Terrific Turkey Chili with Black Beans

This Terrific Turkey Chili with Black Beans has just the right amount of sweetness and smoky flavor, thanks to a little barbecue sauce. This has been my go-to chili recipe for years!

You're going to want to save this ground turkey chili recipe. Everyone I know who's tried it has made it again and again for their families.

That's just what I was going for when I first created it! I was trying to please my entire household, despite everyone having different chili preferences.

Some like it hot and spicy (hi, Guys!) Some prefer it mild (hey, Baby Girl!), some like it a little sweet (hey, that's me!) and some never want beans to be included (there's my Picky Eater!)

Ingredients

This BBQ chili provides a delicious base that's full of flavor from the ground turkey, onions, red peppers, hint of barbecue sauce and perfect blend of spices that provides a touch of heat. Ground turkey is more flavorful than beef, and I even make turkey meatballs with it!

The black beans add a nice accent and texture, but can be withheld until the bean haters take a serving. (I got you!)

And..heat seekers can kick things up a notch by adding red pepper flakes, if desired.

Substitutions

Meat: While ground turkey provides the best taste, you could use ground beef, pork or chicken instead.

Bell peppers: You could add yellow or orange ones instead of red, for nearly identical taste. These colorful peppers are all sweeter than green peppers, and perfectly complement the sweetness from the barbecue sauce. But, you could substitute green peppers for a more savory option.

Beans: Black beans are my absolute favorite and are key to a black bean chili recipe! But...I'll forgive you if you need to omit them or substitute something like kidney beans or Great Northern beans. Use what you like!

BBQ Sauce: You can use a homemade one or my family's favorite, Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Barbecue Sauce (affiliate link).

How to make the best turkey chili

All the action happens in one pot. You'll sauté an onion, brown the ground turkey, then scoop out some of the liquid fat.

You'll add red peppers, then canned, peeled tomatoes. You can break up the tomatoes with a potato masher or use a fork and knife to cut them up right in the pot.

Next, you'll mix in the BBQ sauce, seasonings and black beans. Finally, you'll let the chili cook for 30 minutes.

Done!

How to serve it

I always serve this in soup bowls, topped with freshly shredded cheddar. The chili is perfect with a side of corn and a green salad, but you could serve it over rice, if you prefer.

Other chili toppings to try include:

• Sour cream
• Guacamole
• Tortilla chips

How to store it

Refrigerate the leftovers in a sealed container for up to four days. You also could freeze the chili portioned out in freezer bags, with the air pressed out.

Reheat the leftovers in the microwave before serving.

More recipes like this

• Homemade Taco Dip
• Italian Meatloaf with Chicken or Turkey
• Stuffed Peppers
• Pasta with Bolognese Sauce
• Cheese-Stuffed Meatloaf

Enjoy!

(Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C. Originally published on October 16, 2014 and updated now with new photos and text.)

Terrific Turkey Chili with Black Beans

This Terrific Turkey Chili with Black Beans has just the right amount of sweetness and smoky flavor, thanks to a little barbecue sauce. This has been my go-to chili recipe for years!

5 from 3 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 337kcal

Author: Mamma C

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 2 pounds lean ground turkey (or beef, chicken, pork)
• ▢ 1 medium onion (yellow, white or red)
• ▢ 1 red bell pepper (or yellow, orange; see notes)
• ▢ 28- ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes
• ▢ ¼ cup barbecue sauce
• ▢ 3 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon + ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon cumin
• ▢ ⅓ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more, for extra heat)
• ▢ 15- ounce can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• ▢ Shredded cheddar for serving (optional)
• ▢ Red pepper flakes for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Peel and chop the onion. Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium high. Add the onions and cook until they're tender, stirring occasionally.
• While the onions are cooking, rinse the red pepper and pat it dry. Cut out the stem, then cut the pepper in half to remove the seeds and membrane. Cut the red pepper into ¾-inch pieces.
• When the onions are soft, add the ground meat to the pan and break it up with a cooking spoon, stirring to combine with the onions. Cook the turkey until it is no longer pink. Use a ladle to scoop out about ½ cup of the liquid fat and discard it. (Leave some fat for flavor.)
• With a clean spoon, stir the red peppers into the pot and let them cook for a minute. Add the canned tomatoes (including any liquid). Use a potato masher to mash the tomatoes a bit (or cut them up with a fork and knife).
• Stir in the barbecue sauce and chili powder, salt, cumin, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Add the drained beans and stir to combine.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, loosely covered. You can use a wooden spoon resting on the edge of the pot to prop open the lid. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
• Serve chili with shredded cheddar and red pepper flakes at the table, if desired. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days, or freeze them.

Notes

Substitutions

Meat: While ground turkey provides the best taste, you could use ground beef, pork or chicken instead.

Bell peppers: You could add yellow or orange ones instead of red, for nearly identical taste. These colorful peppers are all sweeter than green peppers, and perfectly complement the sweetness from the barbecue sauce. But, you could substitute green peppers for a more savory option.

Beans: You can omit them if needed or add them at the end, if you need to first serve someone chili without beans. If you don't have black beans, you could try kidney beans or Great Northern.

BBQ Sauce: You can use a homemade one or my family's favorite, Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Barbecue Sauce (affiliate link).

Chili Toppings to Try

• shredded cheddar
• sour cream
• guacamole
• tortilla chips

Nutrition

Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 973mg | Potassium: 1032mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1221IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 4mg

Tried this Recipe? Mention @cookingwithmammac or tag #CookingWithMammaC!