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Three Bean Turkey Chili Recipe

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This Three Bean Turkey Chili Recipe is loaded with fresh vegetables, lean ground turkey, and three different beans. It’s customizable, easy to make, and perfect for busy weeknights or game day grub. Add this to your healthy chili recipe collection!

turkey chili in white bowls on textured background with red pepper and green onion garnish and blue napkin

Everyone should have a turkey chili recipe

This turkey chili recipe has been a foundation recipe for years here at TKG…and it’s time we shared it with you!

It’s not the only chili recipe up our sleeve, but it’s so reliable, we use it as a guideline for other chili recipes.

It’s so versatile that we’ve made it in large batches for game day food as well as weekly meal prep.

The best part is that it feeds a small army, and is so easy to freeze and reheat on those busy weeknights.

turkey chili in white bowls on textured background with red pepper and green onion garnish and blue napkin

How do you make healthy turkey chili?

In my book, a healthy turkey chili starts with LOTS of fresh, everyday vegetables, like onions, celery, and bell pepper, sautéed with garlic in extra virgin olive oil.

Then, a 99% lean turkey is added to the vegetables and sautéed it until it’s cooked through.

Next, the easiest part, add remaining ingredients like canned beans, chicken broth (or water), canned diced tomatoes, corn, and a handful of spices.

Everything gets boiled for about 5 minutes and simmered for about 25 minutes, and served warm.

How do you make turkey chili thick?

Chili naturally thickens as it cooks.

By heating it, the liquid evaporates, which reduces the sauce, causing it to thicken…and build all that chili flavor we love!

If your turkey chili is not thick enough at the end of the cooking cycle, remove some of the liquid with a spoon and continue simmering.

Repeat as needed until you reach your desired consistency.

Just remember, more time on the flame equals more flavor!

turkey chili in large stainless soup pot with red, green, and yellow garnish on textured beige surface

What are the ingredients in turkey chili?

  • extra virgin olive oil
  • garlic
  • onion
  • celery
  • bell pepper
  • 99% lean ground turkey
  • canned diced tomatoes
  • tomato sauce
  • reduced-sodium chicken broth (or water)
  • kidney beans, northern beans, and black beans
  • corn (fresh or frozen)
  • tomato paste
  • chili powder, crushed red pepper flakes, and cumin
  • salt and pepper

What toppings go with chili?

  • avocado
  • tortilla chips
  • Serrano or jalapeno peppers
  • sour cream
  • shredded cheddar cheese
  • green onions
  • crushed up crackers
  • hot sauce

Secret ingredients in my healthy chili recipe

Here’s a bonus for anyone who reads the blog post and doesn’t skip right to the recipe.

There are two secret ingredients we often use for our chili recipes here at TKG headquarters.

  1. cocoa powder (about 1 tsp per quart of chili)
  2. dark beer, baby! (1 – 12oz bottle per 2-3 quarts of chili. Replaces chicken stock.)

Jeff and I have been doing this for…a bunch of years.

It was my idea to add cocoa powder and Jeff’s idea to add beer. Daym people…just YUM!

If you do one, or the other…or both, you will taste the difference in chili…forevah!

Trust me on this one, guys! And please, do let me know in the comments below if you tried the secret ingredients!

turkey chili in white bowls with blue napkin on textured beige background with red pepper and green onion garnish

What can you do with leftover chili?

Sky’s the limit, but we’ll take leftover chili any day of the week and turn it into:

  • Chili mac and cheese – chili and mac and cheese together, forevah!
  • Chili dogs – chili and hot dogs (grilled or pan-fried, not boiled)
  • Loaded potatoes – chili topped baked potatoes with ALL the fixings
  • Cheesy Chili fries – French fries with chili and cheese, and hot sauce
  • Shepherd’s pie – because mashed potatoes and chili together are divine
  • Breakfast bake – eggs and chili, baked

Can you freeze turkey chili?

Yes, we freeze this turkey chili every time we make a batch because the recipe yields 3 quarts, which is more than we can eat in one week.

To freeze turkey chili, allow it to cool completely, then package into desired sizes of airtight containers, plastic freezer bags, or vacuum sealer packaging.

