Name: Three Bean Turkey Chili
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 lb lean ground turkey (or beef) (99% lean ** see note 1); 1 can kidney beans (15.5 ounce can); 1 can great northern beans (15.5 ounce can); 1 can black beans (15.5 ounce can); 1 can corn (drained) (or substitute fresh corn or frozen corn); 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes (15.5 ounce cans); 1 large onion (diced); 4 garlic cloves (minced, see note 3); 3 celery stalks (chopped); 1 bell pepper (diced); 2-4 cups broth (or water) (see note 4); 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp McCormick's chili powder (see note 2); 2 tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp dried oregano; salt to taste; ½ tsp black pepper (optional)

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Three bean turkey chili is a delicious hearty chili made with lean ground turkey, canned beans, fresh vegetables, fire-roasted tomatoes, and chili spices.

This recipe was inspired by my mom, who asked me to develop a hearty one-pot stew with beans, vegetables, and lean ground turkey. Serve this chili with vermicelli rice or homemade cornbread.

Lean ground turkey is a lean protein, perfect for the Mediterranean diet. I use lean ground turkey for turkey tacos and this egg white breakfast casserole (with homemade turkey sausage).

Lean Turkey Chili

This is the best turkey chili, made with simple steps and simple ingredients. I made this recipe six times and tweaked it a bit each time. This turkey chili recipe is quickly becoming the family's favorite chili recipe. The total hands-on time for this recipe is 15 minutes, and it reheats beautifully (hello, work lunches!).

Ingredient Notes

Lean ground turkey: Use 99% lean ground turkey or lean ground chicken breast. You can also use lean ground beef, shredded chicken, or shredded turkey. See notes in the substitutions section for pre-cooked shredded meat.
Canned beans: I recommend a three-bean combination going on: great northern beans (or white beans), red kidney beans, and black beans. I've tried a few different combinations and that one is my favorite.
Fire-roasted tomatoes: Canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes add so much flavor to this easy turkey chili recipe. If you don't have fire-roasted tomatoes on hand, you can substitute diced tomatoes.
Chili seasoning: I like a combination of chili powder, dried oregano, and ground cumin. IMPORTANT! The chili powder should not be spicy. The specific seasoning I use is below.

Quick Overview

Steps 1 & 2: Sautee diced onions in olive oil. Add the ground turkey and minced garlic.

Steps 3, 4, & 5: Add the remaining ingredients.

Step 6: Cover and cook on medium heat for 45 minutes.

How To Make Lean Turkey Chili

Prep the vegetables. Peel and dice the onion. Mince the fresh garlic cloves. Wash and chop the celery and bell pepper. Prepare the corn (if using fresh corn).

sauteeing the diced onions in olive oil.

In a large pot on medium-high heat, sautee diced onions in some olive oil for about one to two minutes.

adding the lean ground turkey to the minced garlic and diced onions.

Once the onions start to soften, add the lean ground turkey and minced garlic. Break up the ground meat with a wooden spoon. Cook the meat through.

add the chopped bell peppers and celery.

Mix in the chopped peppers, celery, and corn.

pouring the fire roasted diced tomatoes into the ground turkey and vegetables.

Add the canned fire-roasted tomatoes.

adding the white beans, black beans, and red kidney beans.

Pour in the three types of beans (including the liquid in the can).

Add the chili spice blend: ground cumin, dried oregano, chili seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Pour in the water. Mix well.

Turn the heat down to medium. Cover the pot of chili and cook for about 45 minutes.

greek yogurt and fresh cilantro added to a chili bowl.

Make a big bowl of chili with your favorite toppings.

Some of my favorite toppings are tortilla chips, lime juice (or wedges), cilantro leaves, chopped green onions, cheddar cheese, and sour cream (or Greek yogurt).

Tips and Tricks

Chop all the vegetables first, before cooking on the stove top. Open the canned beans, roasted tomatoes, and corn (if using canned corn).
Use a BIG pot.
Break up the ground meat clumps using a wooden spoon.

scooping out some turkey chili from a bowl.

Variations and Substitutions

Substitute shredded chicken or shredded turkey breast. Add the pre-cooked shredded meat into the chili for the last 10 minutes if making this substitution. You can use a rotisserie chicken or leftover turkey breast from Thanksgiving.
Top with fresh cilantro.
Add a dollop of sour cream or non-fat Greek yogurt to make it creamy.
Substitute crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, or diced tomatoes for fire-roasted tomatoes.

turkey chili with some Greek yogurt on top.

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