You deserve an upgrade from that vintage bottle of chili powder lurking in the back of your cabinet. Let this hearty turkey chili recipe guide you. To make it, you’ll blend a robust purée of dried chiles and canned chipotles to serve as the soup’s base.
Building a custom chile blend allows you to create the chili of your dreams, which is to say: don’t worry too much if you can’t find the exact chiles we recommend. (And also, yes, chile and chili refer to different things.) Dark ancho chiles are smoky and have a raisiny sweetness; skinny, wrinkly pasillas a rich jamminess; and smooth-skinned guajillos bring bright red color and acidity. If you need to swap one out, aim for something around the same heat level (read more in our guide to chiles). Feel free to make a double batch and stick half in the freezer (for up to 6 months) to make satisfying your next weeknight chili craving even easier.
We prefer dark meat turkey for its richer flavor and fat content, but if all you have in the fridge is lean ground turkey or ground chicken, it’ll work. Brown it in batches to get a really good sear—the crusty fond that forms on the bottom of the pot is big-time flavor. When you sauté the veg, use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those bits (the steam from the veggies will help release them) and stir them into the mix. We love the flavor a bottle of hard cider or beer adds to chili, but if you’d rather cook without alcohol, substitute fresh apple cider, a can of crushed tomatoes or tomato juice, or add a cup more water instead.
We round out the soup with creamy white beans, but you probably already know any bean will do. Red kidney beans, pinto beans, and black beans are good substitutes. Like many comfort foods, chili is personal: put out bowls of shredded cheddar cheese, thinly sliced green onion, or pickled red onion, if you like. For an extra kick, grab the hot sauce or pickled jalapeños. Serve with broken tostadas or tortilla chips for scooping or cornbread for dunking.
Looking for ground beef chili or chicken chili? We have you covered.
