Table of Contents
Introduction
Turkey chili is an easy, satisfying and hearty option that is sure to bring people together at any gathering or potluck event, making it the ideal solution for cozy dinners on cold nights, crowd pleasing potlucks or busy weeknights alike. Plus it makes an easy make ahead meal. Whether it’s cozy for one on an icy night, crowd pleasing at potlucks or as make ahead meal on busy days; best turkey chili recipe will do just fine.
I will demonstrate how to create turkey chili from scratch with step by step instructions and customization tips. You’ll discover which key ingredients and equipment are required, along with how to prep, cook and serve this delicious recipe. In addition to variations and suggestions to personalize this dish.
What You’ll Need to Make Turkey Chili
To make turkey chili, you’ll need following ingredients:
Ground turkey: This is the primary protein source of chili. You can use any ground turkey, but I recommend lean or extra lean for less fat and grease.
Onion: Onion adds sweetness and aroma to chili. You can use any onion, like yellow, white or red.
Bell peppers: Bell peppers add color and crunch to chili. You can use any color of bell pepper, like green, red, yellow or orange.
Garlic: Garlic adds a punch of flavor and fragrance to the chili. Use fresh or minced garlic.
Chili seasoning: Chili seasoning is blend of spices that gives chili its characteristic taste. Use either store bought or homemade chili seasoning. The main ingredients are chili powder, cumin oregano, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
Diced tomatoes: Diced tomatoes add moisture and texture to the chili. You can use canned or fresh diced tomatoes.
Tomato sauce: Tomato sauce adds richness and body to chili. Choose either canned or homemade tomato sauce.
Kidney beans: For added protein and fiber in your chili recipe, kidney beans provide an ideal addition. Canned or cooked kidney beans work equally well; other varieties like black, pinto or white beans could also work just as well.
Chicken or vegetable broth: Chicken or vegetable broth adds more liquid and flavor to the chili. Broth can either be bought premade from stores, or prepared at home using any combination of store bought and homemade ingredients.
Olive oil: Olive oil is used to sauté onion and garlic and brown the turkey. Choose any cooking oil of your choosing.
Salt and pepper: Salt and pepper are used to season chili to your taste.
Optional toppings: Optional toppings are used to garnish and enhance chili flavor. Some popular toppings are cheese, sour cream, cilantro, green onions, avocado, lime juice, etc.
To make turkey chili equipment
Large pot or Dutch oven: Large pot or Dutch oven is used to cook the chili in one pot. It should have lid and be able to hold at least 6 quarts of liquid.
Wooden spoon or spatula: Wooden spoon or spatula is used to stir and scrape bottom of the pot while cooking chili.
Cutting board and knife: Cutting board and knife are used to chop the vegetables (onion, bell peppers, garlic).
Can opener: Can opener opens cans of diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and kidney beans.
Measuring Cups and Spoons: Measuring cups and spoons are used to accurately measure ingredients.
How to Prepare Turkey Chili?
Before cooking your turkey chili, you must do some preparation work. These are steps:
Chop vegetables (onion, bell peppers, garlic): Peel and dice the onion into small pieces. Wash and core bell peppers and cut them into bite sized pieces. Peel and mince the garlic cloves or use a garlic press.
Heat olive oil in pot: Place your large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat and add olive oil. Wait until the oil has warmed up but is no longer smoking before adding ingredients.
Sauté onions and garlic until fragrant: Add chopped onion and garlic to the hot oil and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.
Add ground turkey and cook until browned:
- Add ground turkey to the pot and break it up with your wooden spoon or spatula.
- Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned and cooked.
- Drain any excess fat if needed.
Stir in chili seasoning and cook briefly: Sprinkle chili seasoning over the turkey mixture and stir well to combine. Cook for about 2 minutes more to toast spices and release their flavors.
How to Cook Turkey Chili?
Once you’ve prepared your turkey chili, you’re ready to cook it. These are the steps:
- Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and bell peppers. Pour diced tomatoes and tomato sauce into the pot and stir well. Mix together chopped bell peppers.
