This flavorful ground turkey chili recipe packs a huge punch with the addition of a strong dark beer, roasted peppers and turkey Italian sausage!
Jump to RecipeWith the warmer temps finally starting to creep in, the urge to prepare lighter and quicker meals is becoming real. But just as we transition seasons, warmer days and colder evenings means there’s still time to get in a few more hearty wintery meals. I pulled out my cast iron pot the other night to make my ground turkey chili recipe for one last time this season and I’m sharing it with you!
How to Make Homemade Chili with Ground Turkey
This ground turkey chili is one I’ve been perfecting for years. I adapted the recipe from Jamie Dean’s Award Winning Chili recipe years ago. While his recipe calls for ground beef, I’ve had to adapt the recipe because we haven’t consumed beef in years.
One thing I love about this recipe is the deep flavors that develop by cooking it on the stovetop and adding in the beer to develop the flavors. I also decided to add and change up a few ingredients to suit my family’s tastes.
If you have little ones, you can rest assured that the alcohol cooks out but leaves the chili with amazing flavors. The beer can also be substituted with chicken stock, however, it will not yield the same deep flavors.
I think there’s a big debate among cooks about whether or not sugar belongs in chili or spaghetti. I grew up in a family that puts sugar in literally everything… yes, sugar belongs in grits! I’d debate that any day.
But I digress. I’ve always added brown sugar to my turkey chili to cut the bitterness of the tomatoes. This, of course, is a step you can completely omit or put as little as you like. It really comes down to your flavor preference.
Ground Turkey Chili Recipe with Beer
Ingredients
For the Chili Seasoning
- ¼ cup cumin
- ¼ cup chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbs garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the Chili
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 lb Italian turkey sausage casing removed
- 1 large white onion diced
- 4-5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 jar roasted red peppers in olive oil diced
- 1 tbs olive oil extra virgin
- 1 6 oz. can of tomato paste
- 1 14.5 oz. can of black beans drained
- 1 14.5 oz. can of cannellini beans drained
- 1 14.5 oz. can of red kidney beans drained
- 1 14.5 oz. can of fire roasted canned tomatoes
- 1 28 oz. can of diced canned tomatoes
- 1 11-12 oz. Stout Beer or 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- Cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, cilatro, fried onions or hot sauce for topping
Instructions
For the Chili Seasoning
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together all ingredients for chili seasoning and set aside.
For the Chili
- In a large pot or cast iron pan, heat olive oil on medium heat.
- Saute garlic for 1 minute, then add diced onions. Saute for 4-5 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
- Add diced red peppers, and saute for an additonal 2-3 minutes.
- Add ground turkey and italian sausage and cook until browned. Drain oil and return to stove.
- Turn heat to medium high and add half of chili seasoning to turkey mixture (I use the full amount of seasoning but you can add half and add more to your liking if needed).
- Add tomato paste to mixture and allow to toast. Be sure to turn frequently to prevent burning.
- Reduce heat to medium and add beer. Stir up browned seasoning and meat from the bottom of the pan.
- Reduce heat to simmer (low heat) and add beans, tomatoes and brown sugar. You can also add the remaining chili seasoning here to taste. Mix well and allow to simmer for 1 and a half hours.
- Remove from heat and serve with your favorite toppings!
Notes
So, would you give this recipe a try? And what’s your favorite way to top your chili? Let me know down in the comments!
Until next time,
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