Turkey Pinto Bean Chili

This recipe for Pinto Bean Chili with Turkey has been updated to use more turkey and fewer beans to make it a low-carb chili recipe. And you’ll love this delicious chili with ground turkey, but use leftover turkey if you have some! And this chili is gluten-free.

PIN the Pinto Bean Chili with Turkey to make some later!

I’m excited to share the updated photos and recipe for this Turkey Pinto Bean Chili! For a few years I’ve been having fun revising some of my older recipes to be lower in carbs. This is a new version of a popular pinto bean chili that now has more turkey in proportion to the amount of beans. (If you were a fan of the original Turkey and Pinto Bean White Chili check out the printer-friendly recipe back in the archives.)

I loved the original recipe. And back in my South Beach Diet days I didn’t mind chili with two cans of pinto beans. But now most people who visit this site would prefer a chili with fewer carbs. For the updated recipe I’m using two pounds of ground turkey, one can of pinto beans, green bell pepper, and a large Poblano pepper. That makes a chili that’s loaded with flavor and quite low in net carbs. And the chili with more turkey is higher in protein too!

I love this recipe with ground turkey, but you can make it with leftover chili too. No matter which kind of turkey you use, please, please, please don’t skip the lime juice that’s added at the end. That’s the secret ingredient that makes this chili over-the-top good.

What ingredients do you need?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

• onion
• large green bell pepper
• large Poblano pepper (sometimes called Pasilla Peppers)
• Olive Oil (affiliate link)
• garlic
• diced green chiles (affiliate link)
• dried cilantro (affiliate link), optional but good
• ground Cumin (affiliate link)
• Mexican Oregano (affiliate link
• Spike Seasoning (affiliate link), or use any all-purpose seasoning blend
• Ground Epazote (affiliate link)
• can of pinto beans
• homemade Turkey Stock (or chicken broth)
• water
• turkey soup base; I would use Better than Bouillon Turkey Base (affiliate link)
• ground turkey
• lime juice, I used my fresh-frozen lime juice
• chopped cilantro (or use sliced green onions if you’re not a cilantro fan)
• salt and black pepper
• Monterey Jack cheese or Four Cheese Mexican Blend for serving (optional)
• sour cream for serving (optional)

Why do I use Epazote in the turkey chili with pinto beans?

I love Epazote, which is a Mexican herb that’s added to dried beans for flavor and to reduce the gas-producing effects of beans. I highly recommend using that if you have some, but this chili will still be delicious without it.

Can you make Turkey Pinto Bean Chili with leftover turkey?

Turkey and Pinto Bean Chili can be made with 3-4 cups of diced leftover turkey when you have some! See tips in the recipe for adding diced cooked turkey towards the end of the cooking time.

What if you don’t want cilantro in this pinto bean chili?

If you’re someone who doesn’t enjoy the taste of cilantro, skip the dried cilantro and replace chopped cilantro with thinly sliced green onions.

How low in carbs is the updated Turkey Pinto Bean Chili recipe?

This chili with lots of ground turkey has only 12.7 net carbs per serving, with 38 grams of protein!

How to Make Turkey Pinto Bean Chili:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

1. I used a large green bell pepper and large Poblano (Pasilla) pepper to make a thicker chili without adding many carbs.
2. Chop up the onion, green pepper, and Poblano pepper. 
3. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet that can hold all the ingredients. Cook onion, pepper, and Poblano pepper until they’re wilted and starting to brown.
4. Add the diced green chiles, dried cilantro (if using), ground cumin, Mexican oregano (or oregano), Spike Seasoning, and ground Epazote (if using). If you don’t have all those herbs, use the ones you have.
5. Then add rinsed and drained pinto beans, homemade turkey stock or canned chicken broth, water, and a teaspoon or two of turkey soup base (if using).
6. Let the mixture simmer about 30 minutes at very low heat, until it’s slightly reduced and flavors are well blended.
7. While the mixture simmers, heat the rest of the olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the ground turkey, breaking it apart as it cooks. I like to use a Hamburger Meat Chopper (affiliate link) or a potato masher (affiliate link) to break it apart. 
8. Cook turkey until all the water is evaporated and it’s nicely browned. 
9. After the liquid mixture has simmered 30 minutes, add cooked ground turkey and cook the chili 15-30 minutes more.
10. If you’re making this with diced leftover turkey, simmer the onions, garlic, herbs, beans, and stock about 45 minutes, then add the chopped turkey (or chicken) and simmer only 5-10 minutes more. Add chopped cilantro or thinly sliced green onions the last 5 minutes.
11. Then add the fresh lime juice and salt and pepper to taste right before you serve the chili.
12. Serve Turkey Pinto Bean Chili with grated cheese and sour cream to add at the table if desired.

