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Easy Chipotle Turkey Chili

Easy Chipotle Turkey Chili packs in so much flavor! Everything you could ask for in a hearty, filling chili recipe — and did I mention: Easy?

Who’s in the mood for a hearty batch of chili featuring ground turkey and two kinds of beans? This Easy Chipotle Turkey Chili hits the spot, and is so full of flavor that even the avowed ground turkey hater in this house couldn’t tell it wasn’t beef! Where’s the beef? Not necessary! 😉

Ground turkey chili with cheese

Ground turkey often goes on sale at ALDI. When they have a 3 lb pack on their weekly meat specials, enjoy this filling turkey chili recipe one night — then either freeze the rest, or try it in other ground turkey recipes such as:

… and so much more. The chipotles in adobo here just add enough smoky spice to balance out the blander ground turkey, but your chili doesn’t end up overly spicy. (If you’re very sensitive to spice, though, just use 2-3 chipotle peppers rather than the four I used here.)

Easy Chipotle Turkey Chili

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
1 lb ground turkey
4 chipotle peppers (from a can of chipotles in adobo), chopped
1 Tbsp of the adobo sauce
Two 14.5 oz cans fire roasted diced (and/or crushed) tomatoes*
1 can black beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 cup water
1/2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Sea salt, to taste

Directions

chop chipotle peppers

Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add onion, garlic, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Saute for about five minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened.

Add turkey, chipotles, and adobo sauce and continue to cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the turkey as you go, until turkey is cooked through.

ground turkey chili

Stir in tomatoes, beans, water, cocoa powder, and sea salt, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer partly covered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with your favorite chili toppings!

Note: I used one can of crushed tomatoes and one can of diced; for a more soupy chili you could instead use one can of diced tomatoes and one can of sauce. I also used my little Ninja food chopper to chop the onions, garlic, and chipotles — it’s quicker and much less messy than trying to chop the peppers by hand.

That’s a 45 minute pot of turkey chili

Easy chipotle turkey chili is hearty, filling, and takes just 45 minutes!

How easy is that? The chipotles alone do half the work of spicing up the chili for you here — I swear, they’re nothing short of a miracle ingredient sometimes.

I just topped my easy turkey chili with some shredded cheese and chopped green onion, but you could also do sour cream, avocado, crushed tortilla chips, or other chili toppings of choice. Chipotle turkey chili is naturally gluten free — and any leftover chili is great on baked potatoes, nachos, and more.

Easy Chipotle Turkey Chili, printable recipe

Chipotle Turkey Chili

This easy Chipotle Turkey Chili hits the spot, and is so full of flavor that even the avowed ground turkey haters here couldn't tell it from beef!
Course dinner
Cuisine chili
Keyword chili, easy chili, gluten free, ground turkey, turkey chili
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 4 chipotle peppers (from a can of chipotles in adobo), chopped
  • 1 Tbsp of the adobo sauce
  • 2 14.5 oz cans fire roasted diced and/or crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can black beans, drained
  • 1 can kidney beans, drained
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Sea salt, to taste

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add onion, garlic, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Saute for about five minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened.
  • Add turkey, chipotles, and adobo sauce and continue to cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the turkey as you go, until turkey is cooked through.
  • Stir in tomatoes, beans, water, cocoa powder, and sea salt, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer partly covered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Serve with your favorite chili toppings!

Notes

I used one can of crushed tomatoes and one can of diced; for a more soupy chili you could instead use one can of diced tomatoes and one can of sauce. I also used my little Ninja food chopper to chop the onions, garlic, and chipotles (separately) — it’s quicker and much less messy than trying to chop the peppers by hand. This chili isn’t very spicy, but if you are very sensitive to spice try using 2-3 chipotle peppers rather than the four I used here.

Recipes in the real world

weekly ALDI meal plans from Mashup Mom -- six complete dinners for four, $60 out the door! MashupMom.com, every Wednesday.

Be sure not to miss the free ALDI meal plans, which show you how to use these easy family recipes to meal plan affordably and realistically for your family. Or, find more recipe ideas with the Recipe Search!

Be sure not to miss the free ALDI meal plans, which show you how to use these easy family recipes to meal plan affordably and realistically for your family. Or, find more recipe ideas with the Recipe Search!

Recipe Rating




Amy

Saturday 16th of April 2022

I love this recipe! Have been making it for a couple of years and now, as a recently diagnosed diabetic, am happy to report that this meal is VERY diabetes-friendly. Lower in fat than ground beef, full of great complex carbs and fiber, and full of flavor. I haven't felt the need to add the cocoa powder, and for our palates, 4 adobo chiles are great. Make sure your chili powder is fresh! So yum!

rachel

Monday 18th of April 2022

So glad that it's working for you, even with the recent diagnosis!

Kathryn

Wednesday 20th of May 2020

This was very tasty, and very spicy! We are not sensitive to spice, but I would only make it with 2 chipotle peppers next time. It was too spicy for my 12 year old and definitely at the upper level of my tolerance.

Lindsay

Friday 18th of October 2019

Made this and really liked it - especially enjoyed that unique chipotle flavor coming through.

Question: is there any reason you couldn't do this as a slow cooker recipe?

rachel

Saturday 19th of October 2019

Sure -- although it's a 30 minute recipe so I've never tried. You'd want to still pre-saute the onion and brown the ground turkey, though.

kelsey

Thursday 30th of November 2017

Hello! Could you make this with leftover Thanksgiving turkey?

rachel

Thursday 30th of November 2017

I've never tried, but in that case I'd just stir in the chipotles, broth, etc right after sauteing the onion and garlic, then add chopped cooked turkey in at the end after everything simmers and just cook until heated through. Let me know if you try it, how it turns out. :)

Neal

Wednesday 19th of July 2017

I was just wondering how spicy it is, thanks Neal

rachel

Wednesday 19th of July 2017

It's not super spicy. If you are very sensitive to spice, you can cut down to 2-3 peppers rather than the four I used, however.