeze half of it?
Thanks,
Andrée
Hi Andree, I haven’t tried freezing it, but the ingredients are pretty freezer friendly so I think it would work well. 🙂 Also, I recommend clicking “Jump to recipe” at the top of the post, it will take you to our printable recipe where you’ll have the option to change the number of servings. Hover over the number of servings highlighted in red and slide it to how many servings you would like to make. I hope that helps!
Hi Natasha!
Made your turkey chili today and loved it! The only change I made was using one can of diced tomatoes and one large can of crushed tomatoes because that’s what I had. The flavor was fabulous! Thanks for another great recipe!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Jennifer! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
I’m so excited to try this but I only have beef not turkey 🙁 could I use that instead?
Hi Cecilia, I think the process will be very similar and it is doable. We have a stove top beef chili recipe here and the directions should be pretty similar.
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing and simple recipe! I nailed it the first time haha! planning to keep it as a go-to dish. Do you have any suggestions on how to ease the gassiness caused by the beans?
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Drain and Rinse all the beans – it forsure helps with that problem! If it gets too thick and needs more liquid, just add some broth or something
Hi sweetheart I know I’m not on the right recipe,it’s your meatloaf I was never crazy about meatloaf but after doing your recipe I’m hooked.so once a month my family wants me to do meatloaf 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰thank you Natasha I will send you a pic of my meatloaf next month…..
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
My SO loved this. This has been added as one of my go to recipes. I just love when I find a recipe that my family loves. Makes me feel like a real chef lol
Great job! I hope they all love every recipe that you will try, Elizabeth.
Probably the most flavorful turkey chili I’ve had/made. I’ll definitely make it again. And it will probably replace my beef chili!
Love it! Thanks for your awesome feedback, Josie!
Thank you for this recipe! My daughter doesn’t usually rave about food… but she was raving about it during dinner and even the day after!
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
Great recipe! Is it supposed to be 30 oz. of tomato sauce and 15 oz of diced tomatoes? Instead of the other way around? That’s what it looks like in your pic
Hi Irene, the written recipe is correct.
Two thumbs up from my entire family! Including two teenagers. This was great!
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
Hi Natasha. This is our favourite chili recipe. I can never find cans of white beans so I throw in a can of pork n beans! So delicious!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi Lynne, some people don’t know this but another name for the white beans is Cannellini beans which are sold in most grocery stores.
And I’ll be making this chili this weekend. It looks delicious!
I hope you love this recipe, Stephanie!
This is a fast and easy recipe. Tastes delicious. I usually make two pots of soups and chilis separately and freeze one for later. YUMMY – thanks
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
The printed directions on this is printed wrong, you need 30oz of tomato sauce and 15oz of diced tomatoes. It shows that in the picture but not on the actual recipe!!!
Hi Tiffani, the printed recipe is correct. I used two of the 15 oz diced tomatoes and a portion of the tomato sauce, not the full package. I think it would still work the other way but would be thinner and less hearty.
Natasha. I want to make your turkey chili in the slow cooker but now confused with tomato sauce and diced tomato measurement , since reading comments disputing directions Can you please advice. Also can you tell me if the beef chili is more flavorful than turkey. Just want your opinion
Thanks for helping me in the kitchen
Hi Dena, the measurements in the recipe card are correct – I clarified slightly just in case folks were misreading, but the measurements are correct. I’m not seeing the disputing directions. Please let me know if it still looks confusing. Because this is so fast on the stove, we use this one the most and often replace the chicken with ground beef and it’s great.
Hello
What is the serving size ?
Like how many cups etc
Hi Sarah, it makes 8 bowls of chili.
My fiancé loved this And I did too, but with all the cans of beans, and tomatoes, and corn, I think one pound of turkey wasn’t enough. We had some chopped up smoked turkey that we chopped up and put in. I think next time I will put more ground turkey in it.
Sounds good, Kathy. Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
Hi Natasha, Would it be possible to swap out the Turkey for Mushroom or ? To make it vegetarian for my DIL? Many Thanks Tarnya
Hi Tany, I have not tried a vegetarian substation. If you happen to test it our I would love to know how you like that.
