Turkey and Bean Chili Recipe (2024)

I've made this about a dozen times, both following the recipe exactly & subbing ingredients I have on hand as others have said. We're not big fans of ground turkey so we usually use ground chicken. Toddler son approves!

I made this late last night to take to my parents' house. My dad is "supposed" to eat a low salt diet. I used the full can of tomato paste, low salt diced tomatoes, low salt red kidney beans, and low salt chicken broth. Very good! I will definitely make this again!

My grocery store didn't have poblano peppers so I used Anaheim instead. It wasn't spicy enough for me so I added some cayenne. Another reviewer mentioned that it tasted better the next day, which is weird, but it totally does!

very pleasant weekday meal

LOVED this recipe! Made a few changes due to what I had in my pantry. Omitted the peppers, but added hot sauce. Used crushed tomatoes instead of diced, which gave it more of a chili texture. Had black beans on hand and they worked as a wonderful substitute. The chili needed a bit of tang, so I added 2 tbl. of apple cider vinegar and I added about 1/2 tbl. more of the chili powder. I will definitely make this again! It doesn't sit heavy in your stomach like most chili but still makes you satisfyingly full.

This was a great recipe, very quick and easy!!! My husband and I are not cilantro fans, so we excluded that. Extremely flavorful. I added in some sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese to my portion. YUM!!! We froze the rest and had it again the other night, I think it tasted even better after being put in the freezer!

Fabulous chili! We like milder spice, so I didnt use poblano, instead doubled recipe and used one regular can diced tomatoes, one can diced tomatoes with chilies. Perfect mild spice. Also used black beans instead. A new family favorite!

Great flavor and is only a 20 minute recipe, start to finish. I put in extra beans, because that's how I roll.

I've made this half a dozen times or more now and each time it's been wonderful. First time I made it as called for, just spicing it up more (we like things flavorful down here in Texas!) From there I've mixed it up with whatever beans and canned tomatoes we had on hand at the time. Each time it was amazing. I've made triple batches for a dinner party and not a drop was left. Serious winner. Tip - Good chili powder makes all the difference. Get high quality and get a flavor compound that appeals to you. Cinnamon! I Cincinnati-ize my chili with a good dose of this and cocoa powder and it makes the most die-hard Texan a convert to this bean-heavy chili.

Not greasy like typical chili. We really enjoyed it.

This recipe comes together quickly and is super easy. It was pretty tasty, although I would have liked it spicier - I kept adding red chili pepper to no effect. I like it thick, so I used all the tomato paste in that little can (and I hate throwing away food). I also put in some small bell peppers, as I had them in the fridge. I recommend that you make it on a day when you will eat all of it. It turned pretty blah as leftovers, even with cheese and sour cream.

Wow...skeptical at first but amazing even our finicky 10 yr old devoured it. We substituted fresh garlic, added 1 can of tomato paste and 1 large beefsteak tomato cubed in place of diced can of tomatoes. Easy and quick to make. Walked away from table feeling satisfied and healthy.

I add extra tomatoes and paste and use chicken stock in lieu of broth. I also add a little bit of pork sausage for flavor, a square of dark chocolate (to cut the acidity), chopped dried ancho chili peppers, and a dollop of greek yogurt on top with sprinkled cheddar. I also recommend fresh garlic.

I've made this a couple of times, the second time doubling spices which made a big difference (which is often the case with Cooking Light recipes). Specifically, I doubled the amount of garlic, poblano, and the spices, except the salt, plus I added a tablespoon of cocoa powder. I also let the spices toast in the pot for a minute once the turkey was cooked, stirring constantly so they wouldn't burn, before adding the the broth, tomatoes and beans. I also added a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan before adding the onions, pepper, garlic and turkey.

I made this last night for my husband and I (too spicy for the kids) and it was AMAZING!!! I did everything exactly as the recipe called and added a dollop of low-fat sour cream and a sprinkle of shredded cheese before serving - so good. I will definitely be making this again.

