Healthy Turkey Chili Recipe
This healthy turkey chili is my one-pot weeknight staple, with 40g of protein and 16g of fiber per bowl. Lean ground turkey, kidney beans, corn, and hidden zucchini and yellow squash make it filling without feeling heavy. Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, ready in under 1 hour.
Ingredients
- 1 - 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 medium bell pepper, chopped (yellow, red or orange)
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped into crescent moons
- 1 medium yellow squash, chopped into crescent moons
- 3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb ground turkey, 93% lean is best
- 3 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 - 2 teaspoon red chili flakes or 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional for spice
- 1 can (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups chicken bone broth
- 1 can (15 oz) dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 - 2 ears raw corn or 1 (15-ounce) can of sweet corn, rinsed and kernels cut off the cob
- Garnish Options: shredded cheddar cheese, cubed avocado, greek yogurt, sour cream, sliced green onion, or jalapeño slices
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, and garlic. Sauté 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned.
- Brown the turkey. Push the vegetables to the sides of the pot and add the ground turkey to the center. Leave it undisturbed for about a minute, then break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until no longer pink.
- Bloom the spices. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and chili flakes if using. Stir 20 to 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the base. Add the crushed tomatoes, bone broth, kidney beans, and corn. Stir to combine and bring to a rapid boil.
- Simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 35 to 50 minutes, until the squash has broken down and a spoon leaves a track. Taste and adjust the salt at the end.
- Serve. Top with Greek yogurt, shredded cheddar, avocado, green onion, or jalapeño.
Notes
Simmer time matters. Thirty-five minutes is the floor. Under-simmered chili powder tastes raw and the squash won't break down enough to thicken.
Bone broth adds about 3 grams of protein per bowl over regular chicken broth. Either works.
Leftover cooked turkey: substitute 3 cups chopped and add it with the beans, not at the browning step.
Ground chicken or lean ground beef swap in one-for-one.
Lighter portions: this also serves 6 at about 321 calories and 31g protein per bowl.
Storage: 4 days refrigerated, 3 months frozen. Portion before freezing. Add a splash of broth when reheating.
Nutrition
Calories: 482kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 554mg | Potassium: 1692mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 3773IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 185mg | Iron: 9mg
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please leave a comment and star rating on this post and tag @HealthfulBlondie on Instagram & hashtag it #healthfulblondie!