Swap out turkey for butternut squash, to make a vegetarian version. It works great!
Delicious & easy! I added Green Pepper & slice of chopped Jalapeno Pepper from a jar, doubled the dry seasonings & used Stewed Tomatoes (didn’t have diced tomatoes. Garnished with the fresh lime, avocado and sour cream. Soooo yummy!
That’s so great! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, LaWanda! I’m happy you enjoyed that!
can i make this in an instant pot and if so how long?
Hi Rachel, I haven’t tried this because it cooks so quickly, but if I did, I would try to deglaze the instant pot after browning the meat (scrape the bottom of the pan with a little liquid so you don’t get the burn notice) and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
Saw your picture on the blackanddeckerrd account on Instagram.
Thank you for sharing that Avery!
I made it for my family tonight. It was delicious on a rainy rainy memorial day! Perfect!
Love it! So glad you chose this recipe, thanks for your excellent feedback.
Not a fan of turkey but wanted to try something other than beef for my dad. Wow, this is THEE best chili that I’ve made. Super yummy that there were no left overs!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Delicious! Hubby wants me to make it again!
Awesome! Thanks Gale.
Sounds like you found a new family favorite Gale. That’s so great.
Love this recipe, it’s my new go to chili recipe! I add in green peppers and diced quarter round of zucchini also. I was out of tomato sauce once so I used some pureed pumpkin I had from canning in the fall and it was delicious! (I love veggies in my chili lol)
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Karen!
Delicious. Every time I crave chili, this is my go to recipe. Thank you for another great recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Irena!
Have not tasted end product but can tell already it will be made again!
I hope you try this soon, Nia! Thank you for that awesome review!
My husband doesn’t like chunks of tomatoes. What can I use instead of the 30oz diced tomatoes??
Hi Renee, I haven’t tested a substitution but here is what one of our readers wrote “I make a similar version on the stovetop except I add canned fire-roasted tomatoes instead or regular and some diced sweet red bell peppers. It adds a very light smokey sweet taste. I will try the slow cooker next time” I hope that helps
Have you tried crushed tomatoes Instead of Diced?
Can lentils be used in this with black beans? I don’t have the other beans it’s what I have in the cupboard.
Hi Michaela! I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
I just made this tonight and it was easy to prepare and was good. I changed a few things in the recipe. The lentils turned out I just added them almost to the end so they could be brought to a boil and simmer. I also used taco seasoning instead. This is something I will be making again.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
How do I do this recipe in a crockpot? Can’t find the instructions..?
Hi Yana! Check the text section closer to the recipe card towards the bottom that says: “How to Make Crockpot Turkey Chili” I hope you love it!
Natasha,
This chili is so GOOD. It was simple and easy to throw it all together with ingredients that I already had in my pantry. I have never tried a turkey chili before but it is my new go-to because it is a lot less greasier compared to a beef chili which I’m used to. Thank you!!
You’re so welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Love this recipe so much! It was perfect!
Sounds like you found a new favorite, Emily! Thank you for that great review!
This recipe is a keeper!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
This looks incredible!! I love chili & love the turkey option! I need to make it this week..it’s been chilly for this AZ girl!
This chili is so perfect for this cold weather!
Making a double batch because I know I’ll be glad to have the leftovers, yum!
Yes! A double batch is a great idea!! Thank you for your wonderful review!
This looks delicious, especially with those yummy garnishes. I love avocado with my chili!
Thank you, Kara1 I’m so happy you liked this recipe!!
Love this recipe! So easy to make and everyone loved it!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Steph :). I’m all smiles!
How can I make the chili a bit thicker ?
Hi Rachel, for a thicker chili, you could drain off some of the juice from the beans or diced tomatoes. I hope you love the turkey chili!
Hi Natasha, I really want to make this, but don’t have a slow cooker (yet!!! – there’s still Christmas!). How would I make this on top of the stove in a big dutch oven pot? Many thanks, Janet
Hi Janet! I think the process will be very similar and it is doable. We have a stove top chili recipe here and the directions should be pretty similar
Thank you Natasha! I will follow those directions and add more diced veggies as you suggested for the beef chili – bcoz I have em! I’ll let you know how it turns out! Janet
I look forward to hearing your feedback!
