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bowl of BBQ chili topped with Greek yogurt and sliced jalapeños with the pot of chili behind it
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BBQ Turkey Chili

This BBQ chili is smoky, a little sweet, and spicy, and it gets there with sugar-free barbecue sauce and a splash of light beer. Lean ground turkey and shredded chicken keep it filling. My shortcut is a store-bought rotisserie chicken, so the turkey is the only meat I actually cook.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Rachel Oostdyk

Ingredients

For the vegetables

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large sweet onion finely chopped
  • 2 jalapeños finely chopped
  • 1 poblano pepper finely chopped
  • 1 bell pepper finely chopped
  • 1 mini sweet pepper finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves minced

For the meat

  • 1 pound 99% lean ground turkey
  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie works great)

For the seasoning

  • 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning
  • 1 packet salt-free chili seasoning mix
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the chili base

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles
  • 1 (29-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
  • 1 (16-ounce) can fat-free refried beans
  • 1 (15-ounce) can Great Northern beans drained
  • 1 (15-ounce) can sweet corn drained
  • 5 tablespoons sugar-free BBQ sauce
  • 1 (12-ounce) bottle light beer

For serving (optional)

  • Plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • Sliced jalapeños

Instructions

  • Set a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat and warm the olive oil.
  • Add the onion, jalapeños, poblano, bell pepper, sweet pepper, and garlic. Stir often and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the onion turns soft and see-through.
  • Crumble in the ground turkey. Break it apart as it cooks, about 6 to 7 minutes, until no pink is left.
  • Sprinkle the 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning over the turkey and stir until it's coated.
  • Pour in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, refried beans, Great Northern beans, and corn. Stir until the refried beans melt into the sauce.
  • Add the BBQ sauce, beer, and chili seasoning packet and stir well.
  • Fold in the shredded chicken and the 1 teaspoon salt. Bring it to a gentle bubble, turn the heat to low, and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring now and then.
  • Ladle into bowls and top each one with a spoonful of Greek yogurt and a few jalapeño slices, if you like.

Notes

Storage: Keep leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Freeze cooled chili in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheating: Warm it on the stove over medium-low heat or in the microwave. Add a splash of water or broth if it has thickened.