Smoke & Spice Turkey Chili
One pot. Deep, smoky flavor. Beef-level depth with turkey ease.
Recipe Category: Family Favorites
Ingredients: bay leaf, canned whole tomatoes, celery, chicken stock, chili powder, cinnamon, garlic, granulated garlic, granulated onion, ground chipotle, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground turkey, jalapeño, lime, olive oil, pink beans, poblano pepper, red bell pepper, salt, sweet onions, tomato paste, water, yellow bell pepper
Dificulity level: Easy
Yield & Timing
| Serves | Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6–8 hearty bowls (≈ 3 qt) | 20 min | 50 min | 1 hr 10 min |
Ingredient Line-Up
| Item | Amount | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Dark-meat ground turkey | 2 ½ lb | 1.13 kg |
| Olive oil | 2 Tbsp | 30 mL |
| Sweet onions, diced | 2 large | 450 g |
| Red bell pepper, diced | 1 | 150 g |
| Yellow bell pepper, diced | 1 | 150 g |
| Poblano pepper, diced | 1 | 120 g |
| Jalapeño, seeded & minced | 1 | 15 g |
| Celery ribs, small dice | 2 | 90 g |
| Garlic cloves, chopped | 4 | 16 g |
| Tomato paste | 2–3 Tbsp | 35–50 g |
| Ground cumin | 1 Tbsp | 7 g |
| Ground coriander | 1 Tbsp | 6 g |
| Cinnamon | 1 tsp | 2 g |
| Granulated garlic | 1 Tbsp | 9 g |
| Granulated onion | 1 Tbsp | 8 g |
| Ground chipotle | ½ tsp | 1 g |
| Chili powder (mild blend) | 2 Tbsp | 12 g |
| Whole canned tomatoes, hand-crushed | 20 oz | 565 g |
| Chicken stock, low-sodium | 2 cups | 475 mL |
| Bay leaf | 1 | – |
Heat Meter
- Default (medium): balanced, crowd-friendly.
- Milder: omit chipotle or swap jalapeño for more bell pepper.
- Hotter: keep jalapeño seeds, double the chipotle, or add a pinch of cayenne.
Garnish & Serving Ideas
- Topping bar: crushed tortilla chips • shredded sharp cheddar • sour cream • sliced green onions
- Platform swaps: ladle over fluffy rice • roll into a burrito with avocado & lime
Storage
- Fridge: 4 days in an airtight container.
- Freezer: 3 months. Thaw overnight; reheat gently with a splash of stock or water.
Dinner—handled, delicious, and ready whenever you are.
Method
- Brown the turkey Heat olive oil in a 5–6 qt Dutch oven over medium-high. Crumble in turkey, season generously with salt, and cook 8–10 min until deeply golden.
- Sweat the veg Add onions, bell peppers, poblano, jalapeño, celery, and garlic. Stir and soften 6–8 min.
- Toast the tomato paste Push veg to the edges, spoon tomato paste into the center, and cook 2 min until brick-red. Fold through.
- Bloom the spices Stir in cumin, coriander, cinnamon, granulated garlic & onion, chipotle, and chili powder. Toast 1 min until fragrant.
- Liquids + beans Add crushed tomatoes, stock, beans, and bay leaf. Scrape up every browned bit, bring to a gentle boil, then lower to a slow simmer. Partially cover and cook 45 min, stirring occasionally.
- Too thick? Splash in water.
- Too loose? Simmer uncovered a few minutes.
- Too thick? Splash in water.
- Taste & tweak Discard the bay leaf. Adjust salt, heat, and add a squeeze of lime if desired.