Turkey Chili

I am excited to share one of my favorite go-to’s, Turkey Chili.  When I started my weight loss journey I came up with a few recipes that were easy,  nutritious and most importantly, taste great!   One of the reasons I was successful in losing 60 pounds is that I know how to cook.  I never felt like I was on a “diet” because I came up with recipes like this which are extremely satisfying and filling. I made this once a week for months and still cook it often now. 

I usually make this with dark meat ground turkey – ground turkey thigh.  I think it more flavorful and filling with the dark meat.  It can also be made with ground turkey breast, lean ground beef or veggie crumbles if you want to make it vegan.  The chili has a great taste due to the fresh garlic, onion and pepper.  The spice combination is wonderful; the vinegar adds a little bit of tang while the bay leaf adds depth of flavor.  

It is fun to add different toppings.  Some of my favorites are guacamole or plain diced avocado, diced tomatoes, scallions, fresh cilantro or crushed tortilla chips.  The more toppings the better in my opinion!  I also like to add a few dashes of hot sauce and a squeeze of lemon or lime right before serving.  




Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Yield: 3 – 4 servings




1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, diced

4 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 medium bell pepper, diced, any color you like

1 pound ground turkey

8 oz. can of beans, either black beans or kidney beans, rinsed and drained

8 oz. can of fire roasted diced tomatoes

¼ can of water

1 tablespoon vinegar (either red wine or apple cider)

1 teaspoon tumeric

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

1 bay leaf (optional)

½ teaspoon kosher salt

A few grinds of black pepper




Heat olive oil over medium heat in a heavy bottom pot.  Add the onion, bell pepper, turmeric and a pinch of kosher salt. Sauté until the onions begin to soften and garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.    

Raise heat to medium-high. Add the ground turkey and sprinkle in ½ teaspoon salt, the chili powder,cumin,  pepper and oregano.  Work spices into the meat cook until it is crumbled and no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the beans, diced tomatoes, vinegar and bay leaf.  I put a little bit of water into the tomato can and stir it around to get the stuck tomatoes and juice out and add that to the pot as well.  Stir well so that all the ingredients are cooking together. Bring to a boil. Cover with a tight lid and reduce the heat to low.  Let simmer for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, remove the lid, stir well and it is ready to serve.