Turkey Black Bean Chili

Delicious and flavor-packed Turkey Black Bean Chili that is ready in less than an hour start to finish! Gluten-Free and Freezes Great!

This Turkey Black Bean Chili recipe is loaded with flavor and really easy to make! Very similar to my Butternut Squash Chili but made using ground turkey breast, black beans, some frozen sweet corn, and a mix of chili powders including Mexican and Ancho.

This turkey chili recipe was originally published in 2011 shortly after I started my website and it has always gotten rave reviews. In fact, one of my readers (Hey Kathleen!!) used this recipe in a charity chili cook-off and won 2nd place. How fun!!

Turkey Black Bean Chili Ingredients:

• Olive Oil
• Garlic
• Onion
• Celery
• Ground Turkey (or Chicken)
• Spices
• Canned Crushed Tomatoes
• Canned Tomato Sauce
• Black Beans
• Broth
• Frozen Corn
• OPTIONAL TOPPING IDEAS:
  • Chopped or torn cilantro leaves
  • Chopped green onion
  • Chopped white onion or sweet onion
  • Sliced jalapeños or Pickled Jalapeños
  • Sliced or Cubed avocados
  • Shredded Cheese
  • Lime wedges
  • High-quality corn tortilla chips
  • Plantain chips
  • our fav Cassava chips

RECIPE TIPS:

• TIME-SAVING TIPS:
  • Use a food processor to save time chopping the garlic, onion, and celery.
  • Buy already peeled garlic.
  • Use canned beans.
  • Keep the toppings simple!
• I used ground turkey breast meat. You can substitute dark turkey (thigh) meat OR ground chicken breast or thigh.
• This is a MILD chili. If you would like to have more of a kick, double the crushed red pepper flakes OR add in some finely chopped jalapeño along with the onion, garlic, and celery.
• Freezing: 
  • Allow turkey black bean chili to cool completely. If you want to freeze the entire batch for a future family meal, use a large freezer-safe container (I prefer glass containers). Otherwise, freeze in individual portions or double portions.
• Reheating:
  • Reheat in a saucepan with a lid over medium-low heat OR in a microwave-safe bowl covered with a damp paper towel.
• How to adapt for the Instant Pot:
  1. Set your 6-Quart or larger Instant Pot to Saute.
  2. Follow instructions per the stove-top recipe below but use 1/2 cup of broth instead of 1 full cup.
  3. Set to high-pressure for 7 minutes. Allow for natural pressure release (can take up to 25 minutes).
• How to adapt for the Slow Cooker:
  1. Follow instructions but use a frying pan to saute the garlic, onion, and celery, transfer to slow cooker.
  2. Use the same frying pan to saute ground turkey breast, transfer to slow cooker.
  3. Add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT for 1 cup of broth (omit).
  4. Cover and set to LOW for 4 hours.

   

Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!

Turkey Black Bean Chili

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Total Time: 55 mins

 

Delicious and flavor-packed Turkey Black Bean Chili that is ready in less than an hour start to finish! Gluten-Free and Freezes Great!

Course: Mains, Soups

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: award winning chili recipe, ground turkey chili recipe, how to make turkey chili, turkey black bean chili recipe

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 219 kcal

Author: Alyssa Brantley

5 from 12 votes

Print

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
• 5 medium garlic cloves chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion chopped
• 2 medium celery stalks chopped
• 1 pound ground lean turkey meat
• 3 Tablespoons Mexican chili powder
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1.5 teaspoons Ancho chili powder
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 whole dried bay leaves
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 3 cups cooked black beans if using canned, two 16-ounce cans drained and rinsed
• 1 cup broth vegetable, chicken or beef
• 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn

Instructions

PREP:

1. Measure spices (chili powder, ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, red pepper flakes and bay leaves) into a small dish.

2. Rinse and drain beans (if using canned beans). 

   Chop garlic, celery, and onion. 

   If you want to use the food processor to save time, place garlic in first, process until finely chopped, add celery, repeat. Quarter peeled onion and place into the bowl of food processor with already chopped garlic and celery. Pulse until just chopped (you do NOT want the onion watery).

COOK:

1. Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and celery mixture. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.
   

   Add ground turkey, break up with a spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally until turkey is cooked through and no pink is showing.

2. Add spices, cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.

   Toss in drained beans, broth, tomato sauce, and crushed tomatoes.

3. Bring to a boil, cover, keeping lid slightly ajar and lower to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

   Add in corn, cook uncovered an additional 15 minutes.
   

   Top with your favorite garnishes and Enjoy!

NOTES:

• TIME-SAVING TIPS:
  • Use a food processor to save time chopping the garlic, onion, and celery.
  • Buy already peeled garlic.
  • Use canned beans.
  • Keep the toppings simple!
• I used ground turkey breast meat. You can substitute dark turkey (thigh) meat OR ground chicken breast or thigh.
• This is a MILD chili. If you would like to have more of a kick, double the crushed red pepper flakes OR add in some finely chopped jalapeño along with the onion, garlic, and celery.
• Freezing: 
  • Allow turkey black bean chili to cool completely. If you want to freeze the entire batch for a future family meal, use a large freezer-safe container (I prefer glass containers). Otherwise, freeze in individual portions or double portions.
• Reheating:
  • Reheat in a saucepan with a lid over medium-low heat OR in a microwave-safe bowl covered with a damp paper towel.
• How to adapt for the Instant Pot:
  1. Set your 6-Quart or larger Instant Pot to Saute.
  2. Follow instructions per the stove-top recipe below but use 1/2 cup of broth instead of 1 full cup.
  3. Set to high-pressure for 7 minutes. Allow for natural pressure release (can take up to 25 minutes).
• How to adapt for the Slow Cooker:
  1. Follow instructions but use a frying pan to saute the garlic, onion, and celery, transfer to slow cooker.
  2. Use the same frying pan to saute ground turkey breast, transfer to slow cooker.
  3. Add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT for 1 cup of broth (omit).
  4. Cover and set to LOW for 4 hours.

Nutrition Facts

Turkey Black Bean Chili

Amount Per Serving (1 heaping cup)

Calories 219 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 41mg14%

Sodium 680mg30%

Potassium 503mg14%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Fiber 7g29%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 17g34%

Vitamin A 1205IU24%

Vitamin C 2.1mg3%

Calcium 65mg7%

Iron 3.4mg19%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.

UPDATE NOTES: This recipe for Turkey Black Bean Chili was originally published in December 2011 and was most recently updated in August 2020.