5 from 1 vote

Southwestern Turkey 5 Bean Chili

I’m a sucker for soups, and this Southwestern turkey 5 bean chili is the heartiest of them all! It’s loaded with ground turkey, tasty beans, and veggies that make it a great all-rounder during the cooler months. 

A pot of southwestern turkey 5 bean chili.


Plus, it’s absolutely loaded with protein if you’re looking to keep yourself ticking over for hours! Oh, and you can’t argue with its incredible fiber content either.

To make things even more appealing, this chili contains an amazing 5 beans (hence the name!). Along with pinto, kidney, black, garbanzo, and Great Northern beans, you’ll find so many hidden veggies. From kale to carrots, red pepper, and garlic, this is a surefire winner for busy parents!

Just top it with cheese and sour cream, grab a few tortilla chips, and you’ll have a Southwestern marvel on your hands.

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Why You’ll Love This Southwestern Turkey 5 Bean Chili

  • It’s packed with protein and veggies for a delicious weeknight meal that ticks several nutritional boxes.
  • You can easily make it vegan or vegetarian by removing the ground turkey.
  • The vegetable broth, garlic, and onion give the chili an incredible savory base that you’re bound to love.
  • It stores like a dream for those busy weeks when you need reliable meal-prep that’ll hold up in the fridge.

Ingredients

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    The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.

    • Ground turkey: I like using relatively lean turkey as it doesn’t leave too much fat in the pan. If you want to find a decent balance, 7% turkey instead of 5% should work well.
    • Extra virgin olive oil: Adds some healthy fat to the mix while you saute the base!
    • Yellow onion: For a hint of sweetness that complements the savory base.
    • Carrot: I love adding carrot as it’s slightly sweet and complements the other veggies perfectly. Plus, it’s easily hidden if you’re cooking for kiddos!
    • Tomato paste: For a touch of acidity that cooks down in the broth beautifully.
    • Garlic: Gives the base a classic, savory taste that matches the Southwestern flavor profile perfectly.
    • Dried oregano: For a hint of herbiness.
    • Chili powder: Be careful here as you don’t want to make your chili too hot. Add it bit by bit to get the best balance for your taste buds.
    • Salt: To taste.
    • Smoked paprika: Gives the chili a subtle smokiness.
    • Kale: This leafy vegetable can be replaced with spinach, but it’s perfect for getting greens into the chili!
    • Vegetable broth: Low-sodium is the way to go to keep the salt content down.
    • Red pepper: For sweetness and crunch.
    • Salsa: I used Pace Picante Sauce, but just use your favorite salsa!
    • Diced tomatoes: To give the base of your chili acidity and bite.
    • Black beans.
    • Kidney beans.
    • Garbanzo beans.
    • Great Northern beans.
    • Pinto beans.
    • Corn: For a sweet crunchiness that’s found in virtually every Southwestern recipe.
    Southwestern Turkey 5 Bean Chili ingredients.

    Steps to Make Southwestern Turkey 5 Bean Chili

    • Step One: In a large skillet, brown the turkey meat. Drain any excess fat.
    • Step Two: Using the same large skillet you cooked the turkey meat in, heat the olive oil.
    • Step Three: Add the chopped onion, garlic and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes or until tender.
    • Step Four: Stir in the tomato paste, oregano, chili powder, salt, Paprika and kale. Mix well until all ingredients are combined.
    Steps to make Southwestern 5 Bean Turkey Chili.
    • Step Five: Add the meat and spice mixture into a large pot.
    • Step Six: Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.
    • Step Seven: Bring to a boil and then turn to simmer. Cover and cook on medium to medium-low for 45 minutes.
    • Step Eight: Top chili with your favorite toppings such as fresh grated cheddar cheese, avocado and sour cream! Serve with crackers, tortilla chips and Frito lays!
    Steps to make Southwestern 5 Bean Turkey Chili.

    Equipment Needed

    You don’t need much to create this hearty Southwestern turkey 5 bean chili. But grabbing just a few key pieces of equipment will make this comfort food way easier to whip up! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    What to Serve with Southwestern Turkey 5 Bean Chili

    I love serving this dish with a hefty portion of fluffy rice, but these sides are bound to dial things up even further!

    A pot of southwestern turkey 5 bean chili with a ladle.

