Turkey Taco Chili

Name: Turkey Taco Chili
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 7 h
Total time: 7 h 15 min
Ingredients: 2 lb lean ground turkey; 1 can (15.5 ounces) dark red kidney beans, drained; 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained; 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes; 1 cup frozen corn; 1 yellow onion, diced; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 3 tablespoons taco seasoning; 1 tablespoon chili powder; 1 cup chicken broth; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 cup shredded cheddar, for serving

By Iren Pavlenko · Last updated: 9 Nov 2026

Lean ground turkey, kidney beans, black beans and corn in a taco-spiced tomato chili.

My recipes

Turkey Taco Chili

Recipe by Iren Pavlenko

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hours

Lean ground turkey, kidney beans, black beans and corn in a taco-spiced tomato chili.

Ingredients

2 lb lean ground turkey
1 can (15.5 ounces) dark red kidney beans, drained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 cup frozen corn
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded cheddar, for serving

Directions

Brown the ground turkey in a skillet over medium-high heat until no pink remains.
Add the onion and garlic to the slow cooker.
Add the turkey on top.
Pour in the kidney beans, black beans, tomatoes and corn.
Sprinkle in the taco seasoning, chili powder and salt.
Pour in the chicken broth and stir to combine.
Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours.
Stir and taste, adding salt if needed.
Ladle into bowls and top with cheddar, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Notes

Add a diced jalapeño for heat. Freezes for up to 3 months in flat bags. Keeps 4 days in the fridge and is better the next day.

Turkey Taco Chili, lean and easy

Browning the ground turkey first adds flavor that raw turkey does not give. Lean turkey can taste flat, so the taco seasoning and chili powder do a lot of work. Two kinds of beans and corn give the pot some heft.

It tastes best the day after you cook it.

Swaps

Ground chicken works for the turkey. Pinto beans can replace kidney beans. Fire-roasted tomatoes add a smoky edge.

Skipping the browning is a mistake. The texture turns pasty.

Freeze, serve

Freeze flat in bags so it thaws quickly. Serve with tortilla chips, avocado and a spoonful of sour cream, or over a baked potato.

A mistake to skip

Draining the beans and skipping the stir at the end. A quick stir mixes the tomatoes and the broth, and a final taste lets you add salt. Lean turkey needs more salt than beef. Spoon a little more taco seasoning in if it tastes flat, and let the chili sit for ten minutes before serving.

Turkey Taco Chili at a glance

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 7 hours
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients: 12, led by lean ground turkey, (15.5 ounces) dark red kidney beans, (15 ounces) black beans, (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

Tips for Turkey Taco Chili

Add a diced jalapeño for heat. Freezes for up to 3 months in flat bags. Keeps 4 days in the fridge and is better the next day.

Turkey Taco Chili FAQ

How long does Turkey Taco Chili take?

Turkey Taco Chili takes 7 hours of cooking after 15 minutes of prep.

How many people does Turkey Taco Chili serve?

This recipe makes 8 servings.

What do I need to make Turkey Taco Chili?

12 ingredients, led by lean ground turkey, (15.5 ounces) dark red kidney beans, (15 ounces) black beans, (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes. Amounts are in the recipe card above.

Iren Pavlenko

Hi, I'm Iren Pavlenko. I read the top-ranked slow cooker recipes for a dish side by side and write down what they disagree on and what they all leave out — the cut, the pot size, and both the LOW and HIGH times. I write these guides so your weeknight dinner doesn't turn into a dry roast because a recipe never said which of those four things mattered.

Part of: 25 Lazy High Protein Crockpot Recipes for Busy Weeknights