My cookbook is here! 
This California turkey chili is the greatest weekend meal with its hearty ground meat and beans spiced just right.
In the winter we make this dish A LOT; especially on the weekends. It’s so hearty, filling AND DELICIOUS. I sometimes make it with rice but it really doesn’t even need it.
You can definitely sub in any ground meat for the turkey, like beef or chicken. If you do get turkey, I would definitely recommend getting the one with the higher fat percentage.
The most important part of this recipe are the spices. DON’T BE AFRAID. OR, you can adjust as you go. Add some flavor and then taste. The flour and tomato paste are also very important with this recipe because they thicken up the dish.
Toppings:
Also paramount in this endeavor are the toppings. You don’t want to skip or forget about them. Personally, I’d say I CANNOT eat this chili without a little cheese and avocado. But the sour cream and chives are also a necessity here too.
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California Turkey Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
- 3 jalapeños, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 lbs (0.90 kg) ground turkey
- 2 tbs flour
- 4 tbs tomato paste
- 2-3 tbs brown sugar
- 1 tbs chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 32 oz (0.90 l) low sodium chicken broth
- 15 oz (425 g) cannellini beans, drained + rinsed
- 15 oz (425 g) red kidney beans, drained + rinsed
- 1/2 cup (66 g) pureed sweet potato
Toppings:
- avocado, sliced
- shredded cheddar cheese
- sour cream
- fresh chives, chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat your oil over medium. Add in the jalapeños, onion, pepper and garlic and sauté until vegetables soften, about 4 minutes.
- Add in the ground turkey and with a wooden spoon, break up the meat until browned and no longer pink – about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle everything with flour and stir for 1 minute to coat. Add in the tomato paste and stir until all are coated.
- Add in all of the seasonings and brown sugar and mix to coat.
- Pour in the broth and the beans and bring to a simmer. Cook on low for 25-30 minutes or until chili thickens. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Can you make this in the crockpot?
yes!
Always delightful recipes…easy to print off too!…
Thank you so much!
Cooks up quickly and will feed a ton of people. I like the cinnamon flavor (reminds of Cincinnati chili) but it’s a bit too sweet. Next time I make it, I’ll omit the sugar. I was skeptical about putting in 4 jalapeños, but it’s not too spicy at all. Great flavor
Do you use red kidney beans or dark red kidney beans? And the other thing is where it says add pepper do you mean the peppers? I think it’s better if you add the word orange pepper because when you’re in the middle of it people might add black pepper again. Thanks
Great recipe, too much cinnamon flavor for our liking but would use it again just with less cinnamon and more chili powder. Topped with hot sauce, cheese, diced onion, crackers, and sour cream!
Hi Carly, Thanks for trying the chili and leaving your feedback – definitely appreciated! Cheers!
I loved this recipe! Only thing I’d skip is cinnamon since I could taste it but I don’t like the taste of cinnamon.