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    You are here: Home / Savory / Turkey Chili (Great for leftover Turkey!)

    Turkey Chili (Great for leftover Turkey!)

    November 30, 2019 By Sam 17 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Turkey Chili

    A thick, hearty , and easy Turkey Chili that’s perfect for using up leftover Thanksgiving turkey! Today’s recipe is similar to (and even easier than) my best chili recipe. Made with leftover shredded turkey, this chili has an incredible flavor (special thanks to a key ingredient) and can be on your table in under an hour!

    White bowl full of turkey chili with toppings

    Leftover Turkey Chili

    Each year after Thanksgiving I try to share a simple recipe that you can make to use up some of your leftover turkey. You know, something other than cold turkey sandwiches.

    Last year I shared my  Turkey Pot Pie (if you haven’t tried that yet, you need to!) and the year before that was my Turkey chowder. This year I’m sharing something new: an easy Turkey Chili Recipe!

    There’s minimal prep-work involved (dice your onion & pepper, mince your garlic) and the hardest part of this whole recipe is letting it simmer for 30 minutes. This turkey chili has an incredible, complex flavor, thanks in part to one important ingredient that may seem a bit unusual to you…

    Cooking Turkey Chili in a Dutch oven

    Why Add Cocoa Powder to Chili

    I use a pinch of cocoa powder in my turkey chili. This isn’t my invention (chocolate and chilis have been paired together for centuries) but it’s one I’ve grown very attached to.

    Cocoa powder adds extra dimension to our chili and enhances the existing flavors. It adds body and a subtle depth of flavor. The bitterness of the cocoa also works to balance the acidity from the tomatoes.

    What it doesn’t do is make your turkey chili taste like a pot of turkey brownies, I promise. While you will get an initial whiff of warm chocolate when you first add it to your pot, the distinct chocolate flavor will dissipate and there will be no lingering chocolate taste.

    Close up of bowl of Turkey Chili topped with sour cream and avocado

    What Goes With Chili?

    Turkey chili works just fine as a complete stand-alone meal. However, I often like to serve mine with a side of Buttermilk Cornbread or biscuits. If you have any leftover roasted sweet potatoes I think you’ll find that the flavors of the chili pair nicely with them, too!

    Enjoy!

    More Hearty Recipes You Might Enjoy!

    • White Chicken Chili
    • Ultimate Potato Soup
    • Baked Mac & Cheese
    • Corn Chowder
    Turkey chili in bowls

    Turkey Chili

    A thick & hearty Turkey Chili that’s perfect for using up leftover Thanksgiving turkey! 
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Time to Simmer: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 375kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 3 Tablespoons butter
    • 1 red pepper diced (about 1 heaping cup) (155g)
    • 1 red onion diced (about 1 ½ cups) (180g)
    • 3 cloves garlic minced (about 1 Tablespoon)
    • 2 Tablespoon chili powder*
    • 2 teaspoons brown sugar packed
    • 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder**
    • 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
    • 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
    • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper***
    • 4 cups/1 lb cups cooked shredded turkey meat (450g)
    • 2 cups beef, chicken, or turkey stock my preference is beef (475ml)
    • 28 oz canned fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained if you can't find fire roasted, regular diced tomatoes will work instead (795g)
    • ¼ cup tomato paste (66g)
    • 1 14 oz can black beans rinsed and drained (397g)
    • 1 14 oz can dark red kidney beans rinsed and drained (397g)
    • 1 4 oz can fire roasted chilis (113g)
    • Your favorite toppings: Sour cream, broken corn chips, diced avocado, shredded cheese, etc.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Melt butter over medium/high heat in a large pot (I like to use a Dutch oven) until melted.
    • Add onion and peppers and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent (about 5 minutes)
    • Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
    • Add turkey to your pot and then add chili powder, brown sugar, cocoa powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
    • turn ingredients well until turkey is covered with spices.
    • Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to fully develop.
    • Serve, topped with sour cream, crushed corn chips, or your favorite toppings.

