Get all of the classic flavors you know and love but much FASTER in this Instant Pot Turkey Chili recipe– a family favorite for Fall! It’s simple to make with kidney beans, veggies, diced tomatoes, ground turkey, and a homemade seasoning blend. You only need a pressure cooker and 45 minutes for a healthier spin on a traditional game day dish!

A silver spoon in a bowl full of healthy, gluten-free, and dairy-free turkey chili.

Favorite Instant Pot Turkey Chili Recipe

Nothing is quite like snuggling up to a cozy bowl full of piping hot ground turkey chili! (Or any Insant Pot Beef Chili for that matter!)

Serve it with a piece of Honey Jalapeño Cornbread or Mini Cornbread Muffins and you’ll have yourself one comforting winter dinner.

Most traditional recipes seem to take FOREVER to cook. Especially if you want to get super tender ground meat that is full of chili flavor.

But did you know you can make the BEST chili in a pressure cooker – and it takes less than 45 minutes?

And all of that flavor is thanks to a homemade chili seasoning mix.

Your family will think you slaved away all day over a hot stove to make this bowl of deliciousness!

We’ll let them be fooled.  Because you and I both know you simply popped it into your pressure cooker and let it do the work for you. 😉

Ground turkey, canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans, and chili seasoning on a wooden table.

Ingredients

The ingredients you will need are very similar to those a traditional chili recipe calls for:

  • Ground Turkey. You can also substitute ground beef, venison, or chicken.
  • Onion. A sweet onion is used, but you can opt for a yellow or white one.
  • Bell Pepper. Feel free to use a red, green, or yellow bell pepper.
  • Celery. This ingredient sets it apart from most other chili recipes and completes the “trinity” of ingredients.
  • Beans. Dark, red kidney beans are found in this recipe and the typical chili beans. However, black beans may also be used. Canned beans are definitely quicker and easier to use, but feel free to cook your beans from dried if you’d prefer.
  • Tomatoes. A combination of both canned diced tomatoes and tomato sauce are used in this chili recipe.  You can substitute the diced tomatoes with crushed tomatoes if needed.
  • Chicken Broth. A little additional liquid is needed when making chili in a pressure cooker. Water can be used, but broth has quite a bit more sodium and flavor.
  • Homemade Chili Seasoning. This recipe was created with a homemade spice blend of cumin, chili powder, paprika, cayenne, oregano, garlic powder, and cinnamon, and not a store-bought packet. If you’re using a packet, please test and adjust to your taste preference.

Cook’s Tip: Make sure you rinse and drain the beans thoroughly before using in the recipe.

How to Make Instant Pot Turkey Chili

The simple steps to follow to make this ground turkey chili are easy to follow:

Sauté the Veggies

Dice the onion as well as the bell pepper and celery.

Set the Instant Pot to the sauté function. Add some oil and allow it to heat up.

Toss the onion, bell pepper, and celery into the pot.

Cook the vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the Meat and Beans

Push the vegetables to the side of the pot and add the ground turkey.

Cook the meat for 4 to 5 minutes or until the turkey is almost cooked through. Be sure to break it up as it browns.

Pour in the broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to release any of the stuck bits and pieces. If you don’t do this, there may be an error warning.

Add the kidney beans and chili seasoning mix.

Then, carefully pour in the canned tomatoes and tomato sauce. Sprinkle sugar over the top.

Be sure you do not stir at this step. The tomatoes need to stay away from the bottom of the instant pot or you might get an error.

There are two reasons you may get a burn notice:

  • The bottom of the pot had browned bits stuck to it.  Next time, scrape the bottom of the pot thoroughly.
  • The tomatoes were stirred in.  Make sure you pour your tomatoes on the TOP of the ingredients when adding them into the Instant Pot.
Tomatoes and sugar are poured on top.

Pressure Cook

Cover the pot with a lid and set to High Pressure for 12 minutes.

Allow a 10-minute natural pressure release for the most tender and flavorful chili.

You may do a quick release if you are pressed for time.

Do you want to learn How to Use an Instant Pot?  All of the basics are covered in this post!

Serve the Chili

Some of the best toppings to add to this homemade chili include:

  • Sour Cream: Tofutti makes an incredible dairy-free sour cream if you need that!
  • Shredded Cheese: Cheddar cheese and Monterrey Jack blends taste great.
  • Jalapenos: Sliced or pickled jalapeño peppers will add an extra level of heat to the chili recipe.
  • Tortilla Chips: Crushed tortilla chips give chili a wonderful crunch and texture.
A spoon scooping out a bite of an Instant Pot Turkey Chili recipe.

Meal Prep and Storage

  • To Prep-Ahead: Make up the seasoning mix beforehand. You can dice the vegetables the day before, if needed.
  • To Store: Store leftover chili in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
  • To Freeze: Chili is a great dish to freeze for later. Place leftovers in a freezer-safe container and store for up to 4 to 6 months.
  • To Reheat: Warm up the chili in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat.

FAQs

How to make chili spicy?

Additional cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes can be added to increase the spice level.

How do I fix watery chili in my Instant pot?