Hi Natasha, I just finished making this in a Dutch oven on the stove.I added celery, mushrooms, yellow pepper & carrot, but no corn…extra cumin oregano & chili powder. My pot is brimming FULL! This chili is so delicious! Next time I would add half pd more turkey. Great recipe and freezing for sure! Thank you.
You’re so welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Is it possible to boil it normal about 30 min on the stowe. I dont have a slowcooker.
Hi Lollo, once it is at a simmer, keep it there for 30 minutes on the stove. That should work great and we have done it this way before. You really just want it to get really hot and heated through since all of the ingredients are fully cooked.
Hello Natasha, I have made this recipe three times now, and it disappears faster than I can make it) It’s a new favorite in my family. I love the taste and the Turkey meat is great idea). Your recipe is fantastic, thank you so much for sharing it with us))
I’m happy to hear how much you enjoy the recipe Jeffery! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
Hello
Is there anything we can substitute the beans with? I do not want to use that many in the recipe . Beans are high in natural estrogens or soy and I’m trying not to provide that to my children?
Hi Helen, I didn’t know that! Thank you for sharing that insight. I’m not sure what would be a comparable substitute for chili. You might google bean free chili and see if someone has come up with something creative. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.
Hey, Natasha! I love all of your recipes and use them constantly.
Do you have any nutritional information on them? I’d love to know the serving size and calorie information for the turkey chili, for example.
Thanks!
Christina
I’m glad to hear that Christina! Due to time constraints, I don’t typically include nutritional info, but check out this nutrition analyzer – you can plug in the ingredients from any recipe, select the serving size and it will give you nutritional info, calories, etc. I hope that is helpful to you!
I left out the white beans . I just finished putting everything I. The crockpot. Hope it was ok to leave them out.
Hi Alison, it should still work fine.
I found this recipe on Pinterest, and I’ve made it SO many times! I just had to come give it a review! I love love love this chili 🙂 My husband says the corn makes it over the top good! Thanks for the recipe.
I’m glad to hear you both love the recipe Jennifer! Thanks for sharing your excellent review! 🙂
I made this last week, maybe Wednesday and I used it as meal prep. I absoulutely loved it! my kids loved it and my husband couldnt get enough of it ( he hates turkey) I didnt think he would like it but we finished the last of it today, and I am making some for my pot luck on Wednesday. Thank you, this was by far some of the best turkey chili ive had.
Wow, that’s great! I’m so happy to hear how much everyone loves the recipe! Thank YOU for sharing your excellent review Mirna!
Would this still be good if I freeze it?
Hi Zhanna, I haven’t tried freezing it, but the ingredients are pretty freezer friendly so I think it would work well. 🙂
can i drain all the beans? my stomach cant take un-drained beans. will the chili still taste good?
Hi Alexandra, yes that would work fine, but keep an eye on the mixture since it will be thicker without the juice. You may need to add some chicken broth to reach your desired consistency.
I am thiking about using tomato juice instead of tomato sause? What would you suggest?
I prefer tomato sauce because it has richer flavor and if you use tomato juice, your chili will be much more watery.
Made this last night….it was so easy and fast. 🙂 I left out the pinto beans since we do not like a lot of beans in our chili, and I added some more cumin and chili powder. My picky husband loved it!! Thank you!
That’s so great! Thank you for the nice review Sharon and you are very welcome 😁.
Could this be cooked on high in the crock pot to reduce cook time? I’m inpatient :p
Hi Marisa, yes that would work fine! 🙂 2 hours on high heat should do it!
Hey Natasha! Is there any way this could be made on the stovetop without changing the recipe? Made this recipe multiple times in a crock pot and it’s bomb.com! Now wondering if I could make it on the stovetop since someone “borrowed” my crockpot for quite some time now and this 39 week belly be craving this amazing chili 🎉😂😭
Hi Angie, yes absolutely! You can actually make it a one-pot chili by cooking the meat in a pot then adding everything else to the pot, setting over medium/low heat and letting it cook until boiling hot, stirring occasionally. You can probably heat it over a higher heat but stir frequently so it doesn’t scorch to the bottom. Once it’s at a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes. You don’t have to cook it long since all of the ingredients are “cooked” 🙂 but I would simmer at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. And you just gave me a really really great idea for a stove-top chili! Ha! thanks Angie 🙂
Can I substitute beef instead of turkey?
