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Large red Dutch oven filled with turkey quinoa chili with a wooden spoon resting on the side of the pot with pieces of meat and vegetables inside.
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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!
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Difficulty Easy
Method Cooking
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 236kcal
Author Kaleb

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 bell peppers diced
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 15-oz cans red kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 15-oz cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 4 cups tomato juice (or purée)
  • 1 ½ cups chicken stock
  • ¾ cup quinoa

Instructions

  • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a 6-quart stockpot over medium heat. Brown the ground turkey, breaking it into small bite-size pieces, 8 minutes.
    1 lb ground turkey
  • Add the onion and the bell peppers and allow them to soften, 6 minutes. Add the salt, chili powder, oregano, cumin, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
    1 onion, 2 bell peppers, 1 ½ tsp salt, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp cumin, 2 bay leaves
  • Pour in the kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato juice, chicken stock, and quinoa. Stir and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the soup. Simmer until the quinoa is soft, 20-30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves, then serve.
    2 15-oz cans red kidney beans, 2 15-oz cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, 4 cups tomato juice (or purée), 1 ½ cups chicken stock, ¾ cup quinoa

Notes

  • 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 236kcal