Easy Turkey Mince Chilli Recipe

This turkey mince chilli is one of my quicker chilli recipes, so it’s a handy one to have when you haven’t put the slow cooker on first thing in the morning and suddenly realise everyone is going to want feeding!

It’s made with turkey mince, kidney beans, passata, onion, garlic, fresh chilli and a mixture of paprika, oregano, cayenne and cumin. The whole thing takes around 25 minutes from start to finish and makes two portions.

I originally made it as an alternative to my usual beef chilli con carne. Turkey mince has a milder flavour than beef, but with plenty of spices and tomato sauce it works really well in a chilli.

You can also make this in the slow cooker if that suits your day better, and I’ve included my slow cooker method further down.

If you specifically want a beef version, try my slow cooker chilli con carne instead. That’s a larger four-portion recipe with beef mince, peppers and a slightly different combination of spices.

What goes into turkey mince chilli?

The main ingredient is, unsurprisingly, turkey mince. My recipe only uses 100g because it makes two portions, with kidney beans helping to bulk out the chilli too.

Turkey mince can vary in fat content just as other types of mince can, so check the packet if that’s something that’s important to you rather than assuming every pack of turkey mince is identical.

I then use kidney beans, passata, onion, garlic and fresh chilli, along with paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper and cumin.

There’s also a vegetable stock cube and a splash of water. Don’t add loads of water at the beginning because it’s much easier to loosen a chilli that’s too thick than rescue one you’ve accidentally turned into spicy tomato soup!

How spicy is this turkey chilli?

There’s fresh chilli as well as cayenne pepper in my recipe, so it does have some heat.

If you’re cooking for someone who prefers milder food, reduce the fresh chilli or cayenne rather than feeling you have to make it exactly as I do.

You can always put extra chilli or hot sauce on the table for anyone who wants more heat. That’s considerably easier than trying to remove chilli once everyone is sitting there with steam coming out of their ears.

How to make turkey mince chilli

Start by cooking the turkey mince in a large pan until it’s browned, then add the finely chopped onion and continue cooking until the onion has softened.

Add the passata, drained kidney beans, garlic, chilli, stock and spices, then stir everything together.

You can add a splash of water depending on how thick you like your chilli. I’d start with very little because the passata already gives you plenty of sauce.

Let everything cook together until the turkey is thoroughly cooked and the sauce has thickened to your liking.

That’s really all there is to it, which is why this is such a useful recipe when you want something quick rather than a chilli that needs hours of cooking.

Can I make turkey chilli in the slow cooker?

Yes. If you’d rather get dinner organised earlier in the day, this recipe can also be made in the slow cooker.

Add the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook for around 6 hours on LOW.

You can brown the turkey mince first if you prefer, but I don’t think it’s essential for this recipe.

Because very little liquid evaporates from a slow cooker, be particularly careful with the “splash of water” in the ingredients. I wouldn’t add extra water automatically. Check the consistency later and add some if it genuinely needs it.

If your chilli is thinner than you’d like towards the end, take the lid off and let it cook for a little while longer rather than adding even more liquid.

For loads more dinners you can get started earlier in the day, have a look through my slow cooker recipes.

What should I serve with turkey chilli?

Rice is probably the obvious choice and works really well if you want a simple dinner. I’ve got plenty of rice ideas if you fancy doing something more interesting than plain boiled rice too.

Another favourite of mine is a jacket potato. Chilli is one of those fillings that makes a jacket potato feel like a proper dinner rather than something you’ve thrown together because there was nothing else in the fridge.

Potato wedges are good too, particularly if everyone wants something they can pile chilli, cheese and other toppings onto.

For toppings, try grated cheese, soured cream or Greek yoghurt, chopped spring onions, coriander or a little extra fresh chilli.

I’d put the toppings on the table and let everyone choose their own. It’s much easier than discovering after you’ve served dinner that apparently someone has decided they no longer like cheese despite eating it perfectly happily last Tuesday.

Can I make a bigger batch?

Absolutely. The recipe card makes two portions, but chilli is one of the easiest meals to scale up if you’re feeding more people or want leftovers.

You can use the 2x or 3x buttons on the recipe card to adjust the quantities.

If you’re deliberately making extra, portion the leftovers once they’ve cooled appropriately and store them in the fridge or freezer.

I like freezing chilli without rice and cooking fresh rice when I need it. It also means a portion of chilli can become something completely different another day – rice one night, a jacket potato another, or even chilli-loaded wedges.

Reheat leftovers thoroughly before serving and check current Food Standards Agency guidance if you’re unsure about cooling, storing or reheating cooked food safely.

What about Slimming World and other weight-loss plans?

I originally shared this turkey chilli when Just Average Jen was much more focused on Slimming World, which is why older versions of the recipe talked a lot about Syns, Weight Watchers and other diet plans.

I’m deliberately moving away from giving fixed values because plans change and the exact turkey mince, stock and other ingredients you buy can make a difference.

If you’re following a particular plan, check the current values for the products you’re actually using.

For me, the more useful thing about this recipe is that it’s a simple homemade chilli with turkey, kidney beans and tomato that you can serve in whichever way works for you and your family.

More recipes you may enjoy

For more recipes that use mince that you could adapt to make turkey mince recipes, check out my mince recipe guide and my turkey mince guide, including turkey mince burgers.

If you don’t fancy this but would like another recipe with rice check out my huge selection of rice recipes here and check out my tips for cooking the perfect rice!

Here are a few recipes I have picked out for you that I think you will love.

How about this veggie chilli recipe from a fellow blogger?

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