Comforting Instant Pot Turkey Chili

Weeknight dinners can be tough when everyone’s hungry and you need something hearty on the table fast. I used to think chili had to simmer for hours to taste good, but my Instant Pot changed all that. Now I can have a pot of warm, filling chili ready in under an hour, even on the busiest evenings.

This turkey chili has become my go-to when I want something that feels like comfort food but doesn’t leave me feeling weighed down. The ground turkey keeps it lighter than beef, but with three types of beans and plenty of spices, nobody misses the extra fat. Plus, the Instant Pot does most of the work while I help with homework or fold laundry.

I love that this recipe makes enough for leftovers too. Sometimes I’ll make a batch on Sunday and we’ll eat it throughout the week. It actually tastes better the next day when all those spices have had time to blend together.

What Kind of Ground Turkey Should I Use?

You’ll find ground turkey at the store in different fat percentages, usually ranging from 93% lean to 99% lean. For this chili, I’d recommend going with 93% lean ground turkey since it has a bit more fat, which means more flavor and a better texture in your finished dish. The super lean options like 99% can end up a little dry and crumbly in chili. If you can only find the leaner stuff, don’t worry – just add a splash more oil when browning the meat to keep things moist. Fresh or frozen ground turkey both work fine here, just make sure to thaw it completely before cooking if you’re using frozen.

Options for Substitutions

This chili recipe is super forgiving and works well with lots of different ingredients you might have on hand:

• Ground turkey: You can easily swap this for ground chicken, lean ground beef, or even ground pork. For a vegetarian version, try crumbled firm tofu or extra beans – just skip the browning step with tofu and add it in with the other ingredients.
• Broth: Chicken, turkey, or vegetable broth all work fine here. In a pinch, you can use water with an extra pinch of salt, though the flavor won’t be quite as rich.
• Beans: Mix and match whatever beans you have in your pantry. Black beans, great northern beans, or even chickpeas work well. You can also use just one or two types of beans instead of three – just keep the total amount around 42 oz.
• Red bell pepper: Any color bell pepper works, or you can use poblano peppers for a little extra kick. Frozen bell peppers are fine too – just add them straight from the freezer.
• Corn: Fresh, canned (drained), or frozen corn all work equally well. You can also leave it out if you’re not a corn fan.
• Spices: If you’re missing one or two spices, don’t worry. The chili powder is the most important one to keep, but you can adjust the others to taste or use what you have.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making Instant Pot chili is stirring the ingredients after adding them to the pot, which can trigger the dreaded “burn” notice – just layer everything on top without mixing and let the pressure cooking do its job.

Another common error is skipping the step of deglazing the pot with broth after browning the turkey, as those stuck-on bits can cause burning issues and prevent the pot from coming to pressure properly.

Don’t forget to break up the turkey into small crumbles while it cooks in the Sauté mode, since large chunks won’t cook evenly and can make your chili less appealing.

Finally, resist the temptation to use Natural Release instead of Quick Release – the extra cooking time can turn your vegetables mushy and make the chili too thick, though you can always add a splash of broth at the end if you prefer a thinner consistency.

What to Serve With Turkey Chili?

I always serve turkey chili with a big pan of cornbread or some warm tortilla chips for scooping. A dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced avocado, and chopped cilantro make great toppings that let everyone customize their bowl. If you want to stretch the meal further, spoon the chili over baked potatoes or white rice for a hearty dinner. A simple side salad with lime dressing also works nicely to balance out the richness of the chili.

Storage Instructions

Store: This turkey chili actually gets better after a day or two in the fridge! Keep it in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The flavors really meld together nicely, making it perfect for meal prep throughout the week.

Freeze: Chili is one of those recipes that freezes like a dream. Let it cool completely, then portion it out into freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. I like to freeze individual portions so I can grab just what I need for lunch.

Reheat: Warm it up on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. You can also microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. If it seems too thick after storing, just add a splash of broth to loosen it up.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1700-1900
• Protein: 110-125 g
• Fat: 35-45 g
• Carbohydrates: 255-275 g

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1.25 cups broth (I use Swanson chicken broth for a consistent savory base)
• 1 onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 3 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best aroma)
• 1 red bell pepper (seeded and cut into 1/2-inch chunks)
• 1.5 cups corn
• 14 oz kidney beans (rinsed and drained thoroughly)
• 14 oz cannellini beans
• 14 oz pinto beans
• 3.5 tbsp chili powder (I prefer McCormick Dark Chili Powder for deeper color)
• 1.5 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 3/4 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 28 oz diced tomatoes (I use Hunt’s for the best texture)
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• oil

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Sauté the Turkey

• 1 lb ground turkey
• oil
• 1 onion, diced into ½-inch pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, freshly minced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ½-inch chunks
• 3.5 tbsp chili powder
• 1.5 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• ¾ tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt

While you gather your ingredients, dice the onion into ½-inch pieces, mince the garlic cloves fresh (this makes a huge difference in aroma), seed the red bell pepper and cut it into ½-inch chunks, and measure out all your dried spices into a small bowl.

Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and add a light coating of oil to the bottom.

Once hot, add the ground turkey and cook for about 4 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks until it’s mostly browned and no longer pink.

Step 2: Deglaze and Build the Flavor Base

• 1 cup broth
• garlic and onion from Step 1

Press Cancel to turn off the Sauté function, then pour in 1 cup of the broth to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon—these caramelized flavors are liquid gold for your chili.

Add the minced garlic and diced onion directly to the pot with the browned turkey and broth, stirring gently.

I like to add the garlic at this point rather than earlier because the hot broth will bloom its flavors without burning it.

Step 3: Layer in Remaining Ingredients Without Stirring

• 1 red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch chunks
• 1.5 cups corn
• 14 oz kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 14 oz cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 14 oz pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 28 oz diced tomatoes
• 6 oz tomato paste
• spice mixture from Step 1
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ cup broth

Add the diced red bell pepper, corn, and all three types of beans (kidney, cannellini, and pinto—make sure they’re rinsed and drained thoroughly to avoid excess starch and cloudiness).

Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juice and the tomato paste, then sprinkle the measured spice mixture over the top along with the bay leaf and remaining ¼ cup broth.

Here’s the important part: do NOT stir everything together.

By keeping the ingredients layered, the flavors will distribute more evenly during pressure cooking, and you’ll get a more cohesive taste in the final dish.

Step 4: Pressure Cook the Chili

Close the Instant Pot lid, make sure the valve is set to Sealing, and cook on High pressure for 15 minutes.

The pot will take a few minutes to build pressure before the timer starts counting down—this is normal and part of the cooking process.

During this time, the high pressure will soften the vegetables and meld all the spices into a deeply flavored, cohesive chili.

Step 5: Release Pressure and Finish

When the timer beeps, carefully move the pressure release valve to Venting position to do a quick release (this takes about 3 minutes).

Once the pressure indicator drops, you can safely open the lid.

Give the chili a good stir to combine everything, taste it, and adjust the seasoning if needed—you may want to add a pinch more salt or a dash of cumin depending on your preference.

Remove the bay leaf and serve with your favorite toppings like diced onions, shredded cheese, sour cream, or fresh cilantro.

Comforting Instant Pot Turkey Chili

Delicious Comforting Instant Pot Turkey Chili recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 1800 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1.25 cups broth (I use Swanson chicken broth for a consistent savory base)
• 1 onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 3 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best aroma)
• 1 red bell pepper (seeded and cut into 1/2-inch chunks)
• 1.5 cups corn
• 14 oz kidney beans (rinsed and drained thoroughly)
• 14 oz cannellini beans
• 14 oz pinto beans
• 3.5 tbsp chili powder (I prefer McCormick Dark Chili Powder for deeper color)
• 1.5 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 3/4 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 28 oz diced tomatoes (I use Hunt's for the best texture)
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• oil

Instructions

 

• While you gather your ingredients, dice the onion into ½-inch pieces, mince the garlic cloves fresh (this makes a huge difference in aroma), seed the red bell pepper and cut it into ½-inch chunks, and measure out all your dried spices into a small bowl. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and add a light coating of oil to the bottom. Once hot, add the ground turkey and cook for about 4 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks until it's mostly browned and no longer pink.
• Press Cancel to turn off the Sauté function, then pour in 1 cup of the broth to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon—these caramelized flavors are liquid gold for your chili. Add the minced garlic and diced onion directly to the pot with the browned turkey and broth, stirring gently. I like to add the garlic at this point rather than earlier because the hot broth will bloom its flavors without burning it.
• Add the diced red bell pepper, corn, and all three types of beans (kidney, cannellini, and pinto—make sure they're rinsed and drained thoroughly to avoid excess starch and cloudiness). Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juice and the tomato paste, then sprinkle the measured spice mixture over the top along with the bay leaf and remaining ¼ cup broth. Here's the important part: do NOT stir everything together. By keeping the ingredients layered, the flavors will distribute more evenly during pressure cooking, and you'll get a more cohesive taste in the final dish.
• Close the Instant Pot lid, make sure the valve is set to Sealing, and cook on High pressure for 15 minutes. The pot will take a few minutes to build pressure before the timer starts counting down—this is normal and part of the cooking process. During this time, the high pressure will soften the vegetables and meld all the spices into a deeply flavored, cohesive chili.
• When the timer beeps, carefully move the pressure release valve to Venting position to do a quick release (this takes about 3 minutes). Once the pressure indicator drops, you can safely open the lid. Give the chili a good stir to combine everything, taste it, and adjust the seasoning if needed—you may want to add a pinch more salt or a dash of cumin depending on your preference. Remove the bay leaf and serve with your favorite toppings like diced onions, shredded cheese, sour cream, or fresh cilantro.