HEALTHY TURKEY CHILI
on Jan 24, 2023, Updated Nov 02, 2025
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When cozy season hits, this is the soul-warming bowl I crave on repeat. My Healthy Turkey Chili is light but hearty, made with tender ground turkey 🦃 and a velvety tomato-infused broth that feels every bit as comforting 🥰 as the classic. Each bowl packs 49 grams of protein 💪 and is filled with wholesome, antioxidant-rich ingredients that make you feel as good as it tastes. Make a big pot for game day, chilly nights 🥶, or for meal prep – the flavors marry together and it’s even more delicious the next day! Finally, serve it with a slice of crusty No Knead Bread 🥖 to soak up every last cozy bite.
Key Takeaways
- Healthy Turkey Chili is a soul-warming dish packed with 49 grams of protein and antioxidant-rich ingredients.
- The chili features ground turkey, smoky chipotle powder, and a rich base from tomato paste and bone broth.
- You can customize the chili with different beans, meats, and toppings for varied flavors and textures.
- Serve it with crusty bread, cornbread, or delicious desserts to complete the meal.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Healthy Turkey Chili
Nutritious, hearty, and full of flavor, this Healthy Turkey Chili is your new go-to for cool nights. Lean ground turkey keeps it hearty yet light, while the smoky chipotle chili powder 🌶️ adds just the right amount of warmth. Tomato paste and sauce 🍅 create a rich, layered base when added to the bone broth, deepening the flavor without weighing it down. Sweet bell peppers and tender beans 🫘 add color, texture, and balance to every spoonful. Top with creamy and bright toppings like cilantro 🌱, sour cream, chives, and mozzarella to create a layered flavor profile that warms you from the inside out.
Ingredients
🥑 Avocado Oil: A heart-healthy oil with a high smoke point, perfect for sauteing your turkey and veggies without burning.
🦃 Ground Turkey: Lean, tender, and protein-packed, it puts a lighter twist on classic chili.
🧅 Onion: Adds natural sweetness and depth of flavor that balance the smoky spices.
🧄 Garlic: Because every great chili deserves a bold, aromatic kick.
🧂 Salt: Season in layers as you cook – and taste as you go! – so every bite is perfectly balanced.
🌶️ Chipotle Chili Powder: This is the secret to that smoky, slow-cooked flavor without spending hours on the stove.
🍅 Tomato Paste: A little spoonful adds deep flavor and creates a rich, tomatoey broth.
🥫 Tomato Sauce: This ties everything together, giving your chili a velvety texture. I use my homemade version that you can try here > Italian Tomato Sauce.
🍖 Bone Broth: A nourishing swap for regular broth that also comes in a homemade version > Easy Homemade Chicken Broth.
🫘 Beans: I use cannellini beans and kidney beans in this recipe. But, you can choose your favorites — black, kidney, and pinto are all fair game!
🫑 Bell Peppers: Sweet, colorful, and full of antioxidants, a trio of bell peppers balances the spice and makes every bite pop with freshness.
🌿 Toppings (Cilantro, Sour Cream, Mozzarella, Chives): Creamy, fresh, cheesy, herby — all the things that make chili feel like comfort in a bowl.
Nonna’s Tip 🌿
Remember that the chili thickens as it cools. Taste and adjust for salt, and finish by garnishing with optional toppings like cilantro, cheese, sour cream, and chives.
Variations and Substitutions for Healthy Turkey Chili
- You can substitute the ground turkey with ground beef, pork or 🐔 chicken.
- Alternatively, you can make a meatless version of this healthier chili recipe with tofu or plant-based ground meat.
- Try any combination of 🫘 beans. I used kidney and cannellini, but you could also use black, pinto, or white beans.
- Add diced tomatoes 🍅, jalapeños or green chiles, sweet corn 🌽, and a squeeze of lime for a Tex-Mex vibe.
- Get creative with toppings and try sliced 🥑 avocado, 🧅 red onion, or pickled jalapeños.
Best Served With
- My Stuffed Jalapeños appetizer.
- A warm slice of buttered 🧈 cornbread or my Cheesy Roasted Garlic Bread.
- A dollop of my Simple Guacamole 🥑.
- My Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies absolutely HIT after a bowl of warm chili 😋.
