Easy Instant Pot Turkey Chili Recipe

This family favorite Easy Instant Pot Turkey Chili Recipe delivers rich flavors and great nutrition. If this is your first time using an electric pressure cooker, this ground turkey chili is a great easy recipe to begin with. 

When creating this easy turkey chili recipe, I knew I wanted the texture to be on the chunky side. Anything I made before this was runny, so I wanted to make it thick where it would stay on the spoon and not drip off. I also knew I wanted to add a good flavor without making it spicy, because my kids don't care for too much spice.

Making sure it contains good veggies and fiber was a priority as well, so I added peppers, onion, and the kidney beans. I don't like a really strong turkey flavor, so it was important to me to bring all of these flavors together.

Try my other healthy Instant Pot recipes like Cilantro Chicken and Rice, Easy No-Soak Black Beans, and Tomato Basil Soup.

Jump to:

• Ingredient List
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top tip
• Recipe

Ingredient List

This is a balanced all in one meal because it contains lean protein, plant based protein beans, fiber rich foods like beans and veggies, and lots of nutrients from all the ingredients. Every ingredient is pulling its weight in this recipe. Here's what you'll need to make this healthy Instant Pot chili:

• Lean Ground Turkey
• Poblano Pepper
• Green Bell Pepper
• Yellow Onion
• Canned Crushed Tomatoes
• Canned Diced Tomatoes- I recommend fire roasted diced tomatoes
• Tomato Paste
• Chili Seasoning -I recommend McCormick Organic Chili Seasoning packet
• Canned Kidney Beans
• Salt

See recipe card for quantities.

The 2 secret ingredients in this recipe are the poblano pepper and tomato paste. Poblanos are a little hotter than bell peppers, but not as hot as jalapenos, so you can create good flavor without being too hot. It’s kid friendly. Tomato paste (instead of tomato sauce) adds thickness and rich flavor because it is a food that provides umami flavor. 

Instructions

Here's how to make Easy Instant Pot Turkey Chili:

Hint: Once completed, you can either quick release the pressure to eat immediately or let the remaining pressure naturally release and sit for as long as you need it to.

Substitutions

• Seasoning- My favorite seasoning packet to use is the McCormick Organic Chili Seasoning, but really you can use whatever chili seasoning to want and go as mild or as hot as you want. This one has great flavor with just a touch of heat. The mild is too mild for me, so this one is great for my family. 
• Beans- Instead of kidney beans you could use pinto beans.

Variations

Here are a few variations you could try with this healthy chili recipe.

• Vegan: Make this into a vegan or vegetarian chili by leaving out the turkey and adding a can of washed and drained black beans, pinto beans, or white beans. 
• Heat: Take up the heat by choosing a hotter heat spice blend, adding in 1-3 diced jalapenos in step 1, adding a dash of chili powder to step 2, or topping your chili with fresh jalapenos.
• Slow Cooker: You could make this in the slow cooker. After you cook the turkey and peppers, add remaining ingredients and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. Top with your favorite chili toppings.

Equipment

An Instant Pot is the only piece of equipment you'll need for this delicious pot of chili.

Storage

Let the chili cool to a warm, but not cold, temperature first. Store leftover turkey chili in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Leftover chili reheats well making it great for meal prep.

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