Tools I used to make this recipe:

Other soup and chili recipes to love

Italian Sausage Soup with Orzo

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Easy Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

Crockpot Chicken Vegetable Soup

Three-Bean Vegan Chili for Instant Pot, Stove, or Crockpot

(top) turkey chili in white bowl on blue background (center) title text (bottom) turkey chili in large stainless soup pot

turkey chili in white bowl with blue napkin on textured beige background
Print REcipe
5 from 20 votes

Three Bean Turkey Chili

This Three Bean Turkey Chili Recipe is loaded with fresh vegetables, lean ground turkey, and three different beans. It's customizable, easy to make, and perfect for busy weeknights or game day grub. Add this to your healthy chili recipe collection!
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12 1-cup servings
Calories 100kcal
Author Traci Antonovich

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 4 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1/2 large Onion 1 cup diced
  • 1 large Celery Stalk 1/2 cup diced
  • 1 large Bell Pepper 1 cup diced
  • 1 lb Extra Lean Ground Turkey
  • 1 14.5 oz can No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes keep juice
  • 1 14oz can Tomato Sauce
  • 2 cups Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth or water
  • 1 12oz can Red Kidney Beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 12oz can Great Northern Beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 12oz can Black Beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup Corn fresh or frozen
  • 3 oz No Salt Added Tomato Paste
  • 2 Tbsp Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1 tsp Pepper
  • 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin

Instructions

  • In a 5 quart pot on medium heat, heat OLIVE OIL (about 2 min)
  • Add GARLIC, ONIONS, CELERY, and BELL PEPPER; sauté until slightly tender (about 4 minutes).
  • Add GROUND TURKEY; stir as needed to break apart, and cook until it’s no longer pink.
  • Add CHICKEN BROTH, DICED TOMATOES, TOMATO SAUCE, KIDNEY BEANS, GREAT NORTHERN BEANS, BLACK BEANS, CORN, TOMATO PASTE, CHILI POWDER, SALT, PEPPER, RED PEPPER FLAKES, and CUMIN.
  • Turn heat to med-high; bring chili to a boil for a few minutes, stirring as needed.
  • Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 25 minutes (or more) to reach desired consistency.

RECIPE NOTES

Yield: 3 quarts (12 cups)
Serving size: 1 cup
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, and are estimates based on unbranded ingredients acquired from a nutrition database. For accurate calculations, please refer to brand packaging information and consult your nutritionist.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Three Bean Turkey Chili
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 100 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Cholesterol 20mg7%
Sodium 307mg13%
Potassium 316mg9%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 1025IU21%
Vitamin C 20.5mg25%
Calcium 14mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Did you make this recipe? Tag me!Mention @thekitchengirl or tag #thekitchengirl

(top) turkey chili in white bowl (bottom) title text

Traci Antonovich
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Traci Antonovich

Recipe author and food photographer at The Kitchen Girl
I'm on a mission to help you eat healthy AND save money through simple, everyday recipes, product reviews, and budget-friendly kitchen tips.
Traci Antonovich
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Comments

  1. Kate says

    03/14/2019 at 4:43 pm


    This is the BEST turkey chili recipe! It is easy to make. You only dirty one pot, and it has such a good spice kick. A definite crowd pleaser! Perfect for winter nights, the Super Bowl, a dinner party, potluck, you name it. I’m obsessed! Thanks for sharing this delicious turkey chili recipe.

    Reply

  2. Amanda says

    12/15/2018 at 3:35 pm


    This is such a vibrant, fresh looking chili (I love the photos!). I’m starting to look for recipes for my game day parties for after the holidays, and this will be absolutely perfect for my guests. I love that it’s a turkey chili instead of beef, so I can accommodate even more of my friends’ diets. What great ideas for using leftover chili, too – I think that chili breakfast bake is going to have to happen!

    Reply

  3. Mackenzie says

    12/10/2018 at 9:04 pm


    As silly as it sounds, beans are my favorite food. One of my biggest complaints with chili is that it doesn’t have enough beans, so this three bean variety is screaming my name. Plus, I always grab ground turkey at the store as a backup, so the ingredients for this meal are almost always in my kitchen. I love the idea of using the extra leftovers for chili mac or potatoes! I definitely know how I’m using mine!

