Food and Recipes Dish Chili Quick Turkey Chili Be the first to rate & review! Finish this turkey chili with your preferred toppings, like corn chips, cheese, and sour cream. By Julia Levy Julia Levy Julia is an experienced cook with a demonstrated history of working in the publishing industry. She is skilled in catering, food & beverage, event planning, and menu development. She tests and develops recipes in the DotDash Meredith Test Kitchen for Southern Living. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on August 29, 2024 Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Learn more about the Southern Living Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 20 mins Servings: 4 Twenty minutes is all you need to put this flavorful and filling turkey chili on the table. If you're from Texas, by all means, leave the beans out. But for everyone else, the combination of savory tomatoes, ground turkey, and kidney beans is spiced up thanks to taco seasoning and chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (a secret ingredient we love to have on hand for homemade pepper jelly, chicken tacos, even scalloped potatoes). Most of these ingredients are pantry and fridge staples, which means making this 20-minute turkey chili is easy on a last-minute kind of night. Most turkey chili recipes call for browning the turkey before adding the liquid and other ingredients. Normally, we'd recommend that, too. But for this recipe, we didn't—and the results were still fantastic. In fact, the turkey is more tender from the gentle simmer in the chili. If you have the time, feel free to brown the turkey before adding the taco seasoning and tomato paste. Learn how to make turkey chili, and get the cornbread ready—you'll want a wedge with this great dinner. Homemade Taco Seasoning Ingredients for Quick Turkey Chili Taco seasoning mix, fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, and chipotle chiles in adobo sauce add a deep, smoky flavor to this chili. To make quick turkey chili, you'll need: Canola oil: To sauté the onions and bell peppers.Yellow onion: Adds an aromatic depth to the chili.Red bell pepper: For sweetness, texture, and color.Taco seasoning mix: A blend of spices to give chili its characteristic flavor and complexity.Tomato paste: Adds a concentrated tomato flavor to the chili.Canned fire-roasted crushed tomatoes: Adds moisture, acidity, sweetness, and a smoky flavor.Water: Adjusts the consistency of the chili and helps it cook through.Ground turkey: The main protein in the chili, as a leaner alternative than ground beef.Canned light red kidney beans: For protein, fiber, and a velvety texture.Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce: Adds a spicy, smoky kick to the chili.Kosher salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the chili.Cheddar cheese, sour cream, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, and tortilla chips: For serving. Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall How To Make Quick Turkey Chili When we say quick, we mean it. This turkey chili simmers for a mere 20 minutes and it's ready to serve. Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started: Step 1. Cook chili: Heat oil in a Dutch oven. Add onion and bell pepper, and cook until softened. Stir in seasoning and tomato paste; cook about 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes and water. Stir in turkey, then beans, chiles, and salt. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until turkey is no longer pink.Step 2. Serve: Ladle into bowls and serve with toppings. Other Toppings for Turkey Chili Offering a variety of toppings for turkey chili is a great way to give everyone exactly the bowl of chili they're looking for. In addition to the Cheddar cheese, sour cream, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, and tortilla chips called for, serve the chili with sliced green onions, guacamole, lime wedges, pico de gallo, hot sauce, pickled red onions, and more. How To Store Turkey Chili This chili can be made and refrigerated for up to four days, or frozen for up to three months. Making it ahead won't just help you get ahead of the week, it can also gives the flavors of the chili a chance to meld and deepen. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight if frozen, then reheat on the stovetop until hot throughout before serving with fresh toppings. What To Serve With Turkey Chili This one-pot dish is a hearty meal on its own, but feel free to serve with some simple sides, from biscuits and cornbread to scoop up every last spoonful, to rice, baked potatoes, fried green tomatoes, slaw, or a mixed green salad. More Hearty Chili Recipes You'll Love From seasonal recipes like turkey pumpkin chili, to year-round favorites, these chili recipes deserve a spot in your repertoire: Turkey Pumpkin Chili Classic Beef Chili Easy Chili Slow-Cooker Brisket Chili White Bean Chicken Chili West Texas Chili Editorial contributions by Katie Rosenhouse. Ingredients 2 Tbsp. canola oil 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (from 1 medium onion) 3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper (from 1 bell pepper) 3 Tbsp. taco seasoning mix (from 1 [1-oz.] envelope) 1 Tbsp. tomato paste 1 (14 1/2-oz.) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes 1 1/2 cups water 1 lb. ground turkey (white and dark meat) 1 (15-oz.) can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 1/2 Tbsp. finely chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (about 2 canned chiles) 1 tsp. kosher salt Toppings: shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream, sliced avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, and tortilla chips Directions Cook onion and pepper: Heat oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium-high. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Add tomato paste and taco seasoning: Add taco seasoning and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until spices are fragrant and tomato paste has darkened, about 1 minute. Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Add tomatoes: Stir in crushed tomatoes and water, scraping bottom of Dutch oven to release any browned bits. Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Add turkey: Add turkey, and stir to break into smaller pieces. Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Add beans: Stir in beans, chiles, and salt. Bring to a simmer, undisturbed, over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until turkey is no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Divide and serve: Ladle evenly into 4 bowls, and serve with desired toppings. Frequently Asked Questions How do you fix bland turkey chili? If you find your turkey chili is bland after cooking, add extra seasonings as desired to bump up the flavor. Adding a splash of vinegar can also help wake up the flavors. How do you thicken turkey chili? To thicken up the chili, you can continue to simmer, add a cornstarch slurry, or lightly smash some of the beans for a thickened texture. Rate It Print Additional reporting by Katie Rosenhouse Katie Rosenhouse Follow us Katie Rosenhouse is a pastry chef and food writer with over 15 years of experience in the culinary arts. She's worked as a pastry chef in some of the finest restaurants in New York City, as a culinary instructor, and as a recipe developer. learn more