Turkey chili used to be a weekend thing for me, simmering in the crock pot all day. With the Instant Pot, I can come home from work and have a hearty pot of it ready in under an hour. Chunky peppers, a few canned staples, and a little cocoa powder (more on that in a minute) make it taste like it cooked all afternoon. My wife and I absolutely love this chili and it’s one we make very often!
More Chili Recipes to Try:
The Keys to Nailing This Recipe
This chili is about as simple as it gets, but three small things make the difference between good and great:
-
Layer the pot, don’t stir.
Broth goes on the bottom, with tomatoes and beans on top. Stirring tomato down to the bottom is the most common cause of a burn notice. -
Bloom the spices first.
Stir them into the browned turkey for a minute on sauté. The heat brings out more of their flavor, so the chili tastes like it cooked for hours. -
Cut the veggies big.
Peppers and onion soften a lot under pressure. Bigger chunks hold their shape instead of turning mushy.
How to Make Instant Pot Turkey Chili
Everything happens in one pot. The Instant Pot’s sauté mode is a big deal for chili, because browning the turkey and blooming the spices is where most of the flavor comes from.
Step 1: Chop the Onion and Peppers
Dice the onions and dice the peppers. There, you’ve prepped.
Chop them on the larger side. Seeing those big chunks in the chili makes it all the more satisfying, and they hold up better under pressure. I use two bell peppers in different colors, but use whatever combo you like.
Step 2: Brown the Turkey and Veggies
Set the Instant Pot to sauté (high if yours has it) and add the olive oil. When it’s hot, add the ground turkey and break it up with a wooden spoon.
When the turkey is almost browned, add the onion and peppers. Cook until the turkey is browned through and the onions are just turning translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes total. The veggies keep cooking under pressure, so a few minutes here is plenty.
✦ Jason’s Tip
Use 93% lean ground turkey. It stays juicy, while 99% lean tends to cook up dry and crumbly.
Step 3: Bloom the Spices
Stir in all the spices and sauté for 1 minute. The heat releases more of their flavor, and you’ll smell the difference right away. Then press Cancel.
A Little Lesson from Jason
My Secret Ingredient: Cocoa Powder
Cocoa powder in chili? Yep! But don’t worry—we’re not making chocolate chili. A little unsweetened cocoa powder adds a deeper, richer flavor without making the chili sweet.
Here’s why it works: cocoa has a slight bitterness that plays nicely with the warm spices and helps round out the sharpness of the tomatoes. You won’t taste it as a separate ingredient, but it gives the whole pot a little more depth.
The teacher’s tip: A little goes a long way! Stick with the amount in the recipe and use unsweetened cocoa powder, not hot chocolate mix.
✦ Use chili powder without salt. The seasoned salt (I like Lawry’s) already brings plenty, so salt-free chili powder keeps the chili from getting too salty.
Step 4: Layer In the Broth, Tomatoes, and Beans
Pour in the broth and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Then add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and drained beans on top. And do not stir.
Keeping the thin broth on the bottom helps the pot come to pressure faster and keeps the tomato from scorching and triggering a burn notice. Everything comes together during cooking.
Step 5: Pressure Cook and Quick Release
Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes (use Manual on older models). It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to come to pressure before the timer starts.
When it’s done, carefully move the valve to Venting right away. Letting it sit keeps cooking the peppers soft. Once the pin drops, open the lid.
✦ Want a Slow Cooker Option?
Prefer to let chili simmer all day? My Slow Cooker Chili is made for the slow cooker, with ground beef and bell peppers.
Step 6: Stir and Thicken If Needed
Give everything a good stir. It’ll look a little loose at first but thickens as it cools.
For thicker chili, stir 1 Tbsp cornstarch into 1 Tbsp water, add it to the pot, and simmer on sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Go easy if you add more, since it thickens fast. Or skip the cornstarch and simmer on sauté for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often.
My Cozy Soup and Stew Recipes collection is full of easy one-pot dinners like this one, from Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup to split pea soup and classic beef stew.
Easy Ways to Change It Up
This chili is simple on purpose, which makes it easy to adjust. A few swaps that work well:
- Swap the beans: Black beans or pinto beans work just as well as kidney beans. You can also use a mix.
- Skip the beans: Leave them out for a no-bean chili. Throw in an extra bell pepper to keep it hearty.
- Add some heat: Dice a jalapeño and sauté it with the onion and peppers.
- Add corn: Stir in a cup of frozen corn after pressure cooking. It warms through in a couple of minutes on sauté.
- Add more veggies: One reader adds mushrooms and celery to some batches. Chop them big and add them with the peppers.
For a whole different take on turkey chili, my Instant Pot White Bean and Turkey Chili is worth a try.
Favorite Toppings
Adding toppings to chili is always fun, and you can definitely make it your own. Here are my favorites:
- Shredded cheese: I’ve gotta have cheese in my chili. In fact, you might say I overdo it, but I don’t care. I love a bunch of gooey, melted cheese with the savory chili.
- Sour cream: We always love a dollop of sour cream on ours. It cools things down and makes every bite creamier.
- Goldfish crackers: I LOVE these things, and they’re SO good in chili. You get that cracker crunch along with the cheesy flavor.
- Oyster or saltine crackers: These are pantry staples for a reason, and they’re great crumbled right into the bowl.
- Green onions: They add a fresh, mild onion flavor and a little crunch.
