A quick and easy weeknight dinner, this smokey chipotle black bean and turkey chili is perfect for a cold winter's night.
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My husband is a firm believer that chili can only be called chili if it has beef, sausage and beans. I, the other hand am a little more adventurous. I like a chicken chili, a veggie chili, and I really like this turkey chili. A little bit smoky from the chipotle in adobo, and little bit tart from the lime juice, and a little bit healthier than a traditional chili which I can definitely appreciate as we enter the holiday season. It also comes together in under 45 minutes, which means that it’s perfect for a cold winter weeknight dinner.

Yield
4
Author
Sara Rauckhorst
Prep time
10 Min
Cook time
30 Min
Total time
40 Min
Black Bean and Turkey Chili
A quick and easy weeknight dinner, this smokey chipotle black bean and turkey chili is perfect for a cold winter's night.
Ingredients
Black Bean and Turkey Chili
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion, Diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3-4 sprigs of fresh cilantro
- 1 pound ground turkey
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 chipotle in adobo pepper, chopped fine
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
- 1 cup water or chicken broth
Fried Tortilla Strips
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 4 small corn tortillas
- 1 lime, quartered
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper
Topping Options
- Sour Cream
- Cheese
- Pickled Red Onion
- Fresh Cilantro
- Avocado
- Pickled Radishes
- Green Onion
Instructions
- Start by chopping the onions and garlic, and cutting the corn tortillas into thin strips. Pick the leaves off of the cilantro stems, and set aside. Chop the cilantro stems into small pieces.
- In a large pot, heat olive oil, and add onion, garlic, and cilantro stems and cook stirring for about 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add the ground turkey. Season with the chili powder, and salt and pepper.
- Cook, breaking up the meat until browned - about 5-7 minutes.Once the turkey is browned, add the can of crushed tomatoes, chipotle pepper, the black beans (with their liquid) and then fill the black bean can up with water or chicken broth and add that in.
- Stir together to combine, and then bring to a boil.Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.Divide the chili into bowls, and top with the tortilla strips, sour cream, lime juice, and any other chili toppings you like!
To Make the Tortilla Strips
- While the chili simmers, heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Once it’s shimmering, add the tortilla strips in a single layer, and fry, stirring frequently until golden brown and crisp. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your skillet.
- Once cooked, remove to a paper towel lined plate and season with salt and pepper, cayenne pepper (spicy, so be careful!!) and the juice from one of the quartered pieces of lime.
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