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Quick Turkey Chili: Easy Budget-Friendly Meal for a Crowd

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This quick turkey chili is a budget-friendly, crowd-pleasing meal that comes together in under 40 minutes. It’s packed with lean ground turkey, beans, and a perfectly balanced spice blend for a hearty, satisfying dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ pounds ground turkey (93% lean recommended)
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup frozen corn (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
  • Juice of ½ lime (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil. Place your Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Let it warm up for about 30 seconds until it shimmers.
  2. Sauté the aromatics. Add the diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it turns translucent and starts to soften. Toss in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Brown the turkey. Add the ground turkey to the pot. Use your wooden spoon to break it into small crumbles. Let it cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes so it develops a nice brown crust on one side, then stir and continue cooking for 6-8 minutes total until no pink remains.
  4. Bloom the spices. Sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and cayenne (if using) over the browned turkey. Stir constantly for about 1 minute until the spices are fragrant and have coated everything evenly.
  5. Add the peppers. Toss in the diced red and green bell peppers. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften.
  6. Pour in the tomatoes and broth. Add the diced tomatoes (with their juices), crushed tomatoes, and chicken broth. Stir everything together, scraping the bottom of the pot to lift up all the browned bits.
  7. Add the beans. Stir in the drained and rinsed kidney beans and black beans. If using frozen corn, add it now. Bring the chili to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  8. Taste and adjust. After simmering, taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, cayenne, or a squeeze of fresh lime juice if desired.
  9. Rest before serving. Turn off the heat and let the chili sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

For best flavor, don’t rush the browning of the turkey and bloom the spices in the hot oil. Chili tastes even better the next day. To thicken, simmer longer uncovered; to thin, add more broth. For a vegetarian version, swap turkey for two more cans of beans and use vegetable broth.

Nutrition

Keywords: turkey chili, quick chili, budget-friendly chili, crowd-pleasing chili, easy chili recipe, ground turkey chili, healthy chili

Find it online: https://lolaspoon.com/quick-turkey-chili-easy-budget-friendly-meal-for-a-crowd/