Simple Ground Turkey Chili with Beer (& Corn Cake Toppers)

5.0 from 6 votes

A simple Ground Turkey Chili with Beer recipe that is undoubtedly crave-worthy! Ground turkey, two types of beans, your fave beer, and smoky, spicy chipotles in adobo make this a seriously flavorful, hearty chili with rich, malty undertones. And the salty cheddar corn cake on top really makes this chili stand out!

bowls of chili topped with a corn cake sour cream green onions and scallions.

Did You Know?
Notes on the Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
Does Beer Cook Out of Chili?
How to Make Simple Ground Turkey Chili with Beer
Serving & Storage
F.A.Q.
More Soup Recipes
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Whether you’re in the mood for a warm bowl of chili on a cold night or looking for a delicious chili recipe for game day, this Simple Ground Turkey Chili with Beer & Corn Cake Toppers is a must-try!

Despite not liking beer, I loooove this recipe and have been making it for years. The depth of flavor you get from both the beer and the chipotles in adobo is phenomenal. Then you top it off with one of these crumbly, slightly sweet, slightly salty corn cakes, sour cream, scallions, and a little extra cheese and you really have the best turkey chili recipe there ever was!

Did You Know?

Ground turkey recipes are often touted as being healthy, and the healthier alternative to using ground beef. But are they really that much better for you?

Well, it depends.

Lean ground turkey breast is indeed healthier than 70/30 or 75/25 ground beef. But regular ground turkey compared to lean 93/7 ground beef actually has very small differences in calorie and fat content.

Ground turkey: 181 calories, 2.5 grams of saturated fat

93/7 Ground beef: 178 calories, 3.3 grams of saturated fat

Whether or not red meat is bad for you, or the effects of beef production on the environment is another consideration. But if you’re swapping turkey for beef merely for nutritional content, you really don’t need to if you choose lean beef.

(For the record, I use turkey instead of beef because I prefer the mild flavor and I especially don’t like the smell of ground beef while it’s cooking 🤢😂)

A great way to really make this a healthy turkey chili recipe is by adding in some vegetables. See the Substitutions & Variations section below for some ideas!

Notes on the Ingredients

It may seem like there are a few too many ingredients to make this a simple turkey chili recipe, HOWEVER, the ingredients don’t require much prep work. It’ll only take 5 minutes to chop up the few that need cutting and the rest is simply opening cans (and a bottle.)

A few notes to point out about some of the ingredients in our Simple Ground Turkey Chili with Beer:

Ground Turkey – I recommend regular ground turkey which is a mix of white and dark meat, over lean ground turkey breast, which can be too dry. As a matter of personal preference, I use ground turkey over beef in almost any recipe. It has a much milder flavor which means it takes on all the other flavors in the dish. However, you could certainly use ground chicken, or even venison in this beer chili recipe if you prefer.
Onion – I use a medium yellow onion, but if you have a sweet Vidalia onion, a white onion, or even a red onion on hand, it’ll work just fine. Depending on the size of your onion, you may want to use only half.
- One medium onion is equivalent to about 2 cups of diced onions. You’re fine with anywhere from 1.5-2.5 cups of diced onion.
- TIME SAVER use frozen chopped onions.
Garlic – TIME SAVER use frozen crushed garlic cubes
Chipotles in Adobo – Chipotles in adobo typically come in a small can and can be found in the Spanish/Mexican aisle.
- One chipotle should equal about 1 Tablespoon chopped and will give your Ground Turkey Chili a mild heat. Two chipotles result in a medium heat. If you like spicy food, you can add even more. If you’re unsure, start with less and you can always add a little bit more at the end.
- You can freeze the remainder of the chipotles and sauce in a small ziplock bag. It’ll last in the freezer for up to a year and you can easily break off spoonfuls for future recipes.

Beer – I am not a beer person and I will not pretend to know what I’m talking about! 😆 I use whatever beer my husband likes (currently Yeungling, years ago Corona) and the chili always tastes awesome.

That being said, if you’re into beers you’ll probably have your preference. If not, be like me and go for Yeungling!

