Made with ground turkey, squash, and black beans, this butternut squash turkey chili recipe is a hearty, healthy, and protein-packed meal. Plus, it’s ready in 35 minutes and works well for lunch, dinner, or meal prep!
If you’re tired of bland turkey recipes, look no further than this butternut squash and turkey chili recipe. The combination of sweet flavors and savory spices takes boring ground turkey to the next level with minimal effort and, while adding butternut squash to a chili might be a little unconventional, it boosts flavors and fiber content at the same time.
So, whether you’re meal prepping for the week, making a weeknight dinner, or cooking for a football celebration, whip up this turkey butternut squash chili and serve it with your favorite toppings for a delicious and nutritious meal the whole family can enjoy.
Why You’ll Love It
- Made in One Pot – This quick and easy recipe keeps cleanup to a minimum.
- High in Protein – The combination of ground turkey and black beans ensures that this recipe contains over 30 grams of fiber per serving.
- High in Fiber – With 14 grams of fiber per serving, this butternut squash turkey chili is healthy and filling.
- Great for Meal Prep – This recipe keeps well in the fridge and freezer making it a great make-ahead meal.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Ground Turkey – To add some animal protein. The recipe calls for ground turkey but ground chicken and lean ground beef would also work well.
- Butternut Squash – To add some complex carbohydrates and fiber. The recipe calls for butternut squash but acorn squash, buttercup squash, Hubbard squash, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin would also work well. You can also use frozen squash if needed, see the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Black Beans – To add some plant-based protein and fiber. I used black beans but kidney beans would also work well.
- Bell Pepper – To add some veggies. I used a red bell pepper but you can use any color you like.
- Diced Tomatoes – To add some more veggies. The recipe calls for canned tomatoes but you can use crushed tomatoes or use whole diced tomatoes if preferred, see the notes section of the recipe section for details.
- Tomato Paste – To thicken the chili.
- Onion and Garlic – To flavor the chili. The recipe calls for a whole onion and garlic cloves, but you can use onion powder or garlic powder if desired, see the notes section of the recipe card for details.
- Spices – A combination of chili powder, cumin, and paprika to flavor the chili. If you want to make it extra spicy you can add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
- Broth – The recipe calls for chicken broth or vegetable broth, but a chicken stock cube and water will also work if needed.
- Olive Oil – To add some healthy fats and cook the ground turkey.
- Salt and Black Pepper – To season the butternut squash turkey chili.
Dietary Adaptions
To Make it Gluten-Free: Use certified gluten-free broth.
To Make it Dairy-Free: No adaptations are needed, this recipe is dairy-free.
Red’s Nutrition Tip
Ground turkey is one of the top high-protein, low-calorie foods, so using it in chili is a great way to make a nutritious meal that can support your health goals. This is particularly helpful if you are trying to create a calorie deficit for weight loss, whether you are counting calories or macros or not.
Serving Suggestions
This turkey and butternut squash chili recipe is a balanced meal; the ground turkey and black beans provide protein; the butternut squash, black beans, bell pepper, and tomatoes add some complex carbohydrates and fiber, and the ground turkey and olive oil provide some healthy fats. That said you can adjust the recipe or add some toppings to suit your personal dietary needs, for instance:
- To add more protein, add an extra 1/2 pound of ground turkey and 1/2 cup of broth to the recipe and/or serve the chili with a dollop of Greek yogurt.
- To add more healthy fats, serve the chili with avocado slices, shredded cheese, and/or sour cream.
- To add more complex carbohydrates, serve the chili with tortilla chips and/or bread.
- To add more flavor, serve the chili with hot sauce, green chilies, cilantro, and/or green onion.
Storage + Reheating
To Refrigerate: Allow the leftover chili to cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container, and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To Freeze: Once the turkey and butternut squash chili has cooled, transfer it to an airtight container or containers if storing individual portions, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Once thawed, the chili can be reheated in a pot on the stovetop on medium heat for 10-15 minutes or in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl or container for 2-3 minutes.
More Turkey Chili Recipes:
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Butternut Squash Turkey Chili
Made in one pot with 33 grams of protein and 14 grams of fiber per serving, this turkey butternut squash chili recipe is a quick, easy, and healthy dinner idea. Plus, leftovers freeze well making it a great meal prep idea.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes -
Cook Time: 25 minutes
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Total Time: 35 minutes
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Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Category: Dinner
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Method: Stovetop
Prep Time:
Yield:
Category:
Method:Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 4 cups)
- 1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 can (14 oz.) black beans, strained and rinsed
- 2 cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth
Instructions
- In a large pot on medium-high heat, warm the olive oil, then add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until tender.
- Add the ground turkey to the pot and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula, for another 5 minutes or until cooked through.
- Add the diced bell pepper and minced garlic to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and black pepper, stir to coat the turkey and vegetable mixture, and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the cubed butternut squash, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and chicken broth, and stir to combine. Then add the black beans and stir again to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes or until the cubed butternut squash can easily be pierced with a fork. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- The turkey and butternut squash chili can be served immediately with toppings of your choice or cooled and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
To Use Frozen Butternut Squash: Swap the fresh butternut squash for frozen, add it to the pot as per the instructions, but reduce the broth by 1/2 cup. The frozen squash will reduce water as it cooks, however, you can add additional broth at the end as needed.
To Use Whole Tomatoes: Swap the canned tomatoes for 4 whole tomatoes, seeded and diced.
To Use Onion Powder: Swap the onion for 1 teaspoon of onion powder, skip step #1, and add it in step #4.
To Use Garlic Powder: Swap the garlic cloves for 2 teaspoons of garlic powder and add it in step #4.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 457 calories
- Sugar: 11 grams
- Fat: 18 grams
- Carbohydrates: 47 calories
- Fiber: 14 grams
- Protein: 33 grams
I liked this recipe but next time I will add a bit more heat with some cayenne pepper and thicken it a bit more with extra tomato paste
Thank you for sharing, Lise!