Very anticlimactic results. Bland. Maybe tomorrow it will taste better.

This was delicious. A new goal for my trying new recipes is to use what I have on hand. At $4/gallon of gas, I'm not driving to the store for one ingredient. I did modify with the following changes: I used a fresh, white onion & fresh garlic. I did not have poblano, so I used 1/2 a jalapeno leftover from a previous day. I added 1/4 tsp each of Ancho Chili Powder & Smoked Spanish Paprika. ( I love the various chili spices & peppers). I used a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes & no chicken broth. I also did not have any cannellini beans on hand, so I substituted 1 can of black beans & 1 can of small white beans. I need to restock my pantry. My family loved this. I took the leftovers to the neighbors as a dip with tortilla chips & it was devoured. Great recipe!

This is great chili. Quick and easy. Next time I will double the recipe because the family loved it. I used fresh minced garlic and doubled it. Other than that, made it exactly as the recipe called for. Served with a little low fat sour cream and grated cheddar on top. Salads completed the meal. Corn bread would be an excellent side as well.

My family loved this meal. Although, I did make some changes. Instead of a red onion, I used green onions, I used fresh garlic and tomatoes, a habanero pepper, as well as tomato sauce instead of paste. A little too spicy for my two year old, but my 6 year old loved it.

I was out of town and left this recipe for my daughter and husband to make. My husband made this and said how wonderful it was, and went on and on about how good it was, I didn't have any cilantro so he used fresh lime juice.

Loved it--easy and yummy, and leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Very bland. I have other chili recipes that my family likes better.

Everyone loves this babies to adults.

It takes a LOT of spice to flavor turkey, I added 2 jalepeno peppers and a grated zucchini. I used a few palmfuls of chili powder, chipolte powder, 2 palmfuls of cumin, cayenne, Dave's Insanity Sauce, about 1/4 bottle of habenero sauce. Still not spicy enough for me, but fair enough. I served it with cornbread and some fat-free cheddar cheese. I bought limes, but left them out being afraid the little heat would be lost. And definitely let it simmer longer; proper chili should steep.

I followed this recipe closely, with a few adjustments. I added a small jalapeño pepper and a can of red beans (along with the cannellini). Instead of the diced tomatoes, I used 1 can of Rotel tomatoes with jalapeño and lime, which I drained, and used only the tomato and pepper portion. As another reviewer suggested, I also used about half of an adobo seasoning packet. Then I let this chili simmer on a super low heat for several hours. This was my first time making chili, and I thought it was easy and terrific! I will definitely be making this again! I agree that the lime and cilantro are a nice addition at the end!

Excellent as written, though I do add a can of chiles and simmer for 2 hours.

This chili is somewhat bland, although I like spicey chilis, so maybe it's my palette. It's a great base chili, adding the lime juice and a dollup of sour cream made it better. I will definately make again, although next time I will tweak it with maybe some jalapeno peppers and some more chili power and cumin.

I made this last night for dinner. It was great. The taste was good on its own but we like things spicy so a jalapeno & Rotel in place of the diced tomatoes were added for heat. I think the tast was good before the additions and would be great as is if you don't like your food hot. Will make again soon.

Amazing Recipe. I'm not a big fan of ground turkey, but decided to cook it anyway due to all the great reviews and it did not disappoint. I stuck with the recipe besides using a can of Muir Glen Diced Tomatoes with Chili, since my poplano was on the smaller side. Will be making over and over again.

So delish an easy!! Very light too!

The best chili I ever made. I tripled the spices because I doubled or tripled the beans, tomatoes, and many things EXCEPT FOR THE TURKEY, which I kept as the recipe stated. I like my chili more beany than meaty. The proportions of the spices are perfect. I only had one poblano so I also added some cayenne for a kick.

Really good! I doubled the spices for extra flavor.

This chili is delicious! Such a terrific combinations of flavors! The recipe was simple and quick, making a busy weekend night meal a snap. Will definitely be making this again!