Yes, definitely! Ground pork would work well also.
This recipe was absolutely amazing… People here think I need to open a restaurant because of this, but it was all you!! Thank you for making me a great cook!! 😄😄😄
Geena, thank you so much for a great review and you are welcome 😀.
I have never made chili before so this was an experiment altogether for me!
I followed the recipe for the most part, I made sure all my ingredients were clean (the tomato sauce there is no way around but i did get the organic so it was as clean as possible) and I added 2 tablespoons of minced garlic to the spices when adding to the cooked turkey. The flavor was good, it just did not have enough spice for us, so we added a bit more of the cumin and chili powder 3 hours in and let it cook another 30 minutes on high (the first 3 hours were on low but I was hungry and impatient) and it was perfect! Thank you for such a quick and easy recipe that has great flavor!
Melissa, thank you for such a great review and nice job improvising 😀 .
What size crockpot does this recipe call for? I have a 6qt pot. Will this recipe fit or do I need to double it?
Christine, ours is about 6qt so it should fit 🙂 .
Just 2 thoughts to make a wonderful recipe even more amazing: instead of adding spices to meat after cooking, consider “toasting” the spices in the hot oil before adding the meat. Just for a minute–until you smell them; it only take a few moments. Your kitchen will automatically be aromatic heaven. Secondly: not very healthy perhaps, but I added chorizo to the ground turkey to amplify the flavor. Thanks for a lovely recipe.
I love your suggestions! Thank you for sharing :). That additional chorizo sounds amazing!
Hello Natasha and k.mf: I actually just did this last night when making a butternut squash soup! It called for curry powder but I didn’t have any so I googled the ingredients and made my own. Then just as the onions and garlic were softening, I added 2 tsp and let it cook for 1 minute. Then I added the roasted squash, peppers etc. This method truly enhances the flavour! Also, my kitchen still smells amazing today! Cheers,
Thank you so much for sharing that with us!!
Made this for dinner last night. Had to replace red beans for the pinto beans because I didn’t have any, and the chili turned out great. I heated up some tortilla chips for the top and everyone (including my 3 year old) ate it all up. Another great recipe!
Thank you Lisa-Marie, reading your comment is making me hungry for some chili :D.
Love this!! Super easy to make plus I froze the left overs to take for work lunches. Is there a calorie count listed somewhere I may be skipping over?
Hi Lyndsey! I’m so glad you like the chili. I don’t usually put up calorie counts, but when I need to research something, my best source: Caloriecount.com – sign in for free and then go to “tools” and then click “recipe analyzer” You can copy and paste your list of ingredients and it spits out the nutrition info. It’s a great tool.
This looks absolutely delicious! Really want to make – few questions.
1. You put makes 8-10 servings- how much is a serving though?
2. Do you have the calorie count for this?
Thank you
Hi Heather, I didn’t measure it exactly, but each serving is about 1 cup. I don’t usually put up calorie counts, but when I need to research something, my best source: Caloriecount.com – sign in for free and then go to “tools” and then click “recipe analyzer” You can copy and paste your list of ingredients and it spits out the nutrition info. It’s a great tool.
Thank you for great recipe, Natasha! I tried this once and now planning to do it again but want to cook my own beans: should the beans be slightly undercooked since I intend to cook them for an additional 3+ hours in crock pot? What is the ideal time for cooking the beans?
My beans were fully cooked for this. They won’t turn mushy or fall apart in the crock pot, don’t worry :). I’d recommend fully cooking them.
Made this today and it was delicious. I held the jalapeños and increased the amount of chili powder to about 3tbsp. I also held the corn water and the consistency was perfect, not runny at all. I was wasn’t sure my husband was going to like it but he inhaled 3 bowls!! Thank you for sharing!
I’m so happy to hear you loved it! Thank you so much for sharing your modifications and your awesome review! 🙂
Great recipe:) definitely will try making it soon! Thank you for sharing about canned foods not being BPA free.
