My new favorite chili recipe, this Roasted Butternut Paleo Turkey Chili is sure to be yours, too! This is a bean-less chili recipe made with ground turkey. The roasted butternut squash is a great sweet contrast to the spicy chili base! Whole30 approved!
Looking for more satisfying Whole30 recipes? You’ll love this Crockpot Moroccan Pumpkin Chicken and this Whole30 Shepherd’s Pie.
Contents
The Perfect Paleo Turkey Chili
Even if you enjoy chili with beans, this chili recipe is still a winner! This healthy turkey chili recipe is loaded with lean protein from the ground turkey, and gets a ton of flavor from the variety of veggies.
Roasted butternut squash is so delicious in the chili! It’s the perfect sweet contrast to the spicy chili flavors.
Because this recipe is bean-free, it’s a great option for the Whole30. The recipe itself is Whole30 approved. I loved recipes like this on the Whole30, because it’s just delicious. It’s a hot and comforting dish, when you’re spending a lot of time eating salads. Just beware of toppings! Jalapeños, onions, cilantro, and avocado make great Whole30 and paleo toppings.
This chili comes together in about 45 minutes! Most of the time the chili will be simmering. I love to make chili while I am cleaning or doing laundry, because there’s a lot of time spent waiting to do the next step.
So save this chili recipe for your Whole30 journey, a healthy meal prep option, or to stock your freezer with healthy lunches!
What You’ll Need
Turkey Chili Ingredients
- Butternut Squash (Learn how to peel and cut butternut squash).
- Olive Oil
- Onions
- Ground Turkey
- Diced Tomatoes (if your tomatoes are unsalted, you will need to increase the salt added to the recipe).
- Tomato Paste (this thickens the chili base)
- Chicken Broth or Vegetable Stock
- Green Bell Peppers (an essential flavor for chili, in my opinion!)
- Zucchini (optional. I omit this if I am freezing the chili).
Chili Seasoning Blend
- Chili Powder (adjust the amount based on how spicy your chili powder is, and how spicy you like your chili. Some powders are much spicier than others.)
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Oregano
- Sea Salt
How to Make Paleo Turkey Chili
Step 1: Roast the butternut squash. Peel butternut squash, and chop it in dice-sized cubes. Add it to a baking tray, drizzle or spray it with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and roast it on 400º F for 30 minutes. Read here of you don’t know how to peel and cut butternut squash.
Step 2: In a large dutch oven or soup pot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the onions. Saute on medium heat for about 7 minutes, until onions are softened.
Step 3: Into the pot, add the ground turkey, and start breaking it up with a spatula as it browns. Season the turkey with salt and spices.
Step 4: Once the turkey is mostly cooked, add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and bell peppers. Stir to bring the mixture together, then simmer on medium-low to medium for 30 minutes.
Step 5: Taste the chili, and adjust the spice with additional chili powder (or cayenne pepper), and the salt, to taste. Then, add the roasted butternut squash and the zucchini. Allow to simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
Step 6: Serve the chili topped with garnishes, if desired. We love chopped onions, cheddar cheese, jalapeño, and cilantro. Sour cream and avocado slices are also delicious! To keep this Whole30 or paleo, omit the sour cream and cheese.
How to Store Leftover Paleo Chili, and FAQ
How to Store Butternut Turkey Chili
Store leftover chili in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Can I freeze turkey chili? Yes! It’s only of my favorite meal prep recipes to make and freeze. If I know I am making it to freeze, I leave the zucchini out, and then add it in fresh when I defrost it to eat. Freeze chili in air tight containers up to 3 months. I like to freeze it in individual portions with the name of the recipe and date on it so I can pull it out for lunch on work days.
What can I eat with Whole30 Chili?
We love this chili garnished with hot sauce and cilantro. Jalapenos, chopped onions, and avocado are great Whole30 approved toppings also.
It’s a delicious meal all on it’s own. If you’d like a side dish, try my Whole30 approved Cauliflower Fritters or a salad like my Mexican Caesar Salad (omit the tortilla strips and the recipe is Whole30!).