    Notes

    *My personal preference is to use ancho chili powder, or a blend of the two, but regular chili powder will work. I prefer ancho chili powder which lends itself to a smokier, slightly sweeter turkey chili, but Zach thinks it's too sweet and prefers regular chili powder.
    **Please see my post for more information on why we add cocoa powder (it's not going to make your chili taste like chocolate, I promise!)
    ***This amount of cayenne pepper adds a very subtle heat to the chili. Feel free to increase this amount at your own discretion to suit your tastebuds.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving (⅛ of chili, does not include toppings) | Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 9465mg | Potassium: 664mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 950IU | Vitamin C: 9.9mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 4.9mg
    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

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    Turkey Chili in a bowl on the table

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rosemary Gallo

      April 07, 2021 at 3:37 pm

      This is absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe exactly and it’s perfect! I loved being able to use leftover turkey and stock. I’ve been looking for another r
      Idea to use my leftover Turkey and homemade Turkey stock from the holidays. Thanks for an awesome recipe!

      Reply
      • Sam

        April 08, 2021 at 10:11 am

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Rosemary! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Salma

      December 21, 2020 at 9:41 pm

      This chili. Add with left over turkey was so delicious. I think the addition of cocoa and brown sugar added that extra dimension. Also I didn’t have fire roasted tomatoes so I added some salsa. Hubby and I couldn’t stop eating it. I think this will be our once-a-week, maybe with chicken next time. Thank you.

      Reply
    3. Sheila Rosenberg

      December 01, 2020 at 3:54 pm

      5 stars
      I doubled this and it taste so yummy
      Going to freeze for a cold night
      Used 4 14.5 ozs fire roasted cans of tomatoes
      Spicy 🌶 love with sour cream and cilantro and Fritos

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 01, 2020 at 9:32 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Shelia! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Michelle

      November 27, 2020 at 9:00 pm

      Made this today, it was really good! I made it a bit spicy because my boys like everything hot! They loved it. I liked the hearty rich texture. Sometimes I find most chilis are too thin and lack a smokiness. This was perfect!!

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 28, 2020 at 4:30 pm

        I’m so happy to hear everyone enjoyed, Michelle!! Thank you so much for commenting and letting me know how it turned out, I appreciate it! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Sharon

      October 21, 2020 at 2:31 pm

      I have made this twice, now, and we love it! It is a nice change from Beef Chili and the flavor is great. A great way to use up that extra turkey!

      Reply
      • Sam

        October 21, 2020 at 9:34 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoy it so much, Sharon! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Corina Villa

      December 04, 2019 at 11:10 pm

      I would like to make this chilly but I’m not sure on what you mean by one can of fire roasted chiles. Is it green chiles?

      Reply
      • Sugar Spun Run

        December 05, 2019 at 9:10 am

        Hi, Corina! Yes, you want a can of green chiles. On the can it will say “fire-roasted green chiles.” I hope that you enjoy the turkey chili! 🙂

        Reply
    7. samiya jutt

      November 13, 2019 at 12:04 am

      wow its my favorite dish

      Reply
      • Sugar Spun Run

        November 13, 2019 at 6:39 am

        Thank you, Samiya! I am glad that you enjoyed it! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Kristen

      January 15, 2019 at 11:36 am

      Hi Sam! I don’t have leftover turkey, so I’m wondering if ground turkey would work well for this? I am really looking forward to making one of your chili recipes and this one seems a bit healthier than the traditional beef chili 🙂

      Reply
      • Sam

        January 16, 2019 at 10:17 pm

        Hi Kristen! I’m sorry I’m just now seeing this comment. Yes, ground turkey would work great, add it as you would the leftover turkey, just make sure to cook until browned and crumbled. I hope you love it! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Jean

      December 23, 2018 at 10:12 pm

      5 stars
      I made this tonight. Seconds all around. This is the recipe I’ve been looking for, really really good. Complex, just spicy enough, very satisfying. I’m so glad I came upon it! Thanks, deee lish!

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 23, 2018 at 11:11 pm

        I’m so happy to hear this!! Thanks for commenting, Jean!

        Reply

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