You are welcome Sveta :). Let me know how it turns out.
Hi Natasha. I’ve noticed you said you cooked your own beans, can you give some specifics on how to do that? I want to do that myself because canned food is not as good as fresh obviously, but I’ve never done that before. And you also mentioned you’ll freeze them as well? Does that work well?
Thanks 😉
Olga.
Freezing them works wonderfully – that’s why I make big batches when I cook beans. Freeze in ziploc bags with their cooking juices and then thaw and drain (and rinse if needed) as you would with canned beans. Here is the method that I used to cook the beans. It takes some time but it’s easy to do: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-beans-on-the-stove-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-182717
Hi Natasha!
If I’m cooking the beans and not using canned, do I have to undercook them since they will be in a crockpot?
Mine were fully cooked when I made them at home. The slow cooker process will not make the mushy so go ahead and cook them fully.
A big hit with the family, loved it!!
That’s awesome! I’m so happy to hear that 🙂
Just shared this recipe with my sister. Her 3 older boys love chille and she never made it at home. So will see what she reports back!
Let me know! I hope they love it! 🙂
She just reported back lol. They loved it! It was a little spicy for her, but her boys were in heaven. Lol (she used beef instead of turkey and said it was awesome!)
This was my first time making this recipe. It was delicious, but very watery. The consistency never thickened the way I imagine Chili to be……
I think next time I will try modifying the following:
– use a mix of dark & light turkey meat, instead of just lean.
– drain the liquid in the beans & corn
– replace the Pinto Beans with Dark Red Kidney Beans for a darker, richer color.
– use an additional can of fire-smoked diced tomatoes instead of 2-cans of tomato sauce.
I love your ideas! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
I tried this recipe a few days ago. It turned out pretty well. The next time I make this chili, how can I make it a little more tangier ?
You could always add a little lemon juice to taste – I wonder if it had anything to do with the brand of tomatoes?
Love the picture that your son contributed! I used most of your ingredients and strategies to make my own chili. I’m sorry, I’m one of those people who simply can’t follow ANY recipe without adding or changing something to make it his or her own, but I find your website inspiring.
I “think” I’ve been a foodie for about 5yrs… about the same time when I got laid off, then worked again, then laid off, etc. In my free time I took over the cooking here for the family and explored the techniques out there. So much to learn still.
Is this the right place to post this kind of comment? Sorry if I’ve broken the rules, -New Kitchen Dad
Hi Erik! Thanks for writing :). There aren’t really any rules for comments ;). I’m the same way; I improvise based on the ingredients I have on hand; unless it’s baking since that is more of a science.
Hi Natasha ,
What kinda crock pot do you use ?
Alina, it’s an oldie but goodie, smaller Crockpot brand that is no longer made.
Made it today and it turned out Delish!!! I did not have any ground turkey on hand but i did have some fresh turkey breast. So I cut it in tiny little cubes and instead of tomatoe sauce (since i didn’t have any) I used some tomato marinara sauce. The kids absolutely loved it. THANKS NATASHA! This recipe is deffinately a keeper!
That is a great idea to just use diced turkey breast! I bet the texture was awesome! Thanks for sharing and I’m so happy you loved the recipe 🙂
Hi Natasha,
Was wondering when cooking your own beans, the recipe calls for 15 oz. cans, but you say to cook 1 pound of beans, how many cans would the 1 pound of beans make? I don’t want to cook the whole pound and freeze the rest.
1 lb of dry beans = about 3 cans of cooked beans.
I was able to cook 1 lb of each kind of bean and freeze the rest 2 more future batches.
Here’s another way to look at it: if you make 1/3 lb of beans, it is equivalent to 1 can of cooked beans. I figured, if I’m going to take the time to cook beans, I might as well make it last for the future and they’re also great in soups! 🙂 If you just want to cook enough beans for the recipe, buy 1/3 lb of each kind of dry bean and start cooking 🙂
Made this last night.. it turned out delicious. I even stopped by Wendy’s and bought hot chilli seasoning from them because I couldn’t find a recipe for it anywhere.. that stuff is amazing. We crumble saltine crackers into our chilli, top with sour cream, Colby jack, and 2 packs of sauce. Yum.
