I was diagnosed with celiac disease (the celiac gene) and a lactose intolerance in my early 20s and have been on a mission since to create easy, delicious recipes for others with food allergies! Cooking easy allergy friendly meals should not have to be difficult! All my recipes are gluten free and tree nut free. If they are not already dairy free I will always give an option to make it dairy free!
From start to finish, this Gluten Free Turkey Chili can be ready in under an hour, making it a perfect choice for busy weeknights, game day or just when you’re craving a cozy meal in the winter months. This is the best turkey chili recipe. This Gluten Free Turkey Chili tastes just like a traditional chili the entire family will enjoy. This is my favorite recipe during chili season along with my gluten free shredded beef chili and my gluten free white chicken chili.
The best thing about this ultimate comfort food recipe is that it is gluten free, nut free and dairy free.
why you’ll love this recipe
- Simple ingredients: This easy turkey chili uses common pantry staples and canned goods.
- One-pan cooking: Less cleanup required.
- Simmering: This Gluten Free Turkey Chili is the perfect meal for a busy day. It requires minimal hands-on time and the whole family will enjoy it. Especially on a cold day.
- Brown the meat: Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Use pre-chopped vegetables: Save time by buying pre-chopped peppers and onions making it a hearty meal.
- Drain and rinse canned beans: Skips the soaking step for dried beans.
- Simmer while unattended: Let the chili simmer on low heat for 1-2 hours.
- Sauté the vegetables and brown the meat in the same pot.
- Add all remaining ingredients to the same pot for simmering.
- This delicious meal uses one only dish and makes a minimal mess!
- Quick and easy: This healthy chili recipe takes less than an hour to make from start to finish.
- Scalable recipe: Easily double or triple the recipe for meal prep.
- Freezes well: Portion leftovers into containers and freeze for future meals.
- Reheats well: Leftover chili is a great way to enjoy lunch or quick dinners throughout the week. This Gluten Free Turkey Chili is also perfect for a cozy meal during the cold weather.
- This healthy recipe is perfect for someone with celiac disease or on a gluten-free diet.
- Simply double or triple the ingredients to create a larger batch for meal prep.
ingredients & substitutions
Bell pepper: Adds sweetness and a bit of crunch to the Gluten Free Turkey Chili. You can use any color pepper you like based on your personal preference! Use green peppers, red bell peppers or orange bell peppers.
Onion: Adds flavor. You can use a yellow, white, or even red onion.
Ground turkey: lean ground turkey is the protein base. Ground chicken or ground beef would work too in this gluten-free chili.
Red kidney beans: These are a classic choice for chili! I like to also use black beans but you can use any type of bean you like, such as white beans, pinto beans, sweet potatoes or chickpeas.
Tomato sauce: Adds a base of tomato flavor to the Gluten Free Turkey Chili. You can use crushed tomatoes instead.
Diced tomatoes: Adds some chunky tomato texture. You can use all crushed tomatoes or all diced tomatoes, depending on your preference.
Chili powder: Smoky flavor, the main spice in Gluten Free Turkey Chili.
Cumin: Earthy flavor, common in chili and Tex-Mex dishes.
Paprika: Mild smoky flavor, adds a bit of red color.
Garlic powder: Easy way to add garlic flavor. You can use fresh garlic instead, but mince it finely and add it with the vegetables in step 2.
Red pepper flakes: Adds heat. You can adjust the amount depending on how spicy you like it. Cayenne pepper adds even more heat, use a tiny bit at first and taste as you go.
Salt and pepper: Enhance overall flavor.
Brown sugar or sugar substitute: Adds a touch of sweetness to balance the other flavors. You can leave it out if you prefer.
taste & texture
This gluten-free turkey chili is a hearty and flavorful stew. It takes like a slow cooker turkey chili that has cooked for hours! The ground turkey crumbles and adds a savory taste. The bell pepper and onion become soft and slightly sweet during cooking. The beans add creaminess and extra protein. The tomatoes provide a tangy base to the Gluten Free Turkey Chili. The chili powder, cumin, and paprika give it a warm, smoky flavor. You can adjust the spice level with red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper. The overall texture of the healthy turkey chili is thick and chunky, with some soft vegetables and beans throughout. It tastes like a classic chili recipe.
directions
- Wash and dice the bell pepper and onion.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat or medium-high heat.
- Add the diced pepper, onion, and ground turkey to the bottom of the pot.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the meat is browned.
- Drain and rinse the beans.
- Add the beans, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, spices (chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper), salt, pepper, and sugar to the pot with the browned meat and vegetables.
- Stir well to combine.
- Cover the pot and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
- Simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring every 15-20 minutes, until the chili is thickened and the flavors meld.
- Ladle the Gluten Free Turkey Chili into individual serving bowls and enjoy!
expert tips & tricks
- For a thicker Gluten Free Turkey Chili, simmer for a longer time or remove the lid in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Adjust the amount of spices to your desired level of heat.
- I like to serve this easy recipe with my favorite chili toppings like shredded cheese, green onion, tortilla chips, green chiles, sour cream, avocado, or chopped fresh cilantro.
- If you don’t have a dutch oven you can also use a large non-stick skillet or cast iron skillet. You can also use a pressure cooker or instant pot but the amount of time will need to be adjusted. The same is said for the crock pot. You can absolutely make it in the crock pot but the cook time will need to be adjusted appropriately.
how to make this a low carb recipe
To make this Gluten Free Turkey Chili lower in carbs, swap the beans for chopped zucchini and cauliflower rice. You can also use fewer tomatoes and add a dollop of low-carb tomato paste for concentrated flavor.
how to make this a vegan recipe
To make this Gluten Free Turkey Chili vegan, replace the ground turkey with lentils or crumbled tempeh. You can also use extra beans in place of the meat to make a bean chili recipe. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and skip any dairy-based toppings like cheese or sour cream.
how to serve, store and meal prep
Once cooked, serve a big bowl of Gluten Free Turkey Chili with your favorite toppings like chopped onions, dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, or avocado. For leftover turkey chili, let the chili cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Chili freezes well too! Portion the Gluten Free Turkey Chili out into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge or heat it up directly from frozen on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
Meal prepping this Gluten Free Turkey Chili is easy! I like to cook a big batch and portion it out into individual containers right after cooking. This way I have delicious lunches or quick dinners ready to go throughout the week.
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If you make this recipe and enjoyed it, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and Pinterest. Purchase my cookbook Easy Allergy Free Cooking. Join my exclusive weeknight meal plan group for 5 weekly 30-minute dinner recipes plus a weekly grocery shopping list. The weeknight meal plan also has an accompanying podcast as well! I would love for you to follow along!
Healthy Gluten Free Turkey Chili Recipe (Dairy Free)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large bell pepper
- 1 large onion
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1 15 oz can of beans of choice we use kidney beans!
- 2 15 oz can of tomato sauce
- 1 15 oz can of diced or crushed tomatoes
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp brown sugar coconut sugar or sugar substitute
Instructions
- Wash and dice the bell pepper and onion.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the diced pepper, onion, and ground turkey.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the meat is browned.
- Drain and rinse the beans.
- Add the beans, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, spices (chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper), salt, pepper, and sugar to the pot with the browned meat and vegetables.
- Stir well to combine.
- Cover the pot and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
- Simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring every 15-20 minutes, until the chili is thickened and the flavors meld.
- Ladle the chili into individual serving bowls and enjoy!
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