This protein-packed turkey black bean chili recipe is filled with sweet, smoky flavors and is sure to impress. This crowd-pleaser is ideal for your next game day party or meal prep!
A high-quality protein diet is important, whether you’re looking to curb hunger, repair muscle tissue or prevent muscle loss as you age. Preparing, eating and developing high-protein recipes has been vital to my weight loss success.
This turkey and black bean chili is always a crowd pleaser and just might become a new staple in your house. It’s one of my all-time favorite soup recipes and is packed with lean turkey, beans and tons of vegetables.
In this recipe, chipotle peppers in adobo and fire-roasted diced tomatoes give the chili a warm, smoky flavor that will leave everyone wanting a second, third and fourth serving!
How to Make Turkey Black Bean Chili
To get started, first, heat a large sauce-pot over medium-high and spray it with cooking spray. Grate the garlic and add it to the pot.
Second, add the turkey and season it with cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, coriander, salt and pepper. This is one of my favorite parts of cooking — turning up the flavor!
After you’re done seasoning the turkey, cook it until the meat is browned. Stir it occasionally for about 7-9 minutes.
Third, add onions and fire-roasted tomatoes to the pan. Tomatoes are packed with potassium, vitamins B, E, antioxidants and flavonoids and are known to have numerous health benefits.
After you add tomatoes, seed sweet bell peppers, chop and add them to the pan. Bell peppers are packed with vitamins and are low in calories.
Make sure to cook until vegetables are soft. This should take about 6-8 minutes.
Fourth, add beer to deglaze the pan once vegetables are soft. Scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. This is a great way to add flavor to your food.
Stir in chicken broth and barbecue sauce. You can use store-bought barbecue sauce, but if you have a barbecue sauce recipe you love, homemade barbecue sauce is even better! Once you add the chicken broth and barbecue sauce, return the pan to a boil before you add in beans and corn.
Next, drain and rinse beans. This recipe calls for both black beans and kidney beans. A diet rich in beans supports weight control, heart health and more.
Finally, add in the corn. As an optional step, you can add minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to kick up the spiciness – it’s totally up to you! After you add the final ingredients, reduce heat to simmer and cook the turkey black bean chili for 20-30 minutes or longer.
To finish, serve this with a dollop of plain yogurt, sriracha and cilantro. I love topping this chili with cool, creamy plain yogurt. It is another great source of protein with added nutrition!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best beer for chili?
A lager, stout or porter beer is the most popular. These types tend to have as many hops and have more of a rich and frothy texture making a chili warm and filling.
Do you have to add beer to chili?
No. Though light beer in this recipe adds flavor, you can use chicken broth instead.
Can turkey chili be made in a slow cooker?
Yes! Check out my Slow Cooker Healthy Turkey Chili recipe for a similar take.
How long does chili last in the refrigerator?
It will last 3 days in the fridge in an air tight container. It will last 3 months in the freezer.
What’s the best way to freeze chili?
To freeze chili, allow it to cool to room temperature then freeze in large, resealable plastic bags laid flat or airtight containers.
What are your favorite ways to incorporate protein into your diet? I’d love to hear your tips and tricks! And while you’re here, you may also like to try these recipes:
- Turkey Chili with Sriracha Yogurt
- Slow Cooker Healthy Turkey Chili
- Black Bean Dip For Game Day Recipe
- Black Bean Salsa Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Your spoon is waiting.
Turkey Black Bean Chili
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (grated)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound ground turkey breast (99% lean)
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo – minced (optional)
- 2 sweet bell peppers (seeded and diced)
- 6 ounces light beer (or sub chicken broth)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 15 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 2 15 ounce black or kidney beans (canned, drained and rinsed )
- ½ cup corn (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup plain Greek or low fat yogurt (for serving (optional))
- fresh cilantro and sriracha (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Heat a large sauce pot over medium-high and spray with cooking spray. Add diced onions and grated garlic to the pot along with pinch of salt and pepper. Saute until translucent, about 5-6 minutes.
