Turkey Chili with Pumpkin

You will love the flavors of this Turkey Chili with Pumpkin. It has the perfect balance of spicy and sweet and loaded with lots of hearty and healthy ingredients. Top with all your favorite chili goodies for a comforting meal.

Post and recipe revised on 10/1/2024

What You’ll Love About Turkey Chili with Pumpkin:

This Turkey Chili with Pumpkin has been part of our fall/winter favorites for many years. It’s so easy to make and takes less than 40-minutes from start to finish. It has that classic chili flavor we all love, and a special touch of pumpkin for the perfect balance of sweet and spicy.

Anytime I make this chili for family and friends they can never guess the secret ingredient is pumpkin. It’s a silent but important participant. Using pumpkin puree is great for soups, stews, and chilis because it blends right in with the sauce and naturally thickens it. The flavor is mild and the slight sweetness only helps to balance the flavors, not make it overly sweet.

This is a fun recipe to serve during the Autumn season for obvious reasons, but equally a cozy dish to serve during the cooler months. It will warm you up fast! Top with your favorite chili toppings or make a batch of my Zucchini Corn Bread. It’s comforting and so good.

Simple Ingredients:

• Olive oil- To cook with the ground turkey.
• Ground turkey- I use lean ground turkey for this recipe.
• Onion and garlic- This adds flavor to the turkey.
• Black beans and red kidney beans– I like using a combination of beans for a variety of texture.
• Pumpkin puree- Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling.
• Fire roasted tomatoes– The fire roasted tomatoes gives the chili a smoky flavor.
• Roasted corn- This could be frozen or canned corn.
• Chicken stock- Better than bouillon is my favorite.
• Seasonings- Chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt and pepper

Chili Toppings:

• Shredded cheese
• Sour cream
• Fresh avocado
• Fresh cilantro
• Green onions
• Tortilla chips

Substitutions:

How To Make Turkey Chili with Pumpkin:

See full instructions in recipe card below

Step One. Heat a Dutch oven or 6 qt pot to medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, and ground turkey. Cook turkey breaking into crumbles until no longer pink.

Step Two. Add garlic and cook 1-minute then add in spices. Cook just until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. This will help release the flavor in the spices.

Step Three. Stir in beans, pumpkin, tomatoes, corn, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to medium low to cook for 15-20 minutes to thicken. Serve with your favorite chili toppings.

Common Questions:

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:

• Chicken Chili
• Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Slow Cooker Low-Carb Beef Chili

Turkey Chili with Pumpkin

You will love the flavors of this Turkey Chili with Pumpkin. It has the perfect balance of spicy and sweet and loaded with lots of hearty and healthy ingredients. Top with all your favorite chili goodies for a comforting meal.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 5 people

Calories: 505kcal

Equipment

• 1 6 qt or larger soup pot

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 3/4 cup yellow onion, chopped fine
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 (15) ounce can low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15) ounce can low-sodium kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15) ounce can pure pumpkin puree Not pumpkin pie filling
• 1 (14) ounce can fire roasted tomatoes with the juice
• 9 ounces roasted corn
• 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Additional toppings

• avocados
• shredded cheese
• sour cream
• cilantro
• tortillas

Instructions

• Heat a Dutch oven or 6 qt soup pot to medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, and ground turkey. Cook turkey breaking into crumbles until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
• Add garlic and cook 1-minute then add in spices. Cook just until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. This will help release the flavor in the spices.
• Stir in beans, pumpkin, tomatoes, corn, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to medium low to cook for 15-20 minutes to thicken. Serve with your favorite chili toppings.

Notes

Substitutions:

 

• Meat- Use lean ground beef or chicken in place of the turkey.
• Beans- Use Pinto beans, white beans, or garbanzo beans.
• Canned tomatoes- Use regular canned diced tomatoes or tomatoes with green chilis such as Rotel.
• Seasonings- For convenience, use a packet of taco seasoning in place of the seasonings suggested.

 

Common Questions:

 

How long will Turkey with Pumpkin Chili last?

Turkey chili will last 4-5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Can I freeze Turkey Pumpkin Chili?

Yes! Make sure chili is completely cooled and place in a freezer safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Is this chili healthy?

Yes! Turkey is leaner and has less saturated fat than ground beef. Beans have lots of fiber and canned tomatoes and pumpkin is loaded with nutrients.

How do I get my chili to become thicker?

To achieve a thick chili, simmer it with the lid off until desired thickness.

 

Nutritional facts do not include extra toppings. 

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be understood as an estimate rather than a guarantee. The Menu Maid makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 505kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 682mg | Potassium: 1684mg | Fiber: 21g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 14913IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 9mg

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