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Quick Ground Turkey Pumpkin Chili: Easy 30-Minute Dinner

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A quick and easy 30-minute chili made with ground turkey and pumpkin puree, perfect for busy weeknights. This one-pot meal is rich, velvety, and packed with fall flavors.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground turkey (lean or 93/7 works great)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 can (15 ounces) canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) canned diced tomatoes, undrained (fire-roasted recommended)
  • 1 can (15 ounces) canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or black beans)
  • 1 cup chicken broth (low-sodium; use vegetable broth for vegetarian version)
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • Optional toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, crushed tortilla chips

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in your large pot over medium-high heat. Give it about 30 seconds to get hot—you want it shimmering but not smoking.
  2. Add the ground turkey to the pot. Break it up with your wooden spoon as it cooks. Let it brown for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want some nice golden-brown bits—that’s flavor! Don’t stir too much or it’ll steam instead of browning.
  3. Add the diced onion to the pot with the turkey. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onion softens and starts looking translucent.
  4. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until it’s fragrant. Garlic burns fast, so keep stirring and don’t walk away!
  5. Sprinkle in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together and let it cook for about a minute. This toasts the spices and wakes up all their flavors.
  6. Pour in the canned pumpkin puree and stir until it’s well combined with the turkey mixture.
  7. Add the diced tomatoes (with their juices) and the drained kidney beans. Stir everything together until it’s all mixed in.
  8. Pour in the chicken broth and stir again. Scrape the bottom of the pot to get any browned bits—that’s pure flavor gold.
  9. Bring the chili to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The chili will thicken and the flavors will meld together beautifully.
  10. Taste and adjust seasoning after simmering. Need more salt? Add it. Want more heat? A pinch of cayenne or some hot sauce does the trick.
  11. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.

Notes

Don’t rush the browning of the turkey for maximum flavor. Toast the spices for a minute before adding liquids to enhance their taste. This chili tastes even better the next day as flavors meld. Freezes well for up to 3 months. For a vegetarian version, swap turkey for two cans of black beans or crumbled tofu and use vegetable broth. For spicier chili, add a diced jalapeño with the onion or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper.

Nutrition

Keywords: ground turkey chili, pumpkin chili, easy chili recipe, 30-minute dinner, fall chili, healthy chili, one-pot meal

Find it online: https://junomeals.com/quick-ground-turkey-pumpkin-chili-easy-30-minute-dinner/