Easy Instant Pot Turkey Chili

Name: Easy Instant Pot Turkey Chili
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: Avocado oil; 1 yellow onion, diced; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 bell pepper, diced; 1 lb ground turkey; 1/2 cup chicken broth; 14 oz can low-sodium red kidney beans, drained and rinsed; 14 oz can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed; 14 oz can low-sodium cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; 1/2 cup frozen corn; 1/2 cup frozen peas; 28 oz can diced tomatoes, with juice; 2 TBSP tomato paste; 4 TBSP chili seasoning, preferably homemade (See below); more or less to taste; 2 TBSP Chili powder; 1.5 TBSP Garlic powder; 3 tsp Cumin; 2 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes; 1.5 tsp Onion powder; 1.5 tsp Dried oregano; 1.5 tsp Sea salt; 1 tsp Smoked paprika; 1 tsp Cracked black pepper; Sliced green onions; Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream; Shredded cheese; Crushed red pepper flakes

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by Dana Sandonato // January 1, 2022

Say hello to a simple heart-healthy Instant Pot Turkey Chili recipe. Quick enough to be a weeknight regular!

Turkey chili in a bowl with shredded cheddar, sour cream, and sliced scallions.

Table of Contents

Impromptu Weeknight Turkey Chili? It Can Happen.

Most stovetop chilis cook for up to an hour. Slow cooker chilis? Several hours! But this Instant Pot Turkey Chili is ready to eat in less than 30 minutes. And it’s so easy. Like, too easy. In fact, it’s so effortless that it probably doesn’t deserve to be as delicious as it is, but hey! We’ll take the win. And if the idea of replacing ground beef with ground turkey scares you, just stay with me. The lack of fat does not result in a lack of flavor here. You’d honestly never know; it’s a heart-healthy swap worth doing.

The Ingredients Are Pretty Typical.

Besides using ground turkey instead of ground beef, we’re not doing anything too wild here. We’ve got an easy blend of homemade chili seasoning that incorporates all of our favorite warming flavors, hearty beans, and the appropriate vegetables which you can adapt to your taste. Here’s the full list of what you’ll need to make this gloriously quick Instant Pot Turkey Chili:

Ground turkey
Chicken broth
Yellow onion
Garlic cloves
Bell pepper (any color is fine, but keep in mind that the red, orange, and yellow varieties are a little sweeter.)
Frozen corn
Frozen peas
Cans of low-sodium beans: red kidney, cannellini or navy beans, and black beans
Can of low-sodium diced tomatoes
Tomato paste
Avocado oil

For the homemade chili seasoning:

Chili powder
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Crushed red pepper flakes
Dried oregano
Smoked paprika (regular or sweet paprika is also fine)
Ground cumin
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper

As for toppings, that’s a personal thing. Some people keep it plain while others load their chili with all the fixin’s. I like to top mine with tangy sliced scallions, shredded cheddar, and a plop of plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Not only is it richer tasting, but it’s good for you! You can also add some more heat with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper or a drizzle of your go-to hot sauce.

Plate of ground turkey meat surrounded by bowls of other chili ingredients.

Small dish with spices for homemade chili seasoning all in individual piles.

Here’s How to Make Instant Pot Turkey Chili.

Mix all of the chili seasoning spices into a small bowl and set it aside.
Activate the Sauté function and let the pot warm up. Once warm, drizzle in the oil to coat the bottom.
Add the onions, peppers, and garlic, and simmer until the onions have softened—about three minutes—stirring occasionally.
Transfer the ground turkey to the pot. Break it down with a spatula and stir it around, letting it cook briefly for about 2-3 minutes. It’s totally fine if you still see some pink.
Pour the broth into the pot, sprinkle in about half of the seasoning (you can stir more in later if you decide you want a bolder flavor), and stir.
Add the beans (drained and rinsed), corn, peas, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Give everything a very quick stir, but there’s no need to fully mix it.
Finally, cancel the Sauté function. Close the lid on the Instant Pot, lock it into place, and position the vent to the Sealing position.
Cook on High pressure for 15 minutes.
When the Instant Pot beeps to notify you that it’s done, carefully do a quick release by moving the valve from Sealing to Venting.
Once the pressure has completely released, open the lid, and once the steam has escaped, give everything a good stir.
Taste test: if you think you need it, add a bit more of the seasoning. If not, you can seal up and store the seasoning for another time (it works great with this Instant Pot Ground Turkey Taco recipe).
Serve immediately with your favorite toppings!

Collage of four process photos of chili ingredients being cooked in the Instant Pot.

Hands with chunky-knit sweater holding a bowl of turkey chili.

Equipment You’ll Need:

Recipe Tips + Tricks:

Want a smoky flavor to your chili? Add a bit of liquid smoke along with the broth.
If you eventually find yourself wanting to try this with ground beef, everything works the same. Simply swap it in for the turkey—same goes for ground chicken!
This chili will keep in the fridge sealed in a container for up to three days.
You can freeze this chili for up to 6 months in a freezer-friendly bag or container.

Other Must-Try Ground Turkey Recipes:

Have You Made This Recipe?

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