This Healthy Turkey Chili is delicious on a cozy, chilly night. It has all of the flavor of the traditional recipe, but without the added fat and calories!
You know what today is? Today is a sweatpants day. A roll out of bed late and decide to do nothing day. Today is a day we sit on the couch and watch really bad TV marathons. Jersey Shore – check. Law and Order SVU – double check. Real Housewives of…okay meeeeeh I don’t really like those ones.
It’s too damn cold to even think about going outside so let’s grab our snuggies (I know you secretly bought one, it’s fine), our favorite pair of sweatpants (embrace the elastic waistband) and eat some healthy turkey chili.
This healthy turkey chili is slightly spicy, hearty and totally filling. I recommend buying a ground turkey with a little bit of fat because it will have much more flavor and won’t dry out. I love making a big batch of this because it reheats really well the next day, making it great to bring for lunch!
I serve it over brown rice with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and grated cheese, and we really can never eat it fast enough! It’s SO good!

Make this Healthy Turkey Chili for a cozy, chilly night. It's gluten-free and low in sugar, but packed with lots of protein, fiber, and healthy fats!
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil (or canola oil)
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 15 oz. can black beans (do not drain)
- 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained
- 24 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 Tablespoon cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne, plus more to taste
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Brown rice and grated cheddar cheese, for serving
-
Heat oil in a dutch oven or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
-
Season the ground turkey with salt and pepper. Make a well in the center of the onion mixture and add the turkey. Brown for about ten minutes, occasionally breaking up the turkey as it cooks. Stir in the beans and crushed tomatoes.
-
In a small bowl combine the chili powder, cumin, cayenne, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Stir into the chili. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for at least 20 minutes up to 2 hours (the longer the better*).
-
Serve warm over brown rice with fresh cilantro and grated cheddar cheese.
*If simmering for a long time, make sure to stir the chili often and check the heat so that the bottom bits do not burn.
Pin this recipe for later:
You May Also Like…
The Best, Healthy Turkey Meatballs
Chicken Meatballs with Green Curry and Apples
Asian Turkey Meatballs with Sesame-Soy Dipping Sauce
[…] Healthy Turkey Chili […]