30-Minute Turkey Chili
This 30-minute Turkey Chili has won first place in multiple chili cook-offs over the years. I don’t want to brag or anything, but it really is THAT good! There’s ground turkey, beans, canned tomatoes, and both jalapeño and green chiles for a nice kick of heat. And my big secret? I add refried beans to my chili to make it nice and thick!
“Great recipe, I made Jenny’s turkey chili the night before I put it in the refrigerator, let it heat in a crockpot while gone during the day checking out a few local wineries. We had had the group back for a simple chili dinner afterwards and all 8 of us love the results!” – James, So Much Food reader
Table of contents
The Award-Winning Turkey Chili We’re Obsessed With
I know food bloggers throw around labels like “the best” fairly often, but trust me when I say this is the BEST turkey chili recipe you will ever make.
It’s thick, has the perfect ratio of meat to beans, and has a nice kick of heat to it that’s absolutely essential in any batch of homemade chili. This is the exact turkey chili recipe that I’ve submitted to several chili cook-offs, and it’s won first prize on multiple occasions.
Even better, this prize-winning chili takes just 30 minutes to prepare despite tasting like it’s been simmering on the stove for hours. If you’ve tried making turkey chili in the past but have been disappointed with it tasting bland, dry, or just plain boring, I pinky promise that my recipe will make a chili lover of you yet!
Jenny’s Tips for Making the Best Ever Turkey Chili
Add yellow mustard to deepen the flavor and add acidity. I know that you think that adding yellow mustard to chili is nuts, but it’s my secret ingredient that takes this turkey chili to the next level! It adds a savoriness and some acidity to the chili that just makes the flavor so, so good.
Skip the generic “chili powder” and use ancho chili powder instead. Regular “chili powder” is more of an all purpose chili seasoning that often contains cumin, onion, garlic, and salt. Ancho chile powder is actual dried ancho chilies that have been toasted and ground into a powder. The flavor is smoky, sweet, and slightly earthy — so much more nuanced and interesting than “chili powder!”
Refried beans thicken the chili like you wouldn’t believe! If you like your chili thick and almost creamy, refried beans will be your new best friend. I love to make Instant Pot refried beans if I have time, but canned works just fine too.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground turkey. I try to select ground turkey that is at least 93/7 (referring to the fat content). Turkey is a super lean meat and having a little fat in it really helps with flavor and keeping the meat from drying out.
- Canned green chilies. I love adding green chilies to my turkey chili for a tiny bit of heat and lots of flavor. If I can find canned hatch green chilies, that’s my preference, but any chopped canned green chili will do. (They’re usually be found in the ‘Hispanic’ section of any grocery store.)
- Tomatoes. I always add tomatoes to my chili. If I have fresh tomatoes on hand, I’ll chop two up and add them in, otherwise I use canned diced tomatoes.
- Seasonings. I always make my own chili seasoning vs. using the packets. The packets of chili seasoning are super high in sodium and I prefer to control salt to my taste when I cook. I use a mix of ancho chile powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, Mexican oregano, and a touch of brown sugar. You can make a large batch of the seasoning and keep it in an airtight container in your pantry for future use.
- Beans. I have made chili with all kinds of beans, but my favorites are black and pinto. I also use some refried beans to help thicken the chili. (This is an optional ingredient that you can skip if you like a soupier chili.)
- Yellow mustard. You can skip it, but I recommend trying it before you knock it!
- Worcestershire sauce. This adds lots of savory notes to the chili and I never skip it.
Helpful Tools You’ll Need
How to Make Turkey Chili in Just 30 Minutes
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat the oil in a large pot until it starts to shimmer, then add the chopped onion and jalapeño.
- Brown the turkey. Add the ground turkey to the pot and cook until it’s no longer pink. Try to break up the meat as much as possible to avoid any big chunks landing in your bowl later.
- Add the remaining ingredients. I typically add the ingredients to the pot in stages and stir between additions, just to make sure everything is well combined and nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Pop on the lid and simmer for 20 minutes. Don’t shortchange the simmer time! You need to give the spices and aromatics time to come together and flavor the chili.
- Stir in refried beans for thickness. I like to add them in the final 5 minutes of simmering to prevent the beans from breaking down too much.
Need some topping ideas? My favorites are sour cream, shredded cheese, jalapeños, green onions, diced onion, chopped avocado, and always some kind of chip for crunch (usually Fritos, which were honestly made for chili).
Side Dishes That Pair Well with Chili
Cornbread and chili go hand in hand, but a simple green salad is also a good choice.
If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.
More Easy Soups and Chilis
- Creamy White Chicken Chili
- Vegetarian 5 Bean Chili
- Spicy Black Bean Soup
- Creamy Chicken and Dumpling Soup
- Classic Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons
- Ground Beef Chili
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Award Winning 30-Minute Turkey Chili Recipe
Ingredients
Chili Seasoning Blend
- 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Turkey Chili
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable)
- 1 yellow onion , diced
- 1 jalapeño , minced (seeds removed for less spice)
- 2 pounds 93/7 ground turkey
- 8 oz canned green chilies
- 15 oz can diced tomatoes (or two medium fresh tomatoes, diced)
- 1/4 cup yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
- 2 tablespoons vinegar-based hot sauce (like Frank's or Crystal hot sauce)
- 15 oz canned black beans , with juices
- 15 oz canned pinto beans , with juices
- 1 1/2 cups water or broth
- 15 oz canned refried beans (optional but recommended for thickening)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheese
- Sliced green onions
Instructions
- Make the seasoning blend. In a small bowl, combine the ancho chile powder, paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, and brown sugar and stir to combine. You can double or triple this seasoning recipe and keep in an airtight container for future use.
- Sauté the aromatics. In a larger dutch oven or pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and jalapeno and cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions are softened.
- Brown the turkey. Add the ground turkey to the pot and cook until no pink remains, about 5 minutes or so, breaking the meat up into small pieces as it cooks.
- Finish and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the green chilies and seasoning blend and stir well to make sure the seasonings are evenly distributed. Add the diced tomatoes, mustard, worcestershire and hot sauce and bring to a simmer. Then, add the black beans, pinto beans, and water, cover the pot, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the refried beans. Remove the lid, stir in the refried beans (if using), and simmer for 5 minutes more, stirring to make sure the refried beans are evenly distributed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Garnish and serve. Ladle the chili into bowls and top with desired toppings. Enjoy!
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Rate & Review This Recipe
I too love beans.
Chili by definition doesn’t have beans.
Chili also doesn’t have sugar or tomatoes or turkey.
This dish looks amazing, but it is not Chili.
Well, we can simply agree to disagree there.
Amazing! Favorite recipe to date! I used kidney beans instead of refried beans… although I got at the end why you maybe used the refried beans (for thickener) I used a corn starch slurry to thick it to my likening at the end. Also used ground beef!!! Amazing 10/10
Love this! So glad you enjoyed it!
Great recipe, I made Jenny’s Turkey Chili the night before I put it in the refrigerator, let it heat in a crockpot while gone during the day checking out a few local wineries. We had had the group back for a simple chili dinner afterwards and all 8 of us love the results!