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Zesty and flavorful, this leftover turkey chili is an easy, healthy, and affordable way to take advantage of the ingredients that you’ve got on hand. Try the recipe with leftover chicken, too!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Leftover Turkey Chili Recipe
- How Long Turkey Leftovers Will Keep
- Ingredients for Easy Leftover Turkey Chili
- How to Make Chili with Leftover Turkey
- Serving Suggestions
- Preparation and Storage Tips
- Recipe Variations
- Tips for the Best Leftover Turkey Chili recipe
- Leftover Turkey Chili Recipe
Whether we’re simmering a pot of classic beef chili, serving up this easy Texas chili, or offering a healthy slow cooker chili, these cozy, flavorful dishes always satisfy a crowd! If you’re lucky enough to have some leftover meat from a Thanksgiving turkey or store-bought rotisserie chicken, put it to good use in this delicious leftover turkey chili recipe!
Why You’ll Love This Leftover Turkey Chili Recipe
- Flavor: it’s got just the right balance of zesty chili seasoning to give it the flavor that you’re looking for — without any single spice overpowering another.
- Healthy: the recipe is loaded with protein and vegetables. Unlike white chili recipes that often include a lot of cream, sour cream, and/or cheese, this broth-based turkey chili is a lighter option. Perfect for those post-holiday meals!
- Thickness: no watery chili allowed! This hearty, rich chili is loaded with meat for a satisfying meal. After all, chili is not a soup, so it shouldn’t be thinned with too much broth.
- Easy: the dish comes together quickly and easily on the stovetop with minimal effort. You don’t need all day to cook it in a Crock Pot, and you don’t need any fancy equipment like an Instant Pot. Just grab a good ole’ Dutch oven and whip up a batch in no time.
- Make-ahead and freezer-friendly: this meal just gets better as it sits and the flavors come together, so you can simmer a pot on the weekend and enjoy a warm, homemade meal on your busiest weeknights. Leftovers keep well in the freezer, too!
What if I don’t have leftover turkey?
If you don’t have any leftover turkey available, but you’re excited to make this dish — no problem! Any of these alternatives will work well:
- Substitute with 3-4 cups of cooked, shredded chicken. You can use the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken from a previous meal, store-bought pulled chicken, or you can boil and shred your own chicken at home. You’ll need a total of about 2 lbs. of uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs to equal about 4 cups cooked.
- Use leftover pulled pork or store-bought pulled pork.
- Cook a turkey, turkey breast, or turkey tenderloin and use the leftovers here.
- Make ground turkey chili instead!
How Long Turkey Leftovers Will Keep
The USDA recommends using cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days when it’s stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Tightly wrapped, leftover turkey can be frozen for 3 to 4 months.
Ingredients for Easy Leftover Turkey Chili
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for this turkey leftover chili recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Olive oil: to sauté the garlic and onion. Butter or a neutral oil (such as canola oil or vegetable oil) will also work.
- Onion and garlic: for savory flavor.
- Tomato paste: gives the chili a rich tomato flavor without watering it down.
- Whole tomatoes: whole, peeled tomatoes are packed in tomato juice or tomato purée, and typically have the best flavor of any variety of canned tomatoes. You can easily break up the bigger chunks of tomatoes with your wooden spoon as you stir the chili. They’re my preference over canned diced tomatoes, but you can sub with the diced tomatoes in a pinch.
- Chicken broth: just enough to loosen up the dish and add a bit of flavor. If you have turkey stock, even better!
- Chili powder, ground cumin, kosher salt, bay leaf, oregano, and cayenne pepper: the classic warm spices that make a great chili seasoning.
- Brown sugar: a secret ingredient that balances the acidity in the tomatoes and gives the chili a more complex depth of flavor.
- Turkey: you’ll need cooked, shredded or diced turkey for this recipe. If you don’t have any leftover turkey on hand, see my notes above for good substitutes.
- Corn or beans: my family prefers a turkey chili with no beans, so I use canned corn instead. If you’d like to add beans to your chili, just swap out the corn and use a can of kidney beans, pinto beans, or any other beans that you have on hand.
How to Make Chili with Leftover Turkey
This healthy leftover turkey chili comes together easily in a Dutch oven on the stovetop. I’ve included detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Sauté the onion and garlic in a large Dutch oven.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pot except for the turkey and corn.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
- Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Add the turkey and corn (or beans) to the pot and simmer for about 10-15 more minutes.
- Discard the bay leaf, and thin with additional broth to reach the desired consistency.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with desired toppings.
Serving Suggestions
Create a “chili bar” by setting out a variety of toppings and sides, and then let your family members or guests design their own chili bowls.
Favorite Chili Toppings
- Grated cheddar cheese
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Sliced green onion, minced red onion, quick pickled red onion, or minced white onion
- Sliced fresh jalapeño pepper
- Fresh cilantro, parsley, or chives
- Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
- Diced avocado
- Fresh limes or a squeeze of lime juice
Sides that Go Well with Turkey Chili
- Jalapeno Cheddar Mexican Cornbread, Old-Fashioned Southern Corn Sticks, Southern Cornbread, Sweet Cornbread, Pumpkin Cornbread (shown here), Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Cake Mix Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, or Honey Cornbread
- Cornbread Muffins or 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins, Pumpkin Bread, or Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins
- 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Drop Biscuits, or Cheese Biscuits
- No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread, Jalapeño Cheddar Bread, Beer Bread, or Cheddar Chive Beer Bread
- Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, Wedge Salads, House Salad, or Caesar Salad
- Fritos or other corn chips
- Saltine crackers
- Easy Homemade Guacamole with tortilla chips and salsa
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Storage: leftover chili will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- How to Freeze: allow the chili to cool to room temperature. Package in airtight containers or Ziploc freezer bags and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- How to Reheat: thaw frozen chili in the refrigerator overnight. Place chili in a saucepan. Cover and warm over low heat, just until heated through. If it seems too thick, thin the chili with a splash of broth or water. You can also reheat individual portions covered in the microwave for 30-60 seconds on high.
