Name: Turkey Quinoa Chili (under 200 calories!)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon olive oil; 16 oz. ground turkey; 1 cup diced onion ( 1 large onion); 2 bell peppers (any color), diced; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste; ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, or to taste; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 tablespoons chili powder; 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin; 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (regular oregano is fine, too); ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste; 1 bottle (12 oz.) dark Mexican beer (we like Dos Equis Amber); 1 can (28 oz.) petite diced tomatoes, undrained; 1 cup water; ¾ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed; 1 can (15 oz.) reduced-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained; Optional toppings: sour cream, green onions, cilantro, cheese, etc

Extra filling (18 grams of protein!) and extra flavorful, this lighter turkey quinoa chili is the reliable speedy and straightforward weeknight meal — and it freezes well!

At a glance

What stands out: Like most chili recipes, this turkey quinoa chili is straightforward to mix and versatile.

How long it takes: 40 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: large pan or Dutch oven
Servings: 8

Serving of chili in white footed ball garnished with sour cream and sliced green onion.

Michigan and we are in a fight right now. Last week, the kids were off from school for two “snow” days, and this week, we’re 1 for 1 so far with another “snow” day.

And we write “snow” in quotations because it’s actually ice and freezing rain which is annoying us more than anything. We can’t play outside, we can barely walk in our driveway, and our backyard is one giant pond. And since we work from home, we can’t work because our kids are home.

But spring will come, just as it always does. We sure do hope it hurries though. In the meantime, we'll be curling up with a hot bowl of chili trying to stay warm.

PS: Funny story, today our kids were upstairs playing and we hear our 4-year-old son call to our daughter, “Do we need to keep our underwear on?”

So of course, we yell to them, “Keep your underwear on!!!!”

Minutes later, they run down the stairs with their bathing suits on. We must say, we were a bit relieved. Obviously we’re all slightly stir-crazy.

Quinoa chili in footed white bowl, with spoon.

About This Turkey Quinoa Chili Recipe

It’s straightforward to mix. We love this recipe because it’s SUPER straightforward to mix. The quinoa cooks right in there with the rest of the ingredients as the chili simmers on the stove. It’s a one pan meal that totally satisfies and it’s straightforward to clean up, too.
This chili is lighter. Along with lighter, lower-in-fat ground turkey, the chili also has quinoa which contains the 8 essential amino acids for protein. A serving of this chili has a whopping 22 grams of protein and only 1 gram of saturated fat. It’s packed with good-for-you vegetables like bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes.
The recipe is versatile. If you notice an ingredient you don’t care for, it’s straightforward to swap in a different one. If you’re missing one of the ingredients and you don’t feel like going to the store (we totally get that, especially when it’s icy out!), feel free to improvise.

Enjoy and stay warm!

Change It up

Meat/no meat: Substitute any type of ground meat, including sausage. Or leave the meat out for a hearty vegetarian chili. Try our vegetarian quinoa chili.
Omit the beer: Not a beer drinker? Simply substitute broth or water for the beer.
Add more veggies: Go ahead and throw in diced carrots or celery. Corn, frozen or canned, is good. Dice up a sweet potato and add that. If the chili gets too thick with the added vegetables, thin in with water or broth.
Leave out the quinoa. The chili is good either way.

Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating

This chili is reliable for meal prep. You can make a big batch of this and you’ll have lunches ready for the whole week. It keeps for up to 4 days. It freezes well, too, for at least a month.

To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen. Reheat in a saucepan on the stove for best results.

Free Meal Plan

Interested in a weekly meal plan (it’s free!) that includes this chili recipe? Take a look at our Meal Plan #50. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let us do the planning for you this week! We add a new meal plan weekly.

Browse Meal Plans

Yield: 8 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
16 oz. ground turkey
1 cup diced onion ( 1 large onion)
2 bell peppers (any color), diced
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (regular oregano is fine, too)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
1 bottle (12 oz.) dark Mexican beer (we like Dos Equis Amber)
1 can (28 oz.) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup water
¾ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 can (15 oz.) reduced-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
Optional toppings: sour cream, green onions, cilantro, cheese, etc

Method

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add turkey, onion, bell pepper, salt and pepper and cook, breaking up turkey, until turkey is cooked through and onions are translucent.
Add tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and garlic powder. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until tomato paste coats all ingredients and spices are fragrant.
Add beer and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and water; bring to a boil.
When boiling, add quinoa and black beans. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes or until tails appear on quinoa. If desired, add more water or chicken broth.
Serve with desired toppings.