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A bowl of turkey chili topped with cheese, green onions, sour cream and avocado.
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5 from 2 votes

Leftover Turkey Chili with Black Beans and Lime

A hearty pot of Turkey Chili is the best way to use up the leftover Thanksgiving turkey! Or with a few variation options, it can be made any time of year! With bold spices, lots of veggies, pinto and black beans, this easy one-pot chili is loaded with toppings and finished with a squeeze of fresh lime juice!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 to 8
Calories: 499kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 grinds fresh black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 Tablespoon paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 cups turkey stock (or chicken or veggie stock, or water)
  • 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 15 oz can pinto beans or kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 28 oz can crushed tomato
  • 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes chopped including juice
  • 2 cups cooked turkey chopped or shredded
  • ½ lime squeezed into the finish pot or served in wedges as a topping
  • Toppings - lime wedges, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced scallions, sour cream or plain yogurt, avocado, tortilla chips

Instructions

  • Prepare your ingredients, chop your veggies, drain and rinse your beans, open all cans and measure all spices into a bowl.
  • Preheat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add oil and saute the onion and bell pepper until starting to caramelize and soften, about 4 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and all spices including the salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, chili powder and brown sugar. Saute 2 more minutes. Be ready to add the turkey stock and make sure the spices don't burn!
  • Add the turkey stock to deglaze the pan, then add everything else (not the lime juice). Simmer over low heat about 1 hour, stir occasionally.
  • The chili is ready to serve. You can squeeze fresh lime juice into the entire pot, or serve lime wedges on the side as a topping. Serve with lots of toppings like shredded cheddar cheese, sliced scallions, a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt, Guacamole and Cheesy Honey Skillet Cornbread!

Notes

  • To use leftover Thanksgiving turkey, make sure to pick through it removing any small bones and pieces of skin.  Chop or shred it. 
  • If you don't have holiday turkey leftovers, you can also start this chili by browning 1 pound of ground turkey or ground beef before adding the onion and bell pepper.  Or use cooked shredded chicken in place of the turkey.  A rotisserie chicken works great too!
  • Extra chili can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days or the freezer for 6 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 499kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 2502mg | Potassium: 3192mg | Fiber: 23g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 4514IU | Vitamin C: 82mg | Calcium: 247mg | Iron: 13mg