Easy Chili Recipe

Our Easy Chili Recipe is another great meal to make for busy weeknights.  It’s made with ground turkey, canned beans (pinto or kidney), canned Ortega chiles, onion, garlic, bell pepper and a simple blend of classic chili seasonings.

If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing chili recipe, you’ll want to give this one a go! I’ve taken this chili to a lot of potlucks over the years and it’s alway popular. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Quick and Easy. This chili takes just minutes to pull together, then all you have to do is let it simmer for about 30 minutes. It’s perfect for busy weeknights!
• Great Tasting. This easy turkey chili is perfectly seasoned and loaded with flavor!  
• Simple Ingredients.  We use budget friendly ingredients for this simple recipe.

Turkey Chili Recipe Ingredients

This easy turkey chili recipe is another family favorite.

• Olive oil. We use olive oil to cook our onions with. 
• Onion. Use yellow onion (aka brown onion) which adds so much flavor to this chili. 
• Bell Pepper. We use a little green bell pepper which adds a nice flavor.
• Seasoning. We use a perfect blend of ground oregano, cumin, Gebhart chili powder and bay leaves.
• Cocoa powder.  This adds a rich flavor to the chili!
• Tomatoes. Use chopped tomatoes (including the juices) and tomato sauce for a delicious rich stew-like base.
• Fire Roasted Chiles. We add 1 4-ounce can of fire roasted diced green chiles (we use Ortega brand).
• Ground Turkey Meat. We use ground turkey meat for this chili.
• Broth.  Just a little chicken broth adds flavor and thins the chili out a bit. If the chili becomes too thick, then add a little more, but not too much or you’ll end up with a soup instead of chili. 
• Beans. You can use pinto beans or kidney beans for this chili. 

Find printable recipe with the measurements below.

Variations

• Brown Sugar. Add 2-3 teaspoons of light brown sugar to the chili to mellow the tang of the tomatoes.
• Jalapeno. Add 1/2 fresh jalapeno (minced) to the chili instead of the canned fire roasted chiles.
• Chili Powder. Add an additional 1/2 tablespoon of chili powder if you want a little more spice to the chili.

How To Make Easy Chili Recipe

This easy turkey chili recipe takes about 40 minutes to make. If the chili becomes a little too thick for your taste, then add 3-4 tablespoons water or chicken broth. 

1. Saute Onions and Bell Pepper. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium low heat. Add the chopped onion and bell pepper and sauté for about 8 to 10 minutes or until they become soft. Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.
2. Add Ground Turkey. Add the ground turkey to the Dutch oven and cook for about 5 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up into smaller pieces as it cooks.
3. Add Seasoning. Stir in the seasonings.
4. Pour in the Chopped Tomatoes, Sauce and Broth. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, fire roasted chiles, and chicken broth.
5. Simmer.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Place lid on pot. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
6. Stir in Beans.  Add the pinto beans to the pot and cook another 10 minutes. 
7. Serve. Serve chili with grated cheese, chopped onion (green, white or red), tortilla strips, tortilla chips, sour cream, or any of your favorite chili toppings.

Storing Leftovers

If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, they taste even better the next day. To store leftover chili, transfer to airtight containers and place in the refrigerator. If properly stored, leftovers should last up to 5 days. You can also freeze leftover chili by measuring single servings into freezer containers or freezer bags. Label the date on the container  and store in the freezer. If properly stored, it should last up to 3 months. To defrost, remove containers from the freezer and transfer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Heat leftovers in a saucepan and serve.

Chili Toppings

• Cheese (Cheddar, Jack Pepper Jack or Mexican blend)
• Homemade tortilla chips, tortilla strips, or Fritos
• Avocado slices
• Guacamole
• Pico de Gallo
• Sour cream
• Chopped Onion (green, white or red onions) 
• Jalapeno slices

Sides To Serve With Chili

To make a meal complete, we like to serve bowls of piping hot chili with a big green salad and corn bread or garlic bread.

• Garden Salad
• Lemon Arugula Salad
• Spring Mix Salad
• Romaine Salad

More Chili Recipes 

• White Bean Turkey Chili
• Lentil Chili
• White Bean Chicken Chili
• Chicken Chili without Beans

Continue to Content

Print

Yield: 8 Servings

Easy Chili Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Our Easy Chili Recipe is another great meal to make for busy weeknights.  It's made with ground turkey, canned beans (pinto or kidney), canned Ortega chiles, onion, garlic, bell pepper and a simple blend of classic chili seasonings.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground oregano
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons Gebhart chili powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (include the juices)
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 4-ounce can fire roasted diced green chiles (we use Ortega brand)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 14.5 ounce cans pinto beans (or kidney beans), drained and rinsed
• 2-1/2 teaspoons light brown sugar (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium low heat.
2. Add the chopped onion and bell pepper and sauté for about 8 to 10 minutes or until they become soft. Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the ground turkey to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking it up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon.
4. Stir in the seasonings.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, fire roasted chiles, chicken broth and bay leaves.
6. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Place lid on pot. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir now and then.
7. Add the pinto beans and the brown sugar to the pot and cook another 10 minutes.
8. Serve chili with grated cheese, chopped onion (green, white or red), tortilla strips, tortilla chips, sour cream, or any of your favorite chili toppings.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 415Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 1073mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 38g

theharvestkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate information, however, this nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. The nutritional information provided comes from online sources and calculations. See full disclaimer on About page.