- To the pot, add the ground turkey, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, coriander, salt and pepper. Cook until turkey is browned, stirring occasionally, 7-9 minutes.
- To the pan, add onion, garlic and peppers. Cook until vegetable are softened, 6-8 minutes.
- Add beer to deglaze, scraping up brown bits on bottom of pan using a wooden spoon.
- Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes and barbecue sauce then return to a boil before adding in beans and corn.
- Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes or longer.
- Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt, sriracha and cilantro.
Love this Turkey Black Bean Chili, this one seems super delicious and amazing . Super excited to try this one.
This chili recipe is hands-down the best chili recipe I’ve found. The spices are perfect. I make this regularly and it’s a hit with everyone.
This “TURKEY BLACK BEAN CHILI” seems so unique and amazing recipe, will love to try this one. Thanks for sharing this one.
Liz! This chili is freakin AMAZING! To be honest, I was afraid to put that much seasoning on my favorite Otto’s ground turkey as it was browning, all along thinking OMG what am I doing (or, um, what is she making me do)… but I kept the faith and kept going. When it was done, I skeptically took in a big fat mouthful… And SERIOUSLY I experienced the best deep rich flavors and party in my mouth from any chili ever, and I am a true chili lover. Liz, you totally rock!
I love Otto’s!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!! :)
This chili was beyond delicious!!! I left out the barbecue sauce because I don’t like it and used 3 cups of stock instead of 2. I may have to make this every week! So yummy and filling and I love joe figure friendly it is!!
So glad you enjoyed it!!!
What is the serving size in this? 1 cup?
Thanks!
Two cups! Sorry about that – just edited the recipe to include that.
I made this chili… and I just wanna say.. my whole family LOVED IT!!!!!!! And that is saying a lot coming from me especially because I do not like chili and will not eat chili… I saw this recipe and I thought I’m gonna give it a go… WOW!!!! This is a keeper… Thank you
Oh I’m so glad to hear it Dawn!!!! Thank you so much for your feedback!!! :)
I’ve even blogged about upping dietary protein, but I need to practice what I preach! Thanks for the reminder AND this fabulous chili recipe!
You’re so welcome Liz! Enjoy!!
I’ve been stocking up on high protein, freezer-friendly dinners for when the baby comes in a few weeks- might need to add this to the list of recipes to make!
This is perfect for that Julie!! So excited for you!
I’m really on board with you for the higher protein recipes. That’s one reason I enjoy your recipes – I can count on them to supply nutrients in the kinds of quantities that work for me. I know that my body does not do well on a high carbohydrate diet, and that when I have enough protein and veggies I don’t crave all the things that people seem to crave.
Thank you so much Susan! I totally agree with you on all fronts. Enjoy!
I love these recipes with a nutritional purpose, I grew up with always having yogurt in the house too and use it as a sour cream sub now with my family.
Thank you so much Ani!! Enjoy!
All of the flavors in here sound like they add up to a wonderful, smoky bowl of chili. And I agree that yogurt is a wonderful way to add protein and cool things off at the same time. We always serve yogurt alongside my grandparents’ curry recipe to cool down our mouths.
Ook is that curry recipe on your blog Dara?? I’ll have to check it out!! xo
The flavors in this chili are fantastic! Great idea to boost protein with yogurt, so yummy!
Lovin’ all these flavors! Mmmmmm!!!
This looks like a fantastic dinner! I definitely need to get more protein in my diet.
I could add yogurt to almost anything!
Would the yogurt be ok to stir into the crockpot before serving to make the whole batch more creamy? Or would that be gross? Be honest :)
I would add it at the end to avoid curdling. :)
I love your healthy spin on chili.
Now that looks like a hearty bowl of chill!
Oh how I LOVE this chili!! We are huge sriracha fans and this looks like all kinds of amazing!
Sriracha is my happy place!
I love everything about his delicious chili. It looks absolutely hearty and comforting. Pinned.
Thank you Jennie!