This Instant Pot turkey chili is about to become your new favorite chili ever! Healthy, filling, and flavorful with just a hint of heat without being too spicy, the Instant Pot lets it simmer for a rich flavor with no hovering over the stovetop. Easy to make and perfect for fall, tailgating, and parties.
This thick, wholesome turkey chili is so easy to make and absolutely delicious! With pantry staples, fresh veggies, healthy ground turkey, and a little spice from a jalapeño, this chili will become one of your family’s absolute favorite meals. I love this chili because it’s so easy to make in the Instant Pot, yet it tastes like it’s been simmering on the stove all day. It’s also great for meal prep or batch cooking. Load it up with your favorite garnishes, and this chili is the ultimate dinner.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
Ground turkey – Lean ground turkey helps give this chili plenty of meaty bulk, but also keeps it healthier.
Fire-roasted diced tomatoes – Adds a smoky flavor to the chili that takes it to the next level.
Red kidney beans – A great pantry staple that gives this chili flavor and fiber, helping to make it a full meal.
Jalapeño – Just a little heat from a seeded jalapeño pepper combines perfectly with the tomato-y sauce, seasoned turkey, and other rich flavors.
How To Make Turkey Chili in the Instant Pot
The full recipe & ingredients list are below, but here you’ll find a quick overview for making this recipe perfectly, along with useful tips and info!
On Sauté mode, heat up some oil. Add the turkey and brown, breaking it up with your spoon or spatula.
Add the vegetables and seasoning to the Instant Pot. Sauté until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a minute until it’s well combined.
Pour in the the drained beans and chicken stock and stir.
Pour the diced tomatoes in the Instant Pot, but don’t stir them. Add bay leaves. Secure the lid and cook on high manual pressure, then naturally release.
Ladle the chili into serving bowls and top with whatever garnishes you like!
Top Tips For Making
- Love this recipe but don’t have an Instant Pot? Check out the slow cooker version!
- If you like even more heat in your chili, leave the seeds in your jalapeño, or even add more than one.
- Chili not thick enough to your liking? Add a little more tomato paste.
- This recipe is absolutely perfect for making ahead of time and freezing. Choose a plastic bag (or bags) made especially for the freezer and keep frozen as long as 2-4 months!
More Delicious Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob with Honey Butter
- Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
- Instant Pot Carnitas
- Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
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Instant Pot Turkey Chili
Equipment
- Instant Pot or pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or other neutral oil
- 2 pounds ground turkey
- 2 cups onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper large, cored, deveined, and chopped
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 jalapeño cored, deveined, and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 4 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 (14-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes or 1 (28-ounce) can
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
- 2 ounces (15-ounce) cans red kidney beans light or dark, drained
Garnishes
- cheddar cheese shredded
- green onions sliced
- yellow onions chopped
- avocado diced
- jalapeño slices fresh or pickled
- sour cream or yogurt
Wine pairings
- 2018 Veinte Malbec
- 2018 Middle Jane Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
- 14K Bubbly White Wine
Instructions
- On Sauté mode, heat 1 tablespoon oil in the Instant Pot. Add turkey and brown, breaking up with a spoon or spatula.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil . Add onions, garlic, pepper, oregano, celery, jalapeño, chili powder, and cumin. Sauté 3-5 minutes until softened. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute or until well combined. Pour in drained beans and chicken stock and stir.
- Pour in diced tomatoes; do not stir. Add the bay leaves. Secure lid and cook 14 minutes high manual pressure then naturally release. Ladle into serving bowls and top with desired garnishes.
Notes
- No Instant Pot: See the slow cooker version
- Flavor variation: Leave the seeds in your jalapeño, or even add more than one.
- Thicker chili: Add a little more tomato paste.
- How to freeze this recipe: Choose a plastic bag (or bags) made especially for the freezer and keep frozen as long as 2-4 months.
I recommend buying wine from Scout and Cellar, especially for lower carb or sugar and the health conscious. There’s no added sugar to these wines, and they’re all much lower in carbs, calories, and sugar. For me, there’s no headache or fogginess the next day!
You may think of pairing only red wines with chili, but a chilled wine can be equally delicious. I like:
– Malbec, like 2018 Veinte Malbec from Alto Colchagua, Chile
– Cabernet Sauvignon, 2018 Middle Jane Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley, California
– White wine spritzer, like 14K Bubbly White Wine from California
Nutrition
Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She’s been a blogger for 10 years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of two who lives in Memphis, TN.
Becca McIntosh says
yum yum yummy!!! great recipe that turned out delicious. and get this, i even forgot to put salt in at the end (i’m ashamed to write that) and it still tasted great. of course it tasted even better once i remembered the salt and added it lol. another thing to note is that instead of 2 cans of kidney beans, i used 1 can, and a can of pinto beans in chili sauce from Sprouts. I even hate tomatoes and loved them in this chili! I will most definitely be making this again.
Carrie says
Hello! Making your recipe for the first time (and chili and an insta pot for the first time too ;)) and I’m wondering when (or if) I add the oregano? And the bay leaves go in with the tomatoes at the end correct? Thank you for the recipe! I’m looking forward to this one!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Hi! Sorry about that. Add the oregano in with the other spices, and you’ll add the bay leaves right before the tomatoes. 🙂
Lynn Terhune says
I just made the insta-pot turkey chili and it was fantastic! So easy to make, and it was full of delicious flavors. Some times ground turkey dish’s end up bland or dry, but not this one! I’ll definitely make this recipe again!
Thank you !
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Thanks for the awesome review! So glad it worked out for you!