Turkey Quinoa Chili

This is a pretty standard turkey chili recipe except for the addition of quinoa, which adds both protein and thickness. While some people make turkey chili for health benefits, the great news is that it’s simply a delicious soup. This recipe is perfect for a cold weeknight day when you need something warm!

This turkey quinoa chili is the perfect warm soup.

I’ll always be ready for chili. It’s usually the first soup I make when the weather even flirts with lower temperatures. By low, we’re talking about maybe a 70-degree day in August instead of the usual 90 degrees. Long story short: I love chili!

I’ve also come to terms with the fact that I’m someone who’ll always be making new versions of my favorite recipes. This chili is a perfect case in point. It has all the flavor of a classic chili but with a few twists. Instead of beef, this recipe uses ground turkey. Turkey is lean with healthy protein and offers a lighter but still hearty option. To up the flavor without any additional work, this recipe utilizes my pantry’s secret weapon: fire-roasted diced tomatoes. These canned tomatoes have a firey, smoky flavor without any spice. They’re perfect!

At the end, quinoa is mixed in and cooked with the soup. The quinoa soaks in some of the liquid and provides a perfect stew-like finish to the chili. It’s nothing short of classic flavors, simply a fresh take!

Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.

• Ground turkey is a great protein to keep in the freezer. This lean meat often goes unnoticed when swapped into soups, especially chili. Turkey is slightly lighter in flavor but works well with the intensity of chili seasonings.
• Bay leaves are usually the butt of the joke when it comes to cooking. Do they actually do anything? They do, in fact! The key is to use fresh leaves that have not been hidden in the pantry for years. Bay offers a base underlying flavor that you won’t pick out but will definitely notice if it’s missing. Trust me.
• Quinoa is a seed that’s packed with healthy omega fats and protein. It adds an ideal texture to the soup and helps thicken the liquid.
• Fire-roasted diced tomatoes will become a favorite canned pantry good for you if you start to use them. Instead of just canning the tomatoes, they’re fire-roasted first, which adds immense flavor.

Here’s how to make this recipe.

1. Brown the turkey. In a large pot or Dutch oven on the stove, add some neutral oil. Once the oil has been heated, add the ground turkey. Using a wooden spatula or spoon, break up the turkey into small pieces and allow it to brown in the pot for about eight minutes.

2. Prepare the vegetables. Chop up the onion into a fine dice and bell peppers into a rough dice. Once the ground turkey has browned, add both vegetables to the turkey in the pot. Add the salt and mix everything together until combined. Let the vegetables soften for about six minutes.

3. Add the spices. Once the vegetables have softened, add the chili powder, dried oregano, cumin, and bay leaves. Mix all of the spices into the vegetable and ground turkey mixture. 

4. Add the beans, liquids, and quinoa. To the pot, add the drained and rinsed red kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato juice, chicken stock, and quinoa. Mix all of the liquids together with the vegetables and spices.

5. Cook until ready. Once everything is mixed, cover the soup, bring it to a boil, and then let simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Once fully cooked, remove the bay leaves, and serve immediately.

These pro tips will make this recipe a success.

• Since turkey does not have a lot of fat, cooking the ground turkey in some oil will add some necessary browning and flavor.
• Adding the spices to the cooked vegetables and ground turkey before adding in the liquids of the soup will allow the spices to bloom. This translates into greater and deeper flavor, which would not be quite as noticeable if the spices were added after the liquids.
• Using fire-roasted diced tomatoes will add just a bit of extra flavor to the chili. They’re not a necessity, and regular diced tomatoes can be used, but the fire-roasted ones make everything just a bit better.
• If simmering the soup for longer than 30 minutes, hold the quinoa and do not add until the last 20 minutes of cooking.

You’ll love these other soup recipes.

• Tomato tortellini soup
• Black bean soup
• Creamy curry lentil soup
• White bean chicken chili
• Dairy-free creamy tomato soup
• Slow cooker chili
• Sausage meatball kale soup
• Homemade chicken noodle soup
• Slow cooker turkey, sweet potato, and kale soup
• Black bean and squash chili

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