Packed with bold, smoky flavors, this Harissa Turkey Chili will be your go-to for cozy, cold-weather comfort in a single pot. Made with lean ground turkey, hearty beans and vegetables, it’s a healthy, flavorful option that’s easy to whip up and perfect for feeding a crowd.
A Ground Turkey Chili Worth Getting Excited Over
This harissa turkey chili is the kind of recipe I’ve been leaning on these days. It’s adaptable, perfect for chilly nights, easy on the wallet and it makes a large batch—great for enjoying over a few days or freezing for later.
I first published this turkey chili recipe nearly seven years ago, and I have two great reasons for revisiting it now: to include helpful step-by-step photos and to share some tweaks I’ve made over the years that make this harissa turkey chili even more flavorful and irresistible.
Filled with flavor bombs like harissa paste, smoked paprika and fire roasted tomatoes, it’s a delicious twist on the classic chili—and maybe even a little healthier, too.
For recipes that typically call for ground beef, I almost always swap in ground turkey because it’s a leaner option. But I’ll admit, flavor is sometimes compromised. Not here. In this chili, the lighter, more subtle taste of ground turkey takes a backseat and lets the vibrant aromatics and harissa chile flavors shine.
Keep reading to discover all my tips for making a ground turkey chili that’s the best you’ve ever had. Trust me, you’re going to love it!
For more easy chili recipes, try my Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili, Game Day Chili or for a meat-free option, this Vegetarian Chili!
What Is Harissa?
Harissa is a ready-made North African hot chili pepper paste that is traditionally made from roasted red peppers, tomatoes, a mix of hot chili peppers, spices and herbs. It is bold, smokey and complex and adds a burst of flavor to meats, soups, sauces and vegetables.
Harissa can vary greatly in heat level, even within the same brand, so it’s important to know what you’re using so you can adjust the amount. Mina, a brand I really like and recommend, is sold at most well-stocked grocery stores. It comes in mild or spicy but I usually go for mild because the spicy one is really, really spicy. If you love spice, go for the spicy but start with less and add more to taste.
Key Ingredient Notes
Ground Turkey: You can use white or dark ground turkey for this chili. Feel free to use ground beef, ground chicken, or ground pork, if you wish.
Harissa paste: Here, harissa adds a peppery, smoky flavor to the chili. Some harissa pastes can be very spicy so don’t add too much if yours is spicy. Start with a tablespoon then go from there. If you can find Rose Harissa, a lovely harissa paste infused with rose water and rose petals, that would be wonderful here, too.
Canned Beans: This recipe calls for a combination of white beans and red beans. Feel free to use any beans you like such as black beans, pinto beans, or any mix. Canned beans can vary slightly in size, but I find 2 cans in the 15-17oz range provide the right amount of beans.
Canned Tomatoes: I like to use Fire-roasted tomatoes for this chili because the add a subtle smokey flavor to the dish. Muir Glen brand is great and can be found at most well-stocked grocery stores.
Smoked paprika: Adds a lot of flavor and more smokey notes to this healthy turkey chili.
Tomato paste: For adding color and depth of flavour.
Onion and garlic: Essential aromatics to create a flavorful base for the chili.
Sweet bell pepper: This recipe calls for 1 sweet bell pepper but if red peppers are astronomically expensive in your area (they are in mine), you can add roasted red peppers from a jar. Just as good!
Beans: This recipe calls for a combination of white beans and kidney beans. Feel free to use any beans you like such as black beans, pinto beans, or any mix.
Toppings: As with all chilis, avocados and a dollop of sour cream (labneh would also be great!) add a much needed creamy and cooling factor, but feel free to dress it up with your favourite toppings.
Variations
Make it vegetarian/vegan —> Use tempeh, crumbled tofu, or a vegan ground meat alternative like Beyond Beef or Impossible. Add an extra can or two of beans and bulk it up with some extra veggies.
I don’t like beans —> Use lentils or chickpeas.
Harissa —> If you can’t find harissa paste, you can use harissa powder. Again, start small and add more to taste. If you can’t find any harissa at all, use chili powder.
Add chopped spinach or kale —> Are we eating enough greens? This is a great way to reach our quota. Simply chop up some spinach or kale and add to the pot 5 minutes before the chili is done.
How To Make Harissa Turkey Chili
Here, the North African spice, Harissa, adds an element of the unexpected to this healthy and delicious chili for a weeknight win.
Cook the veggies. I like to start by sautéing the veggies first. Most ground turkey, particularly the ones sold at grocery stores, releases a lot of water when cooked. If you add the raw veggies to browned meat, they will poach and not caramelize well. Sauté the onion, bell pepper, and garlic in oil until they’ve softened and caramelized, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Brown the turkey. Add the ground turkey, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula, until it’s no longer pink and cooked through.
