Turkey Chili With Black Beans

Here's an easy chili recipe with canned beans and ground turkey. Takes only 15 minutes to throw together, so make it to warm up on a chilly day or for your next Super Bowl party!

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated July 09, 2021
Elise Bauer
Chili with Turkey and Black Beans
Elise Bauer

It's January! Meaning as pretty as it may look on a sunny winter day here in Northern California, as soon as I step outside I want to turn around and head back in, where it is still toasty warm.

Days like these are perfect for cooking a big pot of chili beans, don't you think?

The basis for this turkey chili recipe comes from my friend Kelsey's mom Janeen. It's one of their family favorites.

Black Bean Chili
Elise Bauer

How to Make Ground Turkey Chili

This chili uses naturally lean ground turkey, plenty of black beans, onions, carrots, and red bell peppers, and can be made in one big pot.

First we sauté onions, carrots, and bell pepper in olive oil. To the onions we add garlic, chili powder, and ground cumin. Heating the spices at this point will help bring out more of their flavor.

To this flavor base we add ground turkey and cook it until it is no longer pink. Then we add chicken stock, more seasonings, and black beans (canned or already cooked), and simmer for an hour. Easy!

Make Your Turkey Chili Spicier

As is, this recipe makes a fairly mild chili. Chili powder varies in spiciness, depending on brand, so you may need to make adjustments to your taste.

You can easily add more chili powder or some cayenne to intensify the spice level if you wish. You can also add chipotle chili powder or chipotle Tabasco to give a smoky note to the chili.

What to Serve With Turkey Chili

This chili is great served over cooked rice, with warmed tortillas, or with tortilla chips alongside. You can also use it as a filling for tacos or in a burrito bowl.

How to Store and Freeze Turkey Chili

This chili keeps well (and even improves in flavor) for about 5 days. You can freeze it for up to three months.

Freeze in individual portions in freezer containers or bags with as much air pressed out as possible. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or warm it up straight from the freezer. Either way, the best way to reheat is in a saucepan over low heat on the stove top.

Looking for More Great Chili Recipes?

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Turkey Chili With Black Beans

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 75 mins
Total Time 90 mins
Servings 6 servings

This recipe produces a mildly spicy chili. You can easily add more chili powder or some cayenne to intensify the spice level if you wish. You can also add chipotle chili powder or chipotle Tabasco to give a smoky note to the chili.

As for the red bell peppers, Trader Joe's has frozen sliced bell peppers that work well for this dish.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

  • 1 carrot, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

  • 2 cups red bell peppers

  • Salt

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

  • 2 tablespoons chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 pound ground turkey (I use ground turkey thighs for more flavor)

  • 3 cups chicken stock

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained

  • Freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Sauté the carrots, onions, and bell peppers:

    Heat the oil in a large, thick bottomed pot (6- to 8-quart) on medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and bell peppers, and sprinkle with salt. Cook until softened, 6 to 8 minutes.

    Raw carrots, onions, bell peppers for Black Bean Turkey Chili
    Elise Bauer
  2. Add the minced garlic, chili powder, and cumin:

    and cook for a minute more.

    garlic, chili powder, and cumin Mixed with Black Bean Chili Veggies
    Elise Bauer
  3. Add the ground turkey:

    and break it up with a wooden spoon. Increase the heat to medium high. Stir and cook until the turkey is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

    Raw Ground Turkey Mixed With Cooked Veggies
    Elise Bauer
    Cooked Turkey bean chili in hot pot
    Elise Bauer
  4. Add the chicken stock, oregano, bay leaf, vinegar, and tomato paste:

    Use a straight edge spatula or wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

    turkey black bean chili simmering in broth
    Elise Bauer
  5. Simmer the chili:

    Add the black beans. Bring the chili to a boil, lower to a simmer. Cover and cook for half an hour.

    Uncover and cook for another half hour, or until the the liquid thickens.

    black beans added to turkey chili recipe
    Elise Bauer
    boiling ground turkey chili recipe in pot
    Elise Bauer
  6. Serve:

    Remove the bay leaf. Taste the chili and adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste.

    Serve with rice or heated corn tortillas.

Turkey Chili
Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
475 Calories
22g Fat
38g Carbs
32g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 475
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 29%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 84mg 28%
Sodium 1257mg 55%
Total Carbohydrate 38g 14%
Dietary Fiber 13g 45%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 32g
Vitamin C 85mg 423%
Calcium 127mg 10%
Iron 6mg 32%
Potassium 1035mg 22%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.