    Reply

  4. Dana says

    12/10/2018 at 1:08 pm


    I love turkey chili! I grew up eating the usual beefy chili, and though it was good, ground beef doesn’t always sit well with me anymore. Red meat is a *sometimes* thing. So I’ve been subbing in poultry where I can, and always coming out pleasantly surprised! I haven’t made chili in ages. I can’t wait to give this a whirl.

    Reply

  5. Marisa Franca says

    12/10/2018 at 10:42 am


    I’ve never tried making chili with turkey — or with 3 beans. Your recipe fascinates me and I’m dying to try it — all the way to the jalapeños you add on top. The chili looks hearty and the red pepper would give it a healthy dose of a kick. This recipe is a winner with me.

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      12/10/2018 at 7:56 pm

      Thanks Marisa! Yes, if you’ve never had turkey chili with 3 beans, this is a great recipe to get you started! Hope you can try it out sometime 🙂

  6. Debra says

    12/10/2018 at 8:50 am


    This recipe is right up our alley. Football season and cooler temps means big batches of one pot hearty meals. This is a great addition to my Sunday meal prep too. Gotta love a recipe that includes leftovers that can be taken for lunch. I just got a new thermos too!!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      12/10/2018 at 8:59 am

      Thanks Debra! I do love one pot game day food…so versatile. And I love that you just got a new thermos…cheers to all the yummy, warm things that go into it 🙂

  7. Daniela says

    12/10/2018 at 8:05 am


    This turkey chili looks delicious! And it’s so easy to make! I love all the fresh flavors in it, and seeing that I’m obsessed with spicy food, I would probably top mine with some sliced serrano peppers like you suggest. Great recipe!

    Reply

  8. Trish says

    12/10/2018 at 7:48 am


    Oh my family would LOVE this! I’ve been really trying to get into big batch meals that freeze well, so I’m so happy you mentioned that. Hello dinner! 🙂

    Reply

  9. Tracy says

    12/09/2018 at 9:04 pm


    Two of my favorite things about a recipe: when it provides lots of left overs and then also great suggestions on new ways to use those leftovers! This hits both! What an awesome chili on it’s own but then a chili Shepard’s pie?! Whaattt… that’s GENIUS. Planning this in our meal prep this week!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      12/10/2018 at 7:41 am

      Thanks Tracy! Yep, there’s something about mashed potatoes and chili that just make both of those things even better…if that’s even possible LOL 😉 Hope you love this one!

  10. Leah says

    12/09/2018 at 8:34 pm


    This chili sounds so hearty and filling. I love a great bowl of chili, especially when its cold out, and you need to warm up, and this sounds perfect for that! Thanks for this great recipe!

    Reply

  11. Carmy says

    12/09/2018 at 12:24 pm


    I love chili! I just made a batch of turkey chili to freeze for the next few weeks. I love that you added extra veggies to this to make it healthier, it’s definitely a yummier dish when it’s packed with vegs. The mix of beans is also a great way to make the chili more filling!

    Reply

  13. Lisa says

    12/08/2018 at 6:14 am


    We have a small family, so I love recipes that freeze well and allow me to do some “batch cooking”. This chili recipe sounds like the perfect combo of ease and healthy, hearty, satisfying flavor. I’ve always been a one-bean chili person — as in “choose your bean”, but it makes so much sense to mix it up with several types. Not only does it give an eye-popping appearance, but it really amps up the protein. We’re doing our Christmas decorating this weekend and I think a pot of this on the stove will be the ideal pick me up as we’re decking our halls. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      12/08/2018 at 10:08 am

      Awww Lisa, you have such a way with words…and now I want to do exactly what you’re doing this weekend (but we just had it last week LOL). Thanks again!

  14. Gloria says

    12/07/2018 at 6:06 am


    We LOVE chili of ALL kinds. This sounds delicious, and perfect for comfort food season. I will be making a HUGE pot of this to take to a potluck. I know it will be a hit.

    Reply

  16. Jenna says

    12/06/2018 at 4:02 pm


    Chili is on my mind as it gets cold out!! This will be my first time trying turkey chili. Looking forward to it!

    Reply

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