Three Bean Ground Turkey Chili

A bowl of turkey chili with avocado and herbs on top. The bowl is sitting on a dark background with a gray napkin and a small bowl of pepper flakes arranged around it.

Three Bean Ground Turkey Chili

The most delicious ground turkey chili made with three varieties of hearty beans! Every spoonful is full of zesty flavor. This cozy winter stew is beyond easy to make, takes just under an hour to cook, and is a satisfying meal all in one bowl.

Course Soup

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword ground turkey chili, turkey chili

Freezer Friendly Yes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings

Calories 188kcal

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon oil
1 red bell pepper, diced green or yellow pepper works too
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground turkey I used 93% lean
2 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
1 (28 oz can) fire roasted diced
1 (14 oz can) red kidney beans
1 (14 oz can) navy beans or cannellini beans
1 (14 oz can) chickpeas
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 quart (28 oz) chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Saute onion & pepper: In a large pot, saute diced onion and red pepper in oil with a pinch of salt until soft - about 3-4 minutes. Stir frequently. Then add the minced garlic cloves and cook with the peppers and onions for about 30-60 seconds.
Cook the turkey: Next, add the ground turkey and cook until no longer pink - about 5-7 minutes. Use a spoon to break the turkey into small pieces while you cook it. Then add the chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, and cayenne pepper and stir into the meat and cook for about 30 seconds.
Add the remaining ingredients: After adding the spices, add the chicken broth, tomatoes (with the juices), tomato paste, and beans with 1/2 teaspoon salt & black pepper. Stir ingredients together.
Simmer: let the chili simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve: when the chili is finished, it should be thickened and slightly reduced. Taste, adjust with additional salt if needed until the flavor is just right, then serve!

Notes

Toppings for chili - one of my favorite ways to get more flavor out of chili is by adding flavorful toppings. Some of our favorites are sour cream, avocado, cheddar cheese, hot sauce, cilantro, or tortilla chips!

Don't use spicy chili powder - Not all chili powders are the same. Before you use your chili powder in this recipe, check the ingredients and see if it has any spicy peppers in it such as cayenne or chili flakes. If so, lessen the amount to about 2 teaspoons rather than 2 1/2 Tablespoons. I like to use Frontier chili powder for this recipe, it's not spicy but perfectly balanced!

Nutrition