Or, you can confuse yourself thoroughly and Google it (there are many, many opinions on this topic.) Here are two articles you can start with – Learning to Homebrew and The Alcohol Professor. And then just go to the store and go with the ol’ eenie-meenie-miney-mo.
Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes – Fire-roasted diced tomatoes have a slightly deeper, smokier flavor so I prefer to use them in most of my recipes.
Dark Red Kidney Beans, drained – You don’t need to rinse your beans but you can if you prefer. You could also use Light Red Kidney Beans or Black beans instead.
Bush’s Chili Beans (Pinto Beans) in Mild Chili Sauce – Don’t drain these beans, the sauce is part of it! I’ve only ever made this turkey chili recipe with this particular variety of chili beans but if you’re partial to one of the other Bush’s chili beans, go for it.

Shredded cheese – the original Ground Turkey Chili recipe that inspired mine used pepper jack cheese in the corn cakes. I prefer cheddar or Colby jack simply because I don’t eat Pepper Jack regularly and don’t want to waste the leftover block of cheese. However, it does add a nice kick to the corn cakes if you like spicy food.

Substitutions and Variations

The best part about soups like this easy turkey chili recipe is that they are so customizable yet they still turn out fantastic.

Whether you want to use up that random can of tomato sauce, add some finely diced carrots you have lingering in the fridge, or hate onion but are ok with onion powder … it’s all good! Of course, as with any recipe you alter from the original, the flavor will change slightly, but you’ll still have the best chili ever!

Instead of Ground Turkey, you can use ground beef, chicken, or venison.
Instead of Fire-roasted diced tomatoes, feel free to use any other variety of canned tomatoes. Plain, with onion and garlic, with green chilis (Rotel), diced, stewed, or even tomato sauce will work just fine.
Instead of chicken broth, you can use beef or vegetable broth. If you don’t have broth, you can easily use 2 cups of water with 2 teaspoons of chicken base, or 2 bullion cubes.
Instead of Chipotles in Adobo, you can use 1 Tbsp Smoked paprika. It won’t add heat but will add that deep, smoky flavor. If you still want your Turkey Chili to be spicy, add Cayenne pepper.
Instead of Dark Red kidney beans, feel free to use Light Red kidney beans or Black beans.
Instead of Bush’s Chili beans, you can use plain Pinto beans.
And for those who don’t like onion, you can easily use 1 Tablespoon of onion powder instead.

If you really want to make this a healthy turkey chili recipe, add in more veggie power! Here are some great vegetables you can add to your chili:

Corn (canned or frozen)
Bell peppers, any color will do
Carrots
Zucchini

Any of these veggies can be added along with the diced onion to get a little saute action going or at the same time as the beans and they’ll soften as the chili simmers.

close up bowl of chili topped with corn cake, shredded cheddar, sour cream, and green onions.

Does Beer Cook Out of Chili?

No, not entirely. Several factors like how long the chili is cooked, how often it’s stirred, and the size of your pot will all impact how much alcohol remains in the finished dish.

Some alcohol indeed evaporates during cooking, but many factors influence the final amount. How long a dish is cooked at alcohol’s boiling point of 173°F is a big factor. Hence, soups and stews commonly have the least amount of alcohol content left behind.

Other influencing factors include the size of the pot/pan (surface area for evaporation), how often the ingredients are stirred (allowing for evaporation), and the ingredients themselves (do they soak up and retain more alcohol).

In the end, researchers found that the amount of alcohol content left in cooked dishes ranged from 4-95%. If you’re concerned

So, though the amount of alcohol left behind in chili is minimal, individuals concerned about consuming any amount of alcohol may want to opt out.

How to Make Simple Ground Turkey Chili with Beer

This recipe is my take on an old Rachael Ray recipe. Her’s was a quick 30-minute version but I didn’t like how watery it was and I also switched up some of the ingredients.

Step 1

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add ground turkey and crumble the meat as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Add your onions and saute for 5 minutes.

TIP I use a spatula to “chop” my meat as it cooks. It’s far more effective than a “wooden spoon” as many recipes instruct but easier to clean than one of those meat-chopping tools (and you don’t need to have a whole separate utensil.)

Step 2

pouring beer into pot of all other chili ingredients.

Next, add your garlic, chili powder, chipotles in adobo, and salt. Stir everything together and cook for about 30 seconds. Finally, add the broth, tomatoes, beans, and beer. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Cover and simmer on low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 3 (optional)

collage showing chili once cooked and after mashing.

Once done, use a potato masher to mash the chili just a few times. This step is totally optional, but smashing some of the beans helps make a thicker chili which is what my family prefers.

Step 4

collage showing steps to making corn cakes from mixing batter to rubbing butter onto pan, then pouring batter, and finally flipping the corn cakes.