It sounds like you enjoy your chili spicy!! 🙂 We do to but our son wouldn’t eat it if it was too spicy 🙂
Hi, There! I’m planning on making this for my son’s first birthday party at a local pumpkin patch!!! Do you think frozen organic corn would be fine to use? And I just bought a bunch of sweet onions at Costco. I know red is more traditional in chili but what do you think about the sweet onions? This looks SO yummy!
I’m not sure the amount of time in the slow cooker is adequate to fully cook the raw frozen corn. You might cook on high heat for 1 hour and then reduce to low for the remaining time. Sweet onions are totally fine 🙂
Thank you so much for the feedback! Have you ever added red bell pepper to this recipe?
I haven’t but it might be worth a shot if you like bell pepper. I think I’d like it sauteed before adding it.
Hey Natasha,
Thanks for another wonderful recipe. It was my first time making chili and I was pleasantly surprised with the results. I did omit the corn as I am not a huge fan of it in chili and I substituted with organic ground beef but otherwise, I followed the instructions and it turned out delicious.
Organic ground beef would make a delicious chili! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Thank you, Natasha, for all your recipe. I like use them and enjoy it!
I’m so happy to hear that. Thanks Mariya! 🙂
The best chili recipe I’ve tried so far! Cooked my own beans as well.
Thanks!
Didn’t it feel good cooking your own beans? I’m so happy you liked the chili! 🙂
This looks amazing, and even though it is hot and muggy here in S. Florida, I still want to make this! Great photos too! I think a collection of them would look good framed as part of a kitchen decor 🙂
What a fun idea; to put up pictures of food in the kitchen! I wish I had a big wall just for that. Maybe I can get creative 🙂 Thanks Andi!
I’ve been cooking my own beans for a while now. So many of them are packed with so much junk! It’s sad actually. We love chili in this house and been making mine in crockpot as well but never with turkey. Will have to try!
I hadn’t looked into it until this pregnancy but the BPA really threw a wrench into the canned food business for me. No more (or as little as possible) canned foods for me, or my babies. I think you’d love the turkey; it adds some nice texture and flavor 🙂
Chili in the slow cooker sounds very nice. I make a similar version on the stove top except I add canned fire roasted tomatoes instead or regular and some diced sweet red bell peppers. It adds a very light smokey sweet taste. I will try the slow cooker next time.
I love the idea of fire roasted tomatoes; yumm!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
This is going on my meal plan soon! I love a good slow cooker chili! Your photos are so bright and beautiful!
Thank you so much Kristine 🙂 Enjoy!
Great recipe and just in time for the cold weather here in Chicago this weekend. I have to get my slow cooker in use, I haven’t used it in 2 years. I like the way you season ground turkey, these are my favorite flavors.
Thanks Lyubomira 🙂 I’m really looking forward to wearing skinny jeans again instead of shorts; it was cooling down for a little bit but we’re getting another warm wave of 91˚F for a few days! Maybe it’s the last wave 😉
Yum looks tasty!! I gotta say I really appreciate your blog!! I use it almost every day, and I feel like such a great cook! Thank You!!! God bless you and your family!
Thank you Yelena for such a sweet comment and you are welcome :). Blessings to you and your family as well.
will be making it this week;) do you think ground beef will work?
Nadya, beef should work great as well :).
I am going to have to try this. I see a lot of turkey on sale but I really dont know what do with it. So hoping to see more turkey recipes =)
This is definitely a good way to use turkey! I hope you love it as much as we did. I won’t admit that I wolfed down 2 1/2 bowls in one sitting.
I made this and it was pretty good. My husband ate it too and he is pretty picky. I just didnt use black beans. not fan of them and I did use corn and I am glad i did.
I do like corn in my chili too. If you get a chance to add fresh cooked corn; it’s wonderful! 🙂
Love this recipe! The minute it cools down here, this is happening!
It’s already cooling down a little in Boise, ID; starting to feel like Fall and this is perfect for cozier weather 🙂
I started cooking and freezing beans also. Portion them out in small parts and freeze them.
It’s so convenient and I feel so good about giving it to my family and eating it myself!