This recipe is now a staple in my home. Its super easy and super delicious. I dont make any changes!!

I thought this was GREAT, and very easy! I changed a few things, added black, pinto, and garbonzo beans. I added one extra can of tomatoes, and corn. I used a jalapeño pepper, and served it with the lime, some cheese and whole grain tortilla chips. Loved the flavors!

This chili is AWESOME! I make a lot of Cooking Light recipes, but this is over the top. My husband isn't fond of ground turkey, but he can't get enough of this chili. We are working on portion control and he had the worst time not going back for seconds. It's good enough, we are having the left over's tomorrow night for dinner!

Love it! The next time I make this I will add a little more water.

I made this the other day and used my Le Creuset heavy enamel dutch oven to brown the turkey, onions and garlic. I used some olive oil in the pan because the turkey was pretty lean. I used a fresh jalapeno pepper (with seeds) chopped up since I couldn't find the poblano pepper at the store. Doubled up the beans and used two cans, doubled up on the spices and added a little more of the diced tomatoes and tomato paste. I let it simmer for a couple of hours on the stove and we had it for dinner. It was absolutely delicious! My husband raved about it and can't wait 'til I make it again!

This was okay, but I have more flavorful turkey chili recipies in my chili files.

This was a delicious twist on typical chili recipes. I used hot Italian turkey sausage instead of regular ground turkey to add more flavor. Instead of the pablano pepper, I minced a hot pepper from the garden. For the diced tomatoes, I used a can of fire roasted tomatoes with garlic and used two large garlic cloves instead of the bottled garlic. I added a can of cannelini beans and a can of red kidney beans. After bringing it to a boil, I transferred it to the crock pot and cooked on low while I ran out for several hours to run errands. The flavors had time to blend and the house smelled great when we got home. Fun, fresh flavors! Served with cornbread and crumbled Queso Fresco cheese on top!

I was not too impressed with this recipe. The spices just weren't right, I think there is too much cumin. I'll stick with my father's old recipe for chili.

Excellent recipe and super-easy to make. I read the other reviews and made sure to include the cilantro and lime. Instead of the poblano, I used a 14.5oz can of tomatoes with jalapenos. Chili had fabulous flavor and just a perfect amount of heat to it. Will be on the short list to make again soon.

Found the previous reviews of this recipe very helpful. This is a forgiving recipe, so you can really individualize the spices and consistency of the chili to your liking. I used a bit more tomato paste to thicken it up. Also, I used crushed tomatoes since my children will not eat diced tomatoes. As a result, my 13 year old daughter loved the recipe! Previous reviews were accurate when they stated how much the fresh cilantro and lime add to the overall taste of the recipe. Typically when I eat chili I add cheese and sour cream but clearly none is needed as the cilantro and lime add such a unique and bold flavor. I served the chili over rice with a side of corn bread. I have since varied this recipe a bit by adding a little of frozen corn and instead of using tomato paste or crushed tomatoes, using fresh diced tomatoes. Also, on occasion have added fresh sliced avocado. The family loves this recipe!

I made this for dinner tonight and there was nothing leftover! Everyone enjoyed this... even my 3 and 5 year old boys! It's a keeper... The only adjustments I made to the original recipe was to add a bit more garlic and add 1T of cumin to the mix. Since my kids don't like anything too spicy I left out the jalapeno and it was still awesome. I served the chili over crumbled corn bread and it was the best!!! As others have posted, the cilantro and lime add great flavor. ENJOY!

The five stars are more for the ease of this meal than the taste, but the taste is very good too. I used black beans as that's what I had on hand and a can of diced tomatoes with green chili rather than the poblano which my market didn't have. I let it simmer for longer than the recipe says, probably 20 minutes or so to give the flavors a little more time to develop (and while I folded laundry!). Served with a green salad. Perfect weeknight meal and great leftovers for lunch.

This is so quick and so easy definitely a weekday go to recipe. I add a jalepeno to the receipe and use diced tomatoes with "something" - garlic and onions or jalepenos just to spice it up a bit - this is a hit and so healthy - low WW points plus too.

