This gluten-free Healthy Turkey Chili is easy enough to prepare on a busy weeknight. It is flavorful and healthy, full of black beans, sweet potatoes, and ground turkey. {gluten free}
This post was updated 2/2018 with new photos and a video
All I can hear at my house today is the hum of hours of old Full Houses playing in my family room. My youngest son is home with a “tummy ache”. Not sure if that’s for real or not but I guess everyone deserves a mental health day.
My kids are obsessing over the new Fuller House and have decided it’s time to go back and watch all the old ones. We don’t just sit around and watch T.V. all day, I swear.
Lucky for us, we have a fridge stocked with leftover Healthy Turkey Chili. It’s funny how just a few tweaks on a standard recipe can make such a big difference in the flavor department.
This is adapted from my recipe for Easy Skinny Quinoa Chili. I wanted to see what sweet potatoes would do for the flavor and they are awesome. I added a secret ingredient too – cinnamon. You can’t be afraid of spices when you are making chili because they add so many layers of tastiness…
- chili powder
- cumin
- cinnamon
Turkey can be a real diet saver and I try to fit it into our weekly meal plan whenever I can. I prefer 85% lean ground turkey. Any less fat and it will have no flavor.
Ground turkey can be used in place of ground beef in just about any recipe. We like it in spaghetti sauce, meatballs, tacos and turkey burgers.
Or try some of these creative ways to use ground turkey…
- lasagna
- taco salad
- enchiladas
- stuffed shells
- rigatoni bake
- curried turkey and rice
- turkey sliders
- sloppy joes
- turkey stuffed sweet potatoes
- sheet pan turkey nachos
How comforting does that look?
Need more soups in your life? Try this Sausage and Bean Soup, my Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Soup or this White Chicken Chili with Sweet Potatoes.
Healthy Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/4 lbs ground turkey 85% lean
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes with juice
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth gluten free
- 2 cups diced sweet potatoes
- 1 can black beans rinsed
- salt and pepper
- shredded cheddar for serving
Instructions
- Put a swirl of olive oil in a dutch oven and brown turkey until cooked. Remove and set aside.
- Brown onion and garlic in another tsp of olive oil until done.
- Add turkey back to pot with onions and add spices. Stir and cook for one minute.
- Add tomatoes and juices, chicken stock, beans and sweet potatoes.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are softened.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Top with cheese and serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
What a great looking chili! Total comfort food!
Thanks Annie!
I made this for my kids and they loved it
Christina, thanks so much for letting me know. I’m so happy to hear they liked it, because I know how picky kids can be!
could use beef instead? I have trouble finding good ground turkey. The recipe looks yummy and I can’t wait to try it.
Katie, yes you can absolutely use beef. Get a lean ground beef or you will have to drain off the fat. Good luck and hope you like it!
can you make this in a crock pot instead?
Hi Lindsey, I think you could but you would have to brown the turkey first in a skillet. I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t be sure how it will turn out. Hope it works for you!
I do prefer the beef version but always come back to turkey for some variety. This looks great!
Thank you!
This is super easy, fast and delicious, however does anyone have the nutritional breakdown for it? I can figure it out, but if its already out there, why reinvent the wheel. Thanks!!
Sorry I don’t have that Cheryl. I need to start doing that for all my recipes! Thanks!
Wow..tried the chili…it is amazing with salad and toast.
Definitely a keeper in this household.
Lorie, Thanks so much for letting me know. These comments mean a lot to me!
Definitely trying tonight!!
Delicious and so easy.
Thanks for letting me know Ann! Your ratings mean a lot to me!
I LOVE chili for dinner! Love that you made it healthier with turkey!
I wasn’t a fan of ground turkey until I tried this chili dish. My family didn’t even know ground turkey is in it until I told them lol. I made this chili in mild flavor so anyone can eat it. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much Calleigh!
I love the use of turkey mince. we so often use it instead of ground pork.
This looks delish!!!!!
And the use of turkey makes it healthy so I can justify a bit of sour cream right?
Yes! Bring on the sour cream!
I love a hearty turkey chilli. So easy to do and very comforting on a cold day like today.
Chili is just about my favorite meal, and this version looks amazing! I love that you used turkey.
Love the addition of the cinnamon and the sweet potatoes Karen! This would be perfect for the rainy weekend ahead!
What a great recipe! I loved it.
However….the sweet potatoes never got soft for me….any tips on how to make them soft?
I’d love to make this again!
Carley, sorry to hear that. I cut my sweet potatoes into a small dice. Also, the recipe says to cook until potatoes soften so I check them every once in a while by sticking a fork in them. If they aren’t done, I keep cooking.
In the crock pot now!!! I’ll report back!!