- Pour in chicken or vegetable broth: Add enough broth to cover the ingredients and bring mixture to a boil. You can adjust amount of broth depending on how thick or thin you like your chili.
- Mix in kidney beans, salt and pepper. Drain and rinse the kidney beans and add them to pot. Just before stirring, season with salt and pepper according to taste and mix well.
- Bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer: Once the chili comes to boil, lower heat and let it simmer gently for about 30 to 45 minutes or until flavors are well blended and vegetables are tender.
- Stir occasionally to prevent sticking: While the chili is simmering, stir it occasionally with your wooden spoon or spatula to prevent it from sticking or burning at bottom of the pot.
- Adjust seasoning as needed: As the chili cooks, you may need to adjust the seasoning to your liking. Add more salt, pepper, chili seasoning or spices as needed.
- Taste and let flavors meld: Before serving your turkey chili, taste it and see if it needs more adjustments. You can also let it sit for a few minutes off the heat to allow flavors to meld together.
How to Serve Turkey Chili?
When your best turkey chili recipe is ready, you can serve it differently. These are some suggestions:
Ladle turkey chili into bowls: Use ladle or a large spoon to scoop the recipes into individual bowls.
Add optional toppings as desired: Sprinkle cheese, sour cream, cilantro, green onions, avocado, lime juice or any other toppings you like over your turkey chili recipe.
Serve your best turkey chili recipe with warm bread, rice or tortilla chips as an ideal way to sop up all that delicious sauce while adding carbs.
Tips and Variations for Turkey Chili
One of the great things about turkey chili recipes is their versatility. You can alter them according to your individual preferences, creating something different each time. Below are a few tips and variations you could try:
Adjust the level of spice by using more or less chili seasoning: For those who enjoy spicy dishes, more turkey chili recipe seasoning can be added, along with cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes; to reduce spice level use less seasoning altogether or skip certain spices altogether. Experiment with different beans and vegetables: When creating your perfect turkey chili recipes add different types of beans or vegetables such as black beans, pinto beans, white beans corn zucchini carrots celery etc for different textures and flavors.
Consider using ground beef or chicken instead of turkey: If you don’t have ground turkey or want to try something different, you can use ground beef or chicken in your best turkey chili recipe. Just make sure to cook them thoroughly and drain any excess fat.
Make it vegetarian by omitting meat: If you want to make your chili recipes vegetarian, you can skip the meat and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Add some tofu, tempeh, seitan or mushrooms for extra protein.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for later enjoyment: You can store any leftover best turkey chili recipe in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat it, microwave it in a microwave safe bowl or heat it on the stove over medium heat until hot.
Turkey Burger Recipe
Looking for a healthier and equally delicious alternative to traditional beef burgers? Look no further than our Turkey Burger Recipe. These juicy, flavorful turkey burgers are a delightful blend of lean ground turkey and a medley of seasonings that will tantalize your taste buds. Whether you’re a turkey enthusiast or simply seeking a change of pace, this recipe offers a fantastic way to enjoy a classic favorite with a fresh twist. Try it today and discover a new family favorite that’s both satisfying and nutritious.
Conclusion
Best Turkey Chili Recipe is an enjoyable and straightforward dish you can whip up using basic ingredients and equipment. Enjoy a warm, comforting and health promoting meal that meets both of these criteria. You can customize to suit your own palate or explore various variations. It has provided helpful instructions and advice for creating turkey chili from scratch, now it’s time to get creative. Create your own special twist.
FAQs
How do I reheat this chili?
You can reheat this chili in microwave or on the stovetop until hot. You may need to add some water if chili is too thick.
Can I make this chili in slow cooker or an instant pot?
You can make this chili in a slow cooker or instant pot. For the slow cooker, follow the same steps as above but transfer mixture to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. For instant pot, follow steps above but use sauté function to cook onion, garlic and turkey. Then add rest of ingredients and pressure cook on high for 15 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before opening lid.
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