Make it a Low-Carb Meal:

This chili with turkey and pinto beans can certainly be a one-dish meal. But if you want something more, here are some low-carb ideas for a side dish:

• Cottage Cheese Cucumber Salad
• Savory Almond Flour Bread
• Tomato Salad with Cucumbers, Avocado, and Cilantro
• Olive Bread (Low-Carb and Gluten-Free)
• No-Mayo Vinegar Coleslaw

Want more chili recipes or ideas for leftover turkey?

Check out these round-ups for more amazing chili recipes or ideas for using leftover turkey:

• Amazing Low-Carb and Keto Chili Recipes
• Healthy Chili Recipes Your Family Will Love
• Low-Carb Leftover Turkey Recipes
• Healthy Recipes using Leftover Turkey

Weekend Food Prep:

This recipe for ground turkey chili with pinto beans has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!

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5.0 Stars (10 Reviews)

Yield: 7 servings

Pinto Bean Chili with Turkey

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

This updated version of Pinto Bean Chili uses more turkey and fewer beans for a lower-carb chili recipe. This will be delicious with ground turkey or leftover turkey, but please don't skip the touch of lime!

Ingredients

• 1 small onion
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 Poblano chile pepper
• 1 T + 1 T olive oil
• one 7 oz. can diced green chiles
• 1 T dried cilantro (optional but recommended)
• 1 T ground cumin
• 2 tsp. Mexican oregano (or oregano)
• 1 T Spike Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. ground Epazote
• one 15 oz. can Pinto beans, rinsed
• 4 cups turkey stock (see notes)
• 2 cups water (or more)
• 1-2 tsp. turkey soup base
• 2 lbs. ground turkey (see notes)
• 2-3 T fresh-squeezed lime juice (to taste)
• fresh-ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or use thinly-sliced green onion if you're not a cilantro fan)
• grated Monterey Jack cheese for serving (optional)
• sour cream for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Chop up the onion, green pepper, and Poblano pepper. 
2. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet with high sides (big enough to hold all the ingredients.)
3. Cook onion, pepper, and Poblano pepper until they're wilted and starting to brown.
4. Add the can of diced green chiles, dried cilantro (if using), ground cumin, Mexican oregano (or oregano), Spike Seasoning, and ground Epazote (if using). Don't stress if you don't have all those herbs, use the ones you have.
5. Then add rinsed and drain pinto beans, homemade turkey stock or canned chicken broth, water, and a teaspoon or two of turkey soup base (if using)
6. Let this mixture simmer about 30 minutes at very low heat, until the mixture is slightly reduced and the flavors are well blended
7. While the mixture simmers, heat the rest of the olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the ground turkey, breaking it apart as it cooks. I like to use a Hamburger Meat Chopper (affiliate link) or a potato masher (affiliate link) to break the meat apart.
8. Cook the ground turkey until all the water is evaporated and it's nicely browned.
9. After the chili liquid mixture has simmered 30 minutes, add cooked ground turkey and cook the chili 15-30 minutes more. (Don't add diced cooked turkey yet.
10. If you're making this with diced leftover diced turkey, simmer the onions, garlic, herbs, beans, and stock about 45 minutes, then add the chopped turkey (or chicken) and simmer only about 5-10 minutes more.
11. Add chopped cilantro or thinly sliced green onions the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
12. Add the fresh lime juice and pepper to taste right before you serve the chili. (I would not add salt because the broth and Spike Seasoning are both salty.
13. Serve this Pinto Bean Chili with Turkey with grated cheese and sour cream to add at the table if desired.

Notes

Nutritional information doesn't include the optional cheese or sour cream.

If you don't have turkey stock you can use chicken stock or canned chicken broth.

If you're making this with leftover turkey use 3-4 cups diced leftover turkey.

This recipe was created by Kalyn and was updated in 2022 into the lower carb version you see here with help from my niece and fantastic assistant Kara!

Nutrition Information

Yield

7

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 441Total Fat 26gSaturated Fat 6.3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 140mgSodium 1640mgCarbohydrates 17gFiber 4.3gSugar 4.3gProtein 38g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

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Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This updated recipe for Turkey Pinto Bean Chili has 12.7 net carbs, which would work for anyone who’s watching carbs but still eats beans. The recipe would also work for any phase of the original south Beach Diet.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Check out Soup and Stew Recipes for more tummy-warming chili ideas! Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This pinto bean chili with turkey was first posted in 2009. The recipe was updated to use more turkey and fewer beans in 2023. It was last updated with more information in 2026.