Is the chili spicy?
Chili powders can range in spiciness– so I always like to start with about half of what a recipe calls for, and then add more in. The chili powder I use in this recipe is pretty mild. If yours is spicy, you might only need half the amount. Adding more salt can also make it taste less spicy.
Can I add beans to this chili recipe?
Absolutely! If you love beans, or want this recipe to stretch, add a can of beans. Adjust the salt and spices after adding additional ingredients.
Other Healthy Chili Recipes:
- Whole30 Chili with ground beef, by Sunkissed Kitchen
- Roasted Eggplant Chili, by Sunkissed Kitchen
- Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili, by Sunkissed Kitchen
- Keto Turkey Chili, by Blissfully Low Carb
- Keto Chili, by Blissfully Low Carb
I’d love to connect with you on social media! Find me on Facebook or Instagram where I post daily healthy eating and lifestyle inspiration.
Paleo Turkey Chili with Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash
- 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 2 bell peppers
- 2 pounds ground turkey
- 3 tablespoons chili powder adjust to taste – chili powders range greatly in heat
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
- 1 (8 ounce) can tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 1 zucchini
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450º F.
- Peel and chop butternut squash in dice sized cubes. Drizzle or spray the squash with half of the olive oil, and roast the squash for 30 minutes.
- In a large dutch oven or soup pot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the onions. Saute on medium heat for about 7 minutes, until onions are softened.
- Add the turkey, spices, and salt to the onions, and stir to break up the turkey as it browns. Saute for about 10 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and vegetable or chicken broth. Stir the mixture together, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat, and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
- Adjust the seasonings by adding more chili powder or cayenne pepper to add spice, or adding more sea salt, if necessary.
- Add the roasted butternut squash and zucchini to the chili, and simmer an additional 5 minutes.
- Serve garnished with favorite toppings.
- Store chili for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, or up to 3 months packed in air tight containers in the freezer.
Hi Michellle,
Loving this adorable pics of Xander! I can imagine it’s difficult to adjust to the weather. You have more snow than we do, lol! Crazy.
Chili is my very favourite food of all and I love a roasted squash. This is so perfect for the chilly days . Those look like Mary’s Crackers in the background – love ’em!
Thanks so much for the shout out. That recipe was a crazy experimet that turned out deliciously, lol. Enjoy your weekend and your new camera!
Chili is one of my favs, too 🙂 Those weren’t Mary’s– I do love those, but those were actually Costco’s sweet potato crackers. Super awesome.
This chili looks perfect for snowy wintry nights! I totally agree with you on roasting veggies as an often overlooked but necessary step for great veggie flavors.
This looks great! I love how healthy and flavorful it is. I bet it would also be delicious if I threw in a little quinoa. Thanks for the recipe!
This sounds absolutely delicious! Proper comfort food for the cold weather!
With comfort food season here, this chili is perfect. It would make great leftovers too…perfect for another meal or two during the week.
Ha, I roast squash before hand to make it easier to peel! It is great to have some veggie filled comfort food ideas. I know exactly what you mean about chilli powder – I’m always reluctant when putting a specific quantity – I suggest people get to know their own chilli and preferences.
My two year old has never seen proper snow, but it is so hard keeping them indoors, he plays in the park or garden until I’m shivering and have to drag him in…
Kids just don’t feel the cold! They are too overwhelmed with “fun” to notice — I remember being like that as a kid. Boy is it difficult as an adult! But being inside and having him whine and wrap his body around my leg isn’t the best day either.
Your right about the flavor that is developed when roasting vegetables. I like the idea of ground turkey added to the veggies in this recipe for your chili. One of my favorite dishes, this time of year.
This really steps up the nutrition in chili. I agree about roasting the vegetables first. Even vegetables that are going in a crock pot increase in flavor if they are roasted first.
I’ve been trying to simply my recipes to include less pans– but the roasting step is important here!
I love chili but have never tried a turkey chili. Sounds delish!!
Such a cozy chili! That would warm you right up!