Make this chili! This is very easy, it's economical, very flavorful and makes the whole house smell soooo wonderful while cooking. Don't skip the lime or cilantro, they really make the recipe unique. I didn't change anything, followed the directions exactly. It's full or flavor but not very spicy and not at all hot. For my second helping I added a sprinkle of shredded cheddar but it certainly isn't necessary and didn't add very much. This will definitely be on our regular menu, it's that good. Thank you Cooking Light, you've done it again!

Have made this several times for family and friends. It is always a crowd pleaser! I put 2 cans (14.5oz) of cannelini beans and serve it with cornbread.

Husband-approved! Great flavors and pretty easy to make, quick too.

Fantastic recipe. My husband especially loves it, even for left-overs which he usually doesn't eat. Don't cut out the cilantro or lime, they add so much flavor!

We LOVE this recipe. It's a regular at our house. The fresh cilantro is a must... don't skip this one.

I followed the recipe pretty closely- used white onion instead of red and didn't measure. Also used kidney beans because I had them on hand. Glad I read the reviews- I was thinking of cutting out the cilantro and lime but left them in- it really made the meal that much better! My fiance told me he loved it and likes it over my normal chili- this will become my standard. Very easy to make and great flavor- I almost prefer the ground turkey over beef, I was surprised I liked it so much. Made enough to have it a second night and it reheated well.

Five stars with a few tweaks... I used one and a half jalapeno peppers, doubled the cumin and chili powder, added an additional 2 tbsp of ancho chile powder, as well as doubled the tomato paste and used four garlic cloves (I used fresh garlic). I added a few tablespoons of Emeril's essence too (I know, such an easy way out, but even with the jalapeno, it was too bland), to taste. After letting the chili boil, I let it simmer for about a half hour-hour instead of just 10 min to let the flavors marry as well. It was well worth it; delicious! :) Great chili recipe, very easy with few ingredients; I might add mushrooms next time to make it even heartier.

very easy but I've had better turkey bean chili from cooking light before. My husband was not a fan at all and usually loves chili.

Some of the best chili I've ever had, hands down. I had to make a few substitutions for things I didn't have. Used fresh jalapeno from my garden for the poblano. Didn't have tomato paste so just gave a squirt of ketchup and added a can of lime and chili black beans. The fresh lime at service is key, do not skip it.

Subbed roasted poblano for raw (had extra from CL's southwest burger). Used can of petite diced tomato with chiles. Added more chicken broth and simmered longer til onions were tender. Even with longer cooking time, easy & quick.

This chili was soo delicious! It is really filling and the cilantro and lime make it so flavorful, you dont even want to add cheese to it. My favorite healthy chili is Wendy's and I thought this was just as good. One suggestion would be to pump up the seasoning a little bit more. I also added a tiny bit more tomato paste to it to help it thicken. I will definitely make it again and it will be my go-to chili recipe.

This is the best turkey chili recipe I've tried, and I've tried a few. It was very easy and fast, good for a weeknight recipe.

Sooo good! Really easy and quick chili. Perfect for a quick day. Lemon juice at the end is a delicious kick!

Great, easy chili recipe. The broth was a little bland at the end of the cooking time, so I added an additional tablespoon of tomato paste. Also, my grocery store was out of dark meat turkey, so I used light meat instead but it did not affect the flavor. It was even better for lunch on day 2!

Really great, and so easy! I used 2 chilies in adobo sauce from a can in place of the poblano and it gave a great smoky taste. A keeper for sure!

Made a few additions, but this was fabulous! Used "zesty" diced tomatoes, subbed plain tomato sauce & water for chicken broth, subbed Goya Adobo seasoning for s&p, added chopped red & green bell pepper, an extra can of beans, turmeric, coriander and 50% more chili powder. I also simmered it on low for 2 hrs. Outstanding! Great over brown rice.

Wow! Healthy, easy and flavorful. I'll definitely make this again!