Quick Turkey Chili

By Genevieve Ko

Published October 23, 2025

  • Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(1,175)
Comments
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Can this be considered chili if it’s ready in half an hour? For a completely fresh take, yes — yes, it can. Right when it’s done, the kale, cilantro and peppers remain green as grass with a bright bite. The turkey is still tender and juicy, the tomatoes tangy and the spices tingly. Those distinct lanes of flavor merge if you keep the pot over low heat for an hour or more, or if you pack up leftovers and reheat them throughout the week. Thickened with lentils and a whole pound of kale, this chili is hearty with protein and fiber, making it as satisfying as it is satiating.

Featured in: This Fast, Protein-Packed Chili Will Fuel Your Halloween

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

  • Grapeseed or canola oil

  • 1 large yellow onion, diced

  • 3 Hatch or Cubanelle peppers, seeded and diced

  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 1 serrano or jalapeño chile, seeded for mild if desired, finely chopped

  • Salt and black pepper

  • 1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat

  • 3 tablespoons chili powder

  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1 pound frozen kale, thawed

  • 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles

  • 2 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed

  • 1 (15-ounce) can lentils, drained and rinsed

  • 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped (including stems)

  • Lime wedges, sour cream or yogurt, cheese and rice (optional), for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 to 8 servings)

27 grams carbs; 38 milligrams cholesterol; 280 calories; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 11 grams fat; 12 grams fiber; 974 milligrams sodium; 23 grams protein; 7 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over high until hot. Add a very thin sheen of oil and swirl to coat. Add the onion and spread in a single layer. Cook, without stirring, until the bottoms are deeply charred, 2 to 3 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Drizzle more oil into the pan. Add the peppers, garlic and serrano. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Push the vegetables to one side of the pot.

  3. Step 3

    Coat the empty side of the pot with oil, and then add the turkey and spread it over that half of the pan. Sprinkle the turkey and vegetables with the chili powder, coriander and cumin. Cook, smashing the spices and aromatics into the meat and breaking the meat into tiny pieces, 2 to 3 minutes. The spices should smell toasted.

  4. Step 4

    Add the kale and cook, stirring, until any liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth and bring to a boil. For a thicker chili, smash the lentils a bit. Stir in the lentils and return to a boil. Turn the heat down to maintain a simmer and stir in half of the cilantro. At this point, the chili is ready and will taste light and fresh with crisp green vegetables. You also can keep simmering it for hours over the lowest heat setting for a softer, stewier chili. If the mixture dries out, add more broth or water.

  5. Step 5

    Serve the chili with the lime wedges, sour cream, cheese and remaining cilantro, over rice if you’d like.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,175 user ratings
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Comments

KDA

About a tsp of cocoa powder adds depth to any chili and it won't taste like chocolate, I promise! I also like to add a little dollop of spicy brown mustard if my chili starts to taste too "brown" and needs a little balancing acidity.

John

@Gary V. Those meat substitutes are full of junk

Gary V.

Perfect for a vegetarian. Swap the Turkey for Beyond Meat crumbles, vegetarian broth for the chicken broth, and we are done. If the Chiles are too mild, swap for some "heartier" Chiles...

GailV

Tasty but a bit more of a “soupy” chili ( and yes, I did smash about 1/3 of lentils)and my family prefers a thicker more stew like variety. The kale was a nice addition which I may add to my standard recipe. Also I backed WAY off on peppers, using only one jalapeño, the 3 TBS chili powder can cut back as well if your clan are not fans of spicey.

Elizabeth P

This recipe was frustrating. Yes, it's quick once you have all the ingredients together. The worst problem was finding tomatoes with green chiles, frozen chopped kale and canned lentils in my metropolitan Bay Area community. Hatch chiles are in season in August but perhaps the recipe should say how to use canned Hatch chiles when they aren't around. All in all, I thought all the work to find these uncommon ingredients wasn't worth the modestly good chili. It is healthy, however.

TimJ

Very tasty. My only complaint is that this is one of those "easy, quick recipes" that starts the 30 minute timer after your onions, garlic, cilantro, and peppers have all been chopped

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