Name: Healthy Turkey Chili with Butternut Squash
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt; Shredded cheese (I used cheddar); Sliced avocado; Cilantro; Green onion; 1 white onion, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 3 carrots, diced; 1 butternut squash, peeled and cleaned out, then cut into cubes (some stores have bags already cubed); 1 large zucchini, diced; 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3-4 garlic cloves); 2 pounds ground turkey; 1, 28 ounce can diced tomatoes; 1, 28 ounce crushed tomatoes; 1, 15 ounce can tomato sauce; 1, 15 ounce can red kidney beans (add 1 more can if you like more beans); 1 cup water; ¼ cup masa flour; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; ½ teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon dried parsley; 1 teaspoon dried basil; ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you like it spicy); ½ teaspoon black pepper; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chili powder; Olive oil for browning

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It’s chili time! This healthy turkey chili has all the delicious ingredients as my favorite homemade chili. However, it includes tons of vegetables, and uses ground turkey instead of ground beef. It’s incredibly nutritious, low in fat, and still tastes like comfort in a bowl.

I was looking through the blog and realized I must really love chili because I have several recipes for it. From slow cooker chicken chili, to white bean chicken chili to Lentil Chili there’s a chili recipe for everyone! This is why I really enjoy making it. It’s so versatile and always tastes amazing. There are several reasons to make this Healthy Turkey Chili recipe. Let’s get into it!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy to make – everything is cooked in one pot, making the process so much easier.
Packed full of nutrients – it has as ton of health benefits from all the vegetables and lean ground turkey. It’s high in protein and full of vitamins.
Tasty – I can speak from experience. I truly love this recipe! My sister-in-law also really enjoys it!
Great leftovers – I find that chili actually tastes better the next day. Leftovers are always delicious.

Turkey Chili Ingredients

See recipes card below for amounts and details.

Ground turkey – I prefer dark meat turkey, but white or dark will work. Sometimes I’ll do a mixture!
Carrots – Why not? Carrots are great in any soup or stew. They add a little sweetness.
Zucchini – It just felt right.
Butternut squash – Because it’s fall! I love the sweetness it adds and it pairs really well with spices.
Green pepper – I use green pepper in my homemade chili so it’s going in this one.
Onion and garlic – For flavor.
Tomatoes – Diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce create the perfect base for this chili. Not too thick and not too thin.
Red kidney beans – Another classic ingredient. Pinto or cannelloni beans would also work nice.
Masa flour – A little masa flour smooths out the sauce and adds a hint of corn flavor. It’s mixed with water to make a slurry.
Spices – Chili powder, cumin, oregano, basil, parsley, cayenne, salt and pepper. I love this spice blend for chili. It’s robust and flavorful.

Instructions: Three Simple Steps

Step 1 – Sauté the vegetables. This gives them some nice color and gives them a chance to caramelize.
Step 2 – Cook the turkey. Add the turkey and spices with the vegetables and cook until cooked through. Easy!
Step 3 – Add the tomatoes and masa flour, stir and let simmer. The whole process takes about an hour and half.

I mean look at the veggies! It’s such a hearty and delicious recipe. You wouldn’t even know that it’s incredibly nutritious because it tastes and looks so comforting.

Healthy Turkey Chili with Butternut Squash Recipe

Some Helpful Tips

Although this recipe is straight-forward, there are a few things I find helpful.

Read through the entire recipe before starting, and prepare the ingredients ahead of time. This helps prevent mistakes and makes clean up easier.
Make sure to get some color on the vegetables. Sauté them at a medium-medium high heat. This adds lots of flavor.
Simmer baby! The longer it simmers the better it will be. Be patient and let it do its thing
I love using my Le Creuset Dutch Oven for these types of recipes. It holds all the ingredients and cooks evenly.

Can I make it in my slow cooker?

Sure can! If you have a slow cooker with a sauté/sear function, saute the vegetables and cook the turkey. Then add the rest of the ingredients and slow cook for 3-4 hours on low or 5-8 hours on high. I use the Ninja slow cooker and it work great.

If you don’t have a sauté/sear function, sauté the vegetables and cook the turkey in a skillet. Then add them to your slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients.

And there you have it, a delicious and nutritious recipe for Homemade Healthy Turkey Chili with Butternut Squash. Wow, that’s a mouthful, literally. You’ll love it! Let me know what you think! Comment below – I love hearing from you!

Yield: 6-8 servings