While the chili is simmering, prepare the corn cake toppers. Mix the Jiffy corn muffin mix per the instructions on the box, adding in the shredded cheese.

Heat a nonstick griddle or pan over medium heat. Nestle butter into a paper towel and rub onto pan surface. Spoon batter to make approximately 3” corn cakes. Cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through.

Eat Up!

Serve bowls of chili topped with a corn cake, a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of green onions, and extra shredded cheese.

Serving & Storage

This simple Ground Turkey Chili with Beer obviously needs to be served with a Corn Cake on top! Besides that, any other toppings are fair game. I recommend sour cream, scallions, and shredded cheddar but of course, do what your heart (and tummy) desires!

Game Day / BBQ / Party

If you’re making this ground turkey chili for an event where you want to have it out and readily available, simply transfer the chili to a slow cooker and set it to the warm setting. If you’ve made it ahead of time and it is cold from the fridge, place the contents into the slow cooker and set to low heat. Stir occasionally until it is warmed through then keep it on the Warm setting for serving.

Toppings Bar

Creating a toppings bar is a fun way to make your chili stand out. Use bowls of varying sizes and colors as well as tiered trays to help create visual appeal. Stack solid objects under a tablecloth or oversized napkin to provide varying heights for your toppings.

Chili Garnish Ideas:

Corn cakes (of course)
Sour cream
Scallions
Sliced jalapeno or Fresno peppers
Shredded cheese (cheddar, monterey jack, pepper jack, etc)
Queso fresco or Cotija cheese
Cilantro
Diced red or white onion
Avocado
Crumbled bacon
Crushed tortilla chips
Fresh diced tomatoes
Hot sauce
Lime wedges
Fried onions
Corn

Chili Base Ideas:

Elbow pasta
Hot dogs
Baked potatoes
Fries
Mac and Cheese
Cornbread Waffles

two bowls of chili and a board with small bowls of various toppings.

Leftover Ideas

Stretch a small portion of leftover chili into another dinner by adding it to pasta to create a delicious chili mac.
Leftovers are also awesome on top of hot dogs or baked potatoes!

Storage Tips

Once your chili is cooked you can easily leave it in the pot, covered for a few hours before putting it away.

Actually, many people don’t realize that this is the preferred method. Putting hot foods into the refrigerator can cause temperature fluctuations in the fridge affecting bacteria production and the safety of surrounding foods.

Fridge

Store your ground turkey chili in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freezer

Chili can be stored in the freezer for up to 3-6 months.

Make convenient individual servings using Souper Cubes or freezer-safe quart-size zip lock bags filled about halfway (or whatever your preferred serving size is.)

TIP – The best way to store soups is flat! If using a plastic bag, get all the air and then flatten the chili into a thin layer. Place the bag in the freezer flat until frozen. Not only does this allow you to store the bags easier (standing upright or stacked flat) but it also thaws quicker.

Reheating

To thaw your chili, you can take it out the night before and let it thaw in the refrigerator. Or thaw on your counter for a few hours (depending on the volume of your chili.) Once thawed, or mostly thawed, you can reheat your chili on the stovetop or in the microwave.

F.A.Q.

Should you drain ground turkey?

I’m usually confused when I see recipes mentioning draining the fat after cooking turkey. Turkey is a lean meat and leaves little to no fat. The only reason you may need to drain it is if you put too much oil in the pan to begin with.

What is the best beer to cook in chili?

Different types of beer will impart unique flavors and mix differently with your specific type of chili. Some recommendations say to use darker, richer beers for spicier chilis and mild beers for medium to low-spice chilis. But a quick internet search will show you that people are very opinionated about their beers and the answers vary widely. So I say be a rebel and go with whatever you want!

Can I substitute beer for water in chili?

One of the great things about this recipe is the malty undertone you get from the beer. But if you prefer not to use beer, you can use an extra 1.5 cups of broth.

Which bean is best for chili?

Red kidney beans (dark or light), pinto beans, and black beans are considered the most common beans used in chili recipes. But there are plenty of others that work just as well including Navy (pea beans), Great Northern, and Cannellini (White kidney beans). Mix and match as you please!

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This Simple Ground Turkey Chili with Beer & Corn Cake Toppers is sure to be a hit with your whole family (unless you have picky eaters, they’re bound to complain so I make no guarantees there. ← I have one, so I can say this out of experience. 😜)

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