Similar Recipes
Lasagna Soup
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Stuffed Pepper Soup
35 mins
Meatball Soup Recipe
50 mins
Beef Soup Recipe
2 hrs 10 mins
Common Questions
You can certainly use any ground meat you like. However, I love this recipe most with ground turkey, pork, or beef. You could use plant-based or a combination of ground meats as well.
Yes, you can use broth or water, but be sure to use organic unsalted broth as it can be extremely salty otherwise.
The tomato sauce I use for this recipe is our Homemade Italian Tomato Sauce; it is made only with tomatoes, salt, and basil. Please choose a good-quality jar of sauce or Passata that has clean ingredients.
To store any leftover soup, let it cool to room temperature and then, transfer it to an airtight container or sealable freezer bag. Lastly, store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
For best results, I would reheat in a pot on the stove. You could also place your desired portion in a microwave-safe bowl, cover it, and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval until it’s heated through.
I use Redmond Real Salt, please note that depending on the salt you use, your dish may be less or more salty. Salt is always to taste, therefore always taste and adjust as you cook.
You can add any seasonings that you like to your chili, or you can use jalapeños if you prefer it spicier.
Healthy Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, any neutral oil
- 450 grams ground turkey, any ground meat of choice
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder, any variety of chili powder will work
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup tomato sauce, plain
- 4 cups bone broth, or unsalted broth
- 2 15oz cans of beans, I used red kidney beans and cannellini beans
- 1 cup bell peppers , I used red, yellow, and orange
Optional Toppings
- cilantro , or parsley to taste
- mozzarella , measure with your heart
- sour cream, to taste
- chopped chives, taste
Instructions
- Important note: this is a great recipe to practice “mise en place,” which means you prep/chop all your ingredients before you start. I want you to be ready so you don’t scramble for ingredients as you cook.
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the ground meat and, using a wooden spoon, break it into small chunks as it browns. Cook the meat for about 10 minutes, or until all the liquid has fully evaporated. Ground turkey doesn’t have any fat so you won’t see much browning. If you use ground pork or beef, cook until it has browned in color. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the onions and garlic and stir. Add the chile powder, tomato paste, and tomato sauce one at a time and stir after adding each ingredient.
- Add the broth, and let the contents come to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, semi-cover the pot, and cook everything for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Add in the beans and bell peppers. Increase the heat to medium-high, and cook for another 10 minutes. If you like a thinner chili, you can add more broth or water; if you like it thicker, you can let it boil longer, until the liquid reduces. Just be aware that the chili will thicken as it cools down.
- Be sure to taste and adjust for salt. Garnish with any of the optional toppings: cilantro, cheese, sour cream, and chives, and enjoy!
Nonna’s Notes
- Swap meats: You can substitute the ground turkey with ground beef, pork or chicken.
- Plant-based alternatives: You can make a meatless version of this healthier chili recipe with tofu or plant-based ground meat. Also, swap your sour cream and cheese toppings with your favorite plant-based kinds.
- Bean combos: Try any combination of beans. I used kidney and cannellini, but you could also use black, pinto, or white beans.
- Mix-ins: Add diced tomatoes, jalapeños or green chiles, sweet corn, and a squeeze of lime for a Tex-Mex vibe.
- Toppings: Get creative with toppings and try sliced avocado, red onion, or pickled jalapeños.
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Such a good chili recipe! My family really enjoyed this recipe and I can’t wait to make it again!
Can I use dry beans
Hi Karla, yes! You need to first soak and cook the beans before adding them to the recipe.
My family loved this!
Amazing! I will be making this all fall and winter! Such a cozy, simple meal!
I am about to make this chili. In the ingredients list you mention bone broth. In the directions list, you mention vegetable broth. Does it matter which is used?
Hi Thom, thank you so much for pointing out this error! I’ve fixed the recipe now, but yes, you can use any kind of broth you like, but opt for unsalted. 💗
This recipe is perfection!
Thank you, Emily! So glad you like it. ❤️
This chili was…phenomenal! I’ve made other chili recipes for years and it was always too acidic or it was like I was always missing something. This has everything you need and in the right order, for example, adding the green peppers and beans at the end kept them crunchier than if they were soft and sautéed earlier in the recipe. Absolutely love!
Thank you so much, Agnes! ❤️
Absolutely incredible!!!!
I’m blown away
The most delicious chili I have ever had
So hearty yet smooth wow!!!
Insanely delicious
Thank you Nonna !!!!
Means so much to me Taz!