You deserve an upgrade from that vintage bottle of chili powder lurking in the back of your cabinet. Let this hearty turkey chili recipe guide you. To make it, you’ll blend a robust purée of dried chiles and canned chipotles to serve as the soup’s base.
Building a custom chile blend allows you to create the chili of your dreams, which is to say: don’t worry too much if you can’t find the exact chiles we recommend. (And also, yes, chile and chili refer to different things.) Dark ancho chiles are smoky and have a raisiny sweetness; skinny, wrinkly pasillas a rich jamminess; and smooth-skinned guajillos bring bright red color and acidity. If you need to swap one out, aim for something around the same heat level (read more in our guide to chiles). Feel free to make a double batch and stick half in the freezer (for up to 6 months) to make satisfying your next weeknight chili craving even easier.
We prefer dark meat turkey for its richer flavor and fat content, but if all you have in the fridge is lean ground turkey or ground chicken, it’ll work. Brown it in batches to get a really good sear—the crusty fond that forms on the bottom of the pot is big-time flavor. When you sauté the veg, use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those bits (the steam from the veggies will help release them) and stir them into the mix. We love the flavor a bottle of hard cider or beer adds to chili, but if you’d rather cook without alcohol, substitute fresh apple cider, a can of crushed tomatoes or tomato juice, or add a cup more water instead.
We round out the soup with creamy white beans, but you probably already know any bean will do. Red kidney beans, pinto beans, and black beans are good substitutes. Like many comfort foods, chili is personal: put out bowls of shredded cheddar cheese, thinly sliced green onion, or pickled red onion, if you like. For an extra kick, grab the hot sauce or pickled jalapeños. Serve with broken tostadas or tortilla chips for scooping or cornbread for dunking.
Looking for ground beef chili or chicken chili? We have you covered.
Recipe information
Yield
8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring broth to a simmer in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot. Meanwhile, remove and discard stems from ancho, guajillo, and pasilla chiles. Tear flesh into a few pieces, letting seeds fall out. Transfer to a blender. Add hot broth and cover blender; let sit until chiles are softened, 25–30 minutes. Add chipotle chiles and blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute; set aside.
Step 2
Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in same pot over medium-high. Season turkey all over with salt. Add half of turkey to pot and smash down with a wooden spoon to flatten against surface of pot and break into smaller clumps. Cook, undisturbed, until underside is browned, top side is no longer pink, and most of the liquid is cooked off, 8–10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. Repeat with another 2 Tbsp. oil and remaining turkey.
Step 3
Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in same pot over medium. Add onions and garlic; season with salt and stir to combine. Cover pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, very soft, and starting to brown around the edges, 10–12 minutes. Add cumin and oregano and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and sizzling, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring to coat vegetables, until paste darkens slightly, about 1 minute. Add cider, cinnamon, and bay leaves and scrape up any brown bits stuck to bottom of pot (if you’re not using cider, skip this step and increase water in next step to 5 cups). Bring to a lively simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is mostly reduced, about 5 minutes.
Step 4
Add reserved chile purée, beans, and maple syrup. Add 4 cups water to blender, swish around to loosen any remaining purée, then pour into pot; season with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and gently simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until liquid is thickened and very flavorful, about 1 hour. Add turkey and simmer until flavors have melded, about 30 minutes longer.
Step 5
Meanwhile, stir yogurt, lime juice, and cilantro in a small bowl to combine. Season to taste with salt.
Step 6
Taste chili and season with salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat and fish out cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Divide chili among bowls. Top with a dollop of yogurt-lime sauce and some broken tostadas.
Do Ahead: Chili (without yogurt sauce and tostadas) can be made 3 days ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and chill.