    Recipe Tips and Tricks

    • Take it easy on the spice and add everything gradually. Although it’s tempting to go heavy on the spice, add it bit by bit to get to the perfect level of spice.
    • Low and slow is the key. Don’t over-boil your chili just to get it to reduce. Instead, work with medium-low heat and simmer away until it’s ready. The final texture will be far better and your ingredients won’t be mushy!
    • If your chili reduces slightly too quickly, a small amount of water should be enough to bring it back to life. To keep things flavorful, an extra dash of vegetable broth should work too!
    • Don’t skip draining the meat. If you leave too much of the fat in the pan, you might give your chili a slightly greasy texture. To avoid this, drain the meat before returning it to the pot.
    A bowl of southwestern turkey 5 bean chili in a bowl.

    Variations and Substitutions

    • If you want to make this recipe vegan, feel free to remove the turkey and substitute it with a few more beans. If you want the meaty taste and texture, feel free to use a meat substitute like Quorn.
    • Although vegetable broth is what I use with this recipe, chicken broth can add an even more intense savory flavor to the turkey.
    • You can switch out the veggies for basically anything you want (especially the kale!). Whether you want to use spinach or cavolo nero, the choice is yours!

    Storage Instructions

    Leftover Southwestern turkey 5 bean chili will keep in the fridge for about 5 days in an airtight container.

    When you’re ready to reheat it, you can either place it back on the stove for a few minutes or use the microwave!

    Can I Freeze?

    You can either freeze this Southwestern turkey 5 bean chili in freezer bags or airtight containers.

    If you’re freezing in bags, wait until your chili has cooled before filling each bag with a single portion.

    Then, label it with the date of freezing, squeeze any air out, and consume within 3 months.

    A bowl of southwestern turkey 5 bean chili.

    Easy Dinner Recipes

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    5 from 1 vote

    Southwestern Turkey 5 Bean Chili

    Created by Stacie Vaughan
    Servings 12
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 45 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour
    This chili recipe has EVERYTHING in it! It's packed with 5 kinds of beans, ground turkey, tomatoes, corn, kale, and an amazing chili spice blend. Yum!

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 lb ground turkey
    • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 cup chopped yellow onion
    • 1 cup chopped carrot
    • 3 tbsp tomato paste
    • 2 garlic cloves chopped
    • 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
    • 1 ½ tsp chili powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp smoked paprika
    • 3 cups chopped kale
    • 4 cups vegetable broth
    • 1 red bell pepper finely chopped
    • 1 cup Pace Picante Sauce mild or medium
    • 1 can diced tomatoes 15 ounce can, undrained
    • 1 can black beans 15 ounce can, drained and rinsed
    • 1 can kidney beans 15 ounce can, drained and rinsed
    • 1 can garbanzo beans 15 ounce can, drained and rinsed
    • 1 can Great northern beans 15 ounce can, drained and rinsed
    • 1 can pinto beans 15 ounce can, drained and rinsed
    • 1 can corn 15 ounce can, drained and rinsed

    Instructions

    • In a large skillet, brown the turkey meat. Drain any excess fat.
    • Using the same large skillet you cooked the turkey meat in, heat the olive oil.
    • Add the chopped onion, garlic and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes or until tender.
    • Stir in the tomato paste, oregano, chili powder, salt, Paprika and kale. Mix well until all ingredients are combined.
    • Add the meat and spice mixture into a large pot.
    • Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.
    • Bring to a boil and then turn to simmer. Cover and cook on medium to medium-low for 45 minutes.
    • Top chili with your favorite toppings such as fresh grated cheddar cheese, avocado and sour cream! Serve with crackers, tortilla chips and Frito lays!

    Notes

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 29.1g | Protein: 16.2g | Fat: 6.9g | Saturated Fat: 1.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.2g | Cholesterol: 26.1mg | Sodium: 878.9mg | Fiber: 8.7g | Sugar: 6.6g

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Course Soups
    Cuisine American
    Keyword bean chili, chili recipes, southwestern chili, turkey chili

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    16 Comments

    1. this recipe looks super yummy, love all the veggies in the recipe makes it even better to me. The nutrition value and taste I believe will be outstanding will try this soon
      come see us at http://shopannies.blogspot.com

    2. Your Chili would be delicious on this cold winter day! Hope you are having a great day and thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday.
      Come Back Soon
      Miz Helen

    3. Alisa Infanti says:

      Looks so good and your pictures are beautiful!

    4. This looks absolutely delicious! We are big chili fans in this house and I’m always down for some southwestern flavor. Definitely going on the next meal plan. Thanks so much for sharing your delicious recipe with us at Merry Monday this week!

    5. I’m so excited, I have all the ingredients for this in my cupboard, definitely making it tomorrow! Thanks for sharing!

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