Recipe Variations
- Don’t have a leftover Thanksgiving turkey on hand? Make a ground turkey chili instead!
- You can also substitute with an equal amount of cooked, shredded chicken instead of turkey.
- Make a leftover turkey white chili by using leftover turkey in this slow cooker white chicken chili recipe.
- If you prefer a thinner consistency, you can add a can of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce to your pot of chili. Extra chicken broth also works well.
- Instead of corn, add a can of drained, rinsed beans to the chili. Dark or light red kidney beans are a classic addition to a pot of chili. That said, any beans that you enjoy will work well in this dish — from pinto beans and pink beans to white beans like cannellini beans, black beans, or even garbanzo beans!
- Add beer: replace some of the broth with your favorite beer for a yeasty, rich flavor.
- For more veggies, add diced sweet bell pepper to the pot when you add the onion.
- Crockpot leftover turkey chili: place all of the ingredients (except the turkey and corn) in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours. Stir in the turkey and corn during the final 30 minutes.
- For a spicy pot of chili, add more cayenne.
Tips for the Best Leftover Turkey Chili recipe
- If you don’t have any leftover turkey meat, no problem. See my notes above for good alternatives (such as shredded chicken, pulled pork, or ground turkey).
- Don’t omit the sugar. It might seem odd, but the sugar helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes in the chili, creating a richer, multi-dimensional tomato flavor. It doesn’t make the chili taste too sweet. Start with 1 teaspoon, and if you like an even sweeter taste, increase the amount to 2 teaspoons or up to 1 tablespoon.
- Adjust the heat. The cayenne gives this turkey chili a spicy kick. If you prefer a less-spicy chili, omit this ingredient (it will still have plenty of zesty flavor from the chili powder). If you like a spicier chili, add a bit more cayenne.
- Simmer the chili with the pot covered to trap the moisture. If you prefer a thicker consistency, you can remove the lid towards the end of the cooking time.
- If the chili looks too thick, stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, beer, or additional broth to thin.
- Stir the pot occasionally as the chili simmers to prevent the bottom from scorching.
- If you have the time, prepare this chili at least one day in advance. The flavors will come together and the chili will taste even better on day 2!
More Leftover Turkey Recipes to Try
Leftover Turkey Rice Casserole
35 minutes mins
Leftover Turkey Soup with Wild Rice
1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Aunt Bee’s Leftover Turkey Casserole
35 minutes mins
Leftover Turkey Chili
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 25 minutes
Total: 1 hour 35 minutes
This hearty, flavorful leftover turkey chili recipe is an easy way to use up the ingredients in your kitchen!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups diced onion
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon total)
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can whole tomatoes, not drained
- 1 ¼ cups chicken broth, plus extra 1-2 cups of broth to thin the chili at the end if desired
- 2 ½ tablespoons chili powder
- 1-2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
- 3-4 cups cooked, shredded or diced turkey
- 1 (15.25 ounce) can corn, drained (or sub with a can of drained and rinsed pinto beans or kidney beans)
- Optional, for serving: cornbread; corn chips; cheese; sour cream; sliced green onions/chives; cilantro; avocado; diced red onion
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute.
- Add the tomato paste, whole tomatoes and their juices, chicken broth, chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, salt, bay leaf, oregano, and cayenne. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer the chili over very low heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Break up the big tomatoes with a wooden spoon or fork as you stir.
- Add the corn (or beans) and the cooked turkey. Simmer the mixture for 10-15 minutes longer. Thin the chili with extra chicken broth, if necessary. Discard the bay leaf. Ladle into individual serving bowls and garnish with desired toppings.
Notes
- If you don’t have any leftover turkey meat, no problem. See my notes above for good alternatives (such as shredded chicken, pulled pork, or ground turkey).
- Don’t omit the sugar. It might seem odd, but the sugar helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes in the chili, creating a richer, multi-dimensional tomato flavor. It doesn’t make the chili taste too sweet. Start with 1 teaspoon, and if you like an even sweeter taste, increase the amount to 2 teaspoons or up to 1 tablespoon.
- Adjust the heat. The cayenne gives this turkey chili a spicy kick. If you prefer a less-spicy chili, omit this ingredient (it will still have plenty of zesty flavor from the chili powder). If you like a spicier chili, add a bit more cayenne.
- Simmer the chili with the pot covered to trap the moisture. If you prefer a thicker consistency, you can remove the lid towards the end of the cooking time.
- If the chili looks too thick, stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, beer, or additional broth to thin.
- Stir the pot occasionally as the chili simmers to prevent the bottom from scorching.
- If you have the time, prepare this chili at least one day in advance. The flavors will come together and the chili will taste even better on day 2!
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6 of the recipeCalories: 285kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 31gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 1388mgPotassium: 1033mgFiber: 6gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 1767IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 90mgIron: 4mg
A great recipe. I used the peppers (red, yellow that I had on hand) and I think it added nicely. The color was dark due to the chili powder amount but that was ok, as the flavor was bold but not overpowering. I’ll use the recipe again whether turkey or chicken or even pork. Thanks Blair!
Thank you, Tim! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.