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Easy Make-Ahead Turkey Chili for Thermos Lunches

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A simple, one-pot turkey chili that’s perfect for thermos lunches. Made with ground turkey, beans, and pantry spices, it comes together in about 45 minutes and tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ pounds lean ground turkey (93/7)
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 can (15 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • Shredded cheddar cheese (optional topping)
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional topping)
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional topping)
  • Diced avocado (optional topping)
  • Crushed tortilla chips (optional topping)

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering.
  2. Add the diced onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.
  3. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Add the ground turkey and cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink.
  5. Sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and cayenne (if using) over the turkey. Stir well and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  6. Pour in the fire-roasted diced tomatoes (with juices), tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  7. Stir in the drained and rinsed kidney beans and black beans until evenly distributed.
  8. Bring the chili to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  9. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or spices as needed.
  10. Let the chili cool completely before transferring to containers. For thermos lunches, portion into individual containers and refrigerate overnight.

Notes

For thermos packing: In the morning, reheat the chili until piping hot. While heating, fill the thermos with boiling water and let sit for 5 minutes. Dump the water, fill with chili, and seal immediately. This pre-heating trick keeps chili hot for hours. The chili improves overnight as flavors meld.

Nutrition

Keywords: turkey chili, make-ahead chili, thermos lunch, easy chili, healthy chili, one-pot chili

Find it online: https://cooksyla.com/easy-make-ahead-turkey-chili-for-thermos-lunches/