This Ground Turkey Chipotle Chili comes together in about 45 minutes and gets its flavor from chipotle peppers in adobo, not extra fat, a lighter chili with real smoky heat. We top ours with red onion and shredded cheese, but it's plenty flavorful on its own.
When I first made this for my daughter, I figured I'd need a backup dinner ready. She asked for seconds instead, and this recipe has been in our regular rotation ever since.
Ground Turkey Chipotle Chili Ingredients
- Ground Turkey - We use turkey instead of beef here since this chili leans on bold spices and adobo, not fat, for flavor and turkey keeps it lighter without losing taste.
- Olive Oil - A splash to compensate for turkey's lower fat content, so nothing sticks or dries out while browning.
- Onion, Green Bell Pepper, Garlic - Added for flavor to the base of the chili.
- Diced Tomatoes and Tomato Sauce - The chili base. Haven't tested crushed tomatoes ourselves, but a same-size can would work fine in a pinch.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce - Our pick over chipotle powder for a deeper, smokier flavor. Both work, this is just our preference.
- Sugar - A small amount to round out the acidity from the canned tomatoes.
- Black Beans - Our family's favorite here. Kidney beans work as a straight 1:1 swap. No cook time change, just a firmer texture.
- Cumin, Salt, Pepper, Chili Powder - Spices for all that great chili flavor.
How to make Chipotle Chili with Ground Turkey
Heat a large pan over medium to medium-high heat. Drizzle in about one tablespoon of olive oil and the ground turkey. Add chopped onion, and chopped green bell pepper.
Stir and crumble the meat until it has browned. At this point, you can drain off any excess grease if necessary.
Add the red pepper flakes, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and chipotle pepper with the adobo sauce.
Stir the ground turkey chili to mix in the spices and let them warm up for a moment or two.
Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and a bit of sugar. Turn down the heat and let the Chipotle Chili simmer.
You can simmer the ground turkey chili for 10 minutes or over an hour. It is up to you. Just keep an eye on the pot and stir it now and then.
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Finally, add some black beans to the Chipotle Chili. Heat for a few minutes until the beans are warm.
Shred some cheese, chop some red onion and - or green onion, and slice some french bread if you like. No doubt this ground turkey chili will fill you up. Yum!
We usually have leftovers for a day or two, and this chili reheats well on the stovetop, just warm it gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Or, use the microwave, but what is closely and stir often. The beans might start popping!
Turkey Chili FAQs
I haven't found it necessary to thicken this chili. If you want to you can add a little bit of cornstarch to some water and make a slurry, then blend it into the chili and cook until thickened.
Absolutely. I add black beans since that is what my family prefers. You can also use kidney beans, your favorite beans, or leave them out entirely!
Honestly, I prefer using ground turkey. This recipe is full of so much flavor you won't miss the beef. However, use which ever ground meat you and your family prefer.
Mom Tip
This chili is also great for game day! A great side for this chili is a simple salad served with some ranch dressing and French bread for dipping.
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Complete Recipe
Ground Turkey Chipotle Chili
Ingredients
To make the chili
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 pound Ground Turkey or ground beef
- 1 Onion chopped
- 1 Green Bell Pepper chopped
- ¼ teaspoon of Red Pepper flakes
- 1 Chipotle Pepper with about 1 teaspoon of adobo sauce or 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 2 tablespoons Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- 2 teaspoons Garlic chopped
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 15 ounces Diced Tomatoes canned
- 28 ounces Tomato Sauce canned
- 2 teaspoons Sugar
- 15 ounces Black Beans or beans of your choice
Optional toppings
- Cheese optional
- Red Onion optional
- Green Onions optional
Instructions
- Heat a large pan over medium heat.
- If using ground turkey, drizzle the pan with olive oil.
- Add the ground meat, onion, and green bell pepper. Cook and stir until the meat is completely cooked.
- Drain off any excess grease if necessary.
- Add the red pepper flakes, Chipotle Powder, or Chipotle pepper with adobo sauce, cumin, chili powder, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook a minute or two to bring out all the flavor in the spices.
- Next, add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and sugar. Stir well. Reduce the temperature and simmer for a while. The sauce will thicken up as it cooks.
- Add the beans if you are using them and heat through.
- Serve with your favorite toppings.
John says
Great way to get ride of some of those turkey leftovers. Added a slight bit more heat than specified in the recipe but still tasty.