- Avocado or tortilla chips: Diced avocado adds creaminess, and crushed tortilla chips add crunch.
What to Serve Alongside
This chili is a full meal on its own, but something to soak up the last bit in the bowl is always welcome. Cornbread is the classic pick, and my Skillet Cornbread is a great one to make alongside it.
If you want something cool and crisp to go with the warm chili, Country Creamy Coleslaw is a nice contrast. One reader serves it with toasted French bread, and that’s a great call too.
Storage and Reheating
Cooling: Let the chili cool before storing it in airtight containers.
Fridge: It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Freezer: Freeze it for up to 6 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Meal prep: Portion it into single-serving containers for easy lunches all week. It reheats great.
Reheating: Warm it in a pot over medium heat, stirring now and then, until heated through. In the microwave, cover it and stir every minute or so so it heats evenly. If it thickened up in the fridge, stir in a splash of broth.
Leftover idea: Leftover chili is great spooned over these Air Fryer Baked Potatoes with a handful of cheese on top.
FAQs
What do I do if I get a burn notice?
Press Cancel and quick release the pressure. Open the lid and gently scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen anything stuck. If the bottom looks dry, add a splash of broth, then re-seal and restart the pressure cook. The best prevention is keeping the broth on the bottom and not stirring the tomatoes down before cooking.
Can I use dried beans instead of canned?
Yes, but cook them first. Ten minutes at pressure isn’t enough to cook raw dried beans, and cooking the chili long enough to soften them would leave the turkey and peppers overdone. Cook the beans separately in the Instant Pot, like I do in my Instant Pot Black Beans, then drain them and add them in Step 4. About 1½ cups of cooked beans replaces one 15-oz can.
Can I use frozen ground turkey?
It’s best to thaw it first. A frozen block of turkey won’t brown or break up on sauté, so you’d lose the browning that gives this chili so much flavor and end up with big clumps. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, or use the cold water method in a sealed bag for faster thawing.
My chili tastes a little flat. How do I fix it?
It usually just needs a little more salt. Stir in a pinch of seasoned salt, taste, and repeat until the flavors come alive. If it still tastes mild, add another ½ tsp of chili powder and simmer on sauté for a few minutes. Simmering also cooks off some liquid, which concentrates the flavor.
Recipe
Instant Pot Turkey Chili
Ingredients
Method
- Brown the turkey: Set the Instant Pot to sauté (high if available) and add the olive oil. When hot, add the ground turkey and break it up with a wooden spoon.
- Add the veggies: When the turkey is almost browned, add the onion and peppers. Cook until the turkey is browned through and the onions are translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes total.
- Bloom the spices: Stir in the chili powder, seasoned salt, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, cocoa powder, and black pepper. Sauté 1 minute, then press Cancel.
- Layer, don't stir: Pour in the broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beans on top. Do not stir.
- Pressure cook: Secure the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
- Quick release: Carefully move the valve to Venting. When the pin drops, remove the lid and stir well.
- Thicken if you like (optional): Stir together 1 Tbsp cornstarch and 1 Tbsp water, stir it into the chili, and simmer on sauté 1 to 2 minutes until thickened.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and add your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Ground turkey: 93% lean stays juicy. 99% lean tends to cook up dry and crumbly.
- Chili powder: Use a brand without added salt so the seasoned salt doesn’t make the chili too salty.
- Avoid a burn notice: Keep the broth on the bottom and don’t stir the tomatoes in before pressure cooking. If you get one, cancel, scrape the bottom, add a splash of broth, and restart.
- Peppers too soft? Chop them big and quick release right away so they don’t keep cooking.
- Thicker chili: Use the cornstarch slurry, or simmer uncovered on sauté for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Make it your own: Swap in black or pinto beans, skip the beans entirely, or add a diced jalapeño with the peppers.
- Doubling: You can double this in a 6-quart Instant Pot. The cook time stays at 10 minutes, but it will take longer to come to pressure. Keep everything under the max fill line.
- Storage: Refrigerate in airtight containers for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for up to 6 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if it’s too thick.
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Mark Shields says
I made it for my weekly lunch. When I tasted it, it was simply DELICIOUS
Mark Shields says
When do I add the beans into the Turkey Chili recipe? I didn’t see that step in your directions
RecipeTeacher says
In step 2. It goes in with the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce.
Susan says
Absolutely delicious! Perfect flavor and very easy to prepare! I have made several batches and have added mushrooms and celery to some. YUM!!
Diane says
We love your best damn pulled pork and chicken recipes so I decided to check to see if you had an instant pot turkey chili recipe – and I am glad I did. This was DELICIOUS! The flavor was great and it was very easy and quick to make. This is definitely my go to recipe for chili. After it was finished, I added some corn starch to some of the juice to thicken and turned the instant pot on to sauté for a few minutes – we are fans of a thicker chili.
Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Kyung says
Awesome recipe! I added a bit of cornstarch/water combo at the end because I like my chili a little thicker and felt that the peppers were a tad mushy, but overall it was so delicious! Tasted like it had been cooking for hours. Added some cheese and sour cream and toasted slices of french bread to eat on the side, which really elevated the dish. Will definitely add this to my recipe list for potlucks and parties!
RecipeTeacher says
I’m glad you liked it Kyung! We always LOVE some sour cream with it too. And the French bread makes it the perfect meal. Thank you so much for the feedback!