Add the spices and pastes. Stir in the tomato paste, harissa paste, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Let this cook, stirring occasionally, for another 2-3 minutes, or until most of the turkey moisture has evaporated and the mixture has turned a deep red color. If your turkey released a lot water, this could take up to 5 minutes. Be patient, otherwise, your chili may not be as flavourful.
Pour in the liquids and beans. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and broth and give everything a good stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any bits that may have stuck. Add the beans, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste and season. Is it flavourful/spicy enough? Add more salt, harissa and/or seasonings (including Better than Bouillon!) until the chili tastes perfect to you.
Sandra’s Top Tips
Use Better than Bouillon. This recipe calls for 1-2 cups of chicken broth. Better than Bouillon makes it easy to use a small amount without opening up an entire large container. It’s easy, convenient and tasty, too!
Drain, but don’t rinse the beans. I almost never rinse the beans, no matter what chili I’m making. But particularly when using a lean ground meat, not rinsing the beans is very beneficial. The bean liquid is very starchy, so it will help thicken the chili. I still like to drain the beans because all of the bean liquid is too much. But whatever bit is clinging to the beans or left in the can, throw it in.
Really brown the meat base. Admittedly, ground turkey can be a bit bland so the key for the most flavourful turkey chili is to let the ground turkey mixture really caramelize. Once you add the spices, tomato paste and harissa, let this cook until the mixture looks a little dry and the color has turned deep red, before adding the liquids.
Topping And Serving Suggestions
Arguably the best part of a bowl of chili is the plethora of toppings we can put on top! Here are some of our faves:
- Fritos – I only recently discovered that topping chili with Fritos is the cat’s pyjama and now I crave chili just for the Fritos. Uh-oh.
- Sour cream or labneh – WE all know sour cream is fab with chili but have you tried labneh? It’s similar to Greek yogurt but much thicker, saltier and tangier. I die.
- Shredded cheese – I like using a flavourful cheddar like a spicy Monterey Jack or a really sharp cheddar.
- Avocado slices – My favorite topping of all. In fact, I often won’t even make chili if I don’t have ripe avocados. A good quality store-bought guacamole will also work.
- Pickled jalapeños
- Chopped cilantro
How To Store And Freeze Turkey Chili
- To store: This turkey chili will keep well stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- To reheat: Reheat it gently on the stove top with a splash more broth or water until warmed through.
- To freeze: Turkey chili is great for freezing! Store the cooled chili in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
More Delicious Chili Recipes To Try
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Thank you!~Sandra
Harissa Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds ground turkey
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2-3 Tablespoons harissa paste (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 28- ounce fire roasted tomatoes (preferably crushed)
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
- 1 (14-ounce) can cannellini beans, or other white beans, drained but not rinsed (see notes)
- 1 (14-ounce) can red kidney beans, or other beans of your choice, drained but not rinsed
- Optional toppings:
- Sour cream/labneh/greek yogurt
- Sliced avocados
- Chopped green onions
- grated cheddar
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the ground turkey and break up the meat with the side of a spoon; cooking until no longer pink and turkey begins to brown, about 6-8 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste, harissa paste, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. harissa and cook for 1-2 minutes. Let this cook, stirring occasionally, for another 2-3 minutes, or until most of the turkey moisture has evaporated and the mixture has turned a deep red color. If your turkey released a lot water, this could take up to 5 minutes. Be patient, otherwise, your chili may not be as flavourful.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and broth and give everything a good stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any bits that may have stuck. Add the beans, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste the chili. Is it flavourful/spicy enough? Add more salt, harissa and/or seasonings (including Better than Bouillon!) until the chili tastes perfect to you.
- Divide chili between bowls and top each with desired toppings.
Notes
- To store: This turkey chili will keep well stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- To reheat: Reheat it gently on the stove top with a splash more broth or water until warmed through.
- To freeze: Turkey chili is great for freezing! Store the cooled chili in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
This Harissa Turkey Chili recipe was originally published in September 2018. It has been refreshed with updated photos and additional information to make it even more helpful for you.
Jodi Shepherd
I made this tonight. So delicious. I added a bit of celery, because I needed to use it up and I normally put it in chili. I put my Harrisa Turkey Chili over a little bit of rice and topped with sour cream and avocado. I will definitely make this again. Best ground turkey recipe that I’ve tried. Very flavorful.
Sandra Valvassori
Sp happy to hear this, Jodi! Celery would be perfect in the chili, thank you so much for sharing!
Patrick Meyers
Really great!
Sandra Valvassori
So happy you enjoyed it, Pat! Thank you for writing a review and for rating the recipe!