Add a cornstarch slurry if you would like to thicken it. (Whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1/4 cup warm water.)

What happens if my Instant Pot doesn’t have a chili setting?

If there is no Bean/Chili setting, manually select “Pressure Cook” and set the heat to high for 15 minutes.

A ladle scooping out a serving of ground turkey chili from an Instant Pot.

Expert Tips and Tricks

  • DIY seasoning. Mix up your own chili seasoning for the best flavor. Plus, you can adjust it to your taste preferences.
  • Use your own. If you like to freeze tomatoes, you can use them in this recipe.
  • Serve it up. Dish this chili up in a big bowl with some cheese, tortilla chips, and sour cream. Don’t forget the cornbread!
  • Double up. Make a large batch and store the rest for easy freezer meals.
  • Get creative. Try different spices and seasonings to customize the chili.
Two bowls that are filled with healthy turkey chili with a blue napkin.

What to Serve with Turkey Chili

When you’re ready to enjoy a bowl of this chili, pair it with any of these recipes to complete your meal:

Other Healthy Instant Pot Recipes

If you loved this easy turkey chili, try one of these other Instant Pot recipes next:

Tap stars to rate!

4.89 from 9 votes

Instant Pot Turkey Chili Recipe

Get all of the classic flavors you know and love but much FASTER with this Instant Pot Turkey Chili recipe- a family favorite for Fall!
Yield 6 servings
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Total 45 minutes
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Ingredients 

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 sweet onion finely diced
  • 3 stalks celery finely diced
  • 1 green bell pepper finely diced
  • 1 lb. ground turkey 93/7
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 2 15-oz. cans red kidney beans
  • 4 Tbsp. homemade chili seasoning
  • 2 14-oz. cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar

Optional Toppings:

  • Jalapeños thinly sliced
  • Sour cream can use dairy-free
  • Shredded cheddar cheese can use dairy-free
  • Green onions finely chopped

Instructions 

  • Saute Vegetables: Set a 6-quart Instant Pot to the sauté function and add olive oil along with diced sweet onion, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables become tender.
    2 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 sweet onion, 3 stalks celery, 1 green bell pepper
  • Cook and Crumble Turkey: Push vegetables to the side of the pot and add ground turkey. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until turkey is almost cooked through. Crumble turkey with a spatula or a potato masher.
    1 lb. ground turkey
  • Add Broth, beans, and Seasonings: Pour in chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen up bits that are stuck. Add beans, seasoning mix, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar. (Do not mix ingredients together. You want the tomatoes to stay towards the top while cooking.)
    ½ cup chicken broth, 2 15-oz. cans red kidney beans, 4 Tbsp. homemade chili seasoning, 2 14-oz. cans diced tomatoes, 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce, 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • Cover and Pressure Cook: Cover Instant Pot with a lid, make sure pressure release valve is set to sealed, and turn pot on high pressure for 12 minutes. Allow a 10-minute natural pressure release before opening the valve to release the steam.
  • Finish with Toppings: Serve ground turkey chili with sliced jalapeños, green onions, sour cream, and/or cheese. Enjoy!
    Jalapeños, Sour cream, Shredded cheddar cheese, Green onions
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!

Tap stars to rate!

4.89 from 9 votes

Notes

Meal Prep and Storage

  • To Prep-Ahead: Make up the seasoning mix beforehand. You can dice the vegetables the day before if needed.
  • To Store: Store leftover chili in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
  • To Freeze: Chili is a great dish to freeze for later. Place leftovers in a freezer-safe container and store for up to 4 to 6 months.
  • To Reheat: Warm up chili in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat.

Nutrition

Calories: 327kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 885mg, Potassium: 1319mg, Fiber: 14g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 5354IU, Vitamin C: 35mg, Calcium: 126mg, Iron: 6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Made this recipe?Leave a comment below!
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Tips & recipes for getting yummy — and healthy — meals on the table.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    My go to Chili recipe
    I use closer to 2 lb of meat to double recipe
    I mix 99% ground turkey and the leanest ground beef I can buy to reduce fat
    I use a mix of beans
    When done cooking I leave on keep warm and let it go longer

    Everyone who has tried it loves it

    1. Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Debbie! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!

  2. 5 stars
    Soooo yummy! Tonight I cooked this with ground venison and it was delicious! I cooked the meat separately, but followed the other steps in order. Super easy!

    1. Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Caitlin! Venison sounds delicious! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!

  3. 5 stars
    I made this tonight for dinner. I did not have an Instant Pot so I used a Crockpot. I prepared the vegetables and turkey in a deep skillet and then transferred to crockpot and added remaining ingredients. It was great, my husband said it was our best chili recipe yet. This is the second recipe I’ve tried from your blog and both were winners. Thank you for offering great healthy tasty options.

    1. Yay!! I’m so happy you and your hubby enjoyed the chili recipe so much. And that’s great to know that it can be done in the Crock-Pot! Thanks so much for your comment and rating, Kristine! 🙂

    1. Hi Lois! Yes, you absolutely can! A Dutch Oven will work great. Just cover and simmer the chili for 30-35 minutes and it should turn out amazing for you 🙂