• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Pinch Me Good

  • Home
  • All Recipes
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Main Dishes
    • Quick and Easy Salads
    • Healthy Side Dishes
    • Healthy Snacks and Appetizers
    • Dressings And Sauces
    • Healthy Desserts
  • Meal Prep
  • How To’s
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • All Recipes
  • Meal Prep
  • Breakfast
  • Main Dishes
  • Air Fryer Recipes
  • Gluten-Free
  • Healthy Desserts
  • How To’s
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    • Cooked egg and bacon pizzas on a lined baking sheet.
      Healthy Breakfast Pizza – With 2 Ingredient Dough
    • Cooked meatloaf with salad on a with plate with a fork.
      Easy Healthy Ground Chicken Meatloaf
    • Bowl filled with cooked rice and unbranded air fryer chicken bites with parsley on them, with another bowl of it behind it.
      Easy Air Fryer Chicken Bites – 4 Ingredients
    • Slice of cottage cheese egg bake with veggies in it on a plate with a fork on the plate with it.
      Easy High-Protein Cottage Cheese Egg Bake
    • Layered bark bars with strawberries on a white plate with brown specks with more behind it.
      Viral Chocolate Strawberry Bark – 4 Ingredients
    • Plate filled with rice and green beans topped with air fryer salmon with more behind it.
      Easy Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon – 6 Ingredients
    • Mixed chicken salad in a white bowl with wooden serving spoons in the bowl.
      15-Minute Rotisserie Chicken Salad – Easy Recipe
    • Cut scores bars on top of parchment paper with a knife in front of them.
      Easy Frozen Protein S’mores Bars – 5 Ingredients
    • Cheesy cottage cheese Mac and cheese in a white pan with a wood spoon in it and a blue and white towel in front of it.
      Easy Protein Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese
    • Delicious bbq covered cooked chicken over rice with green beans on a plate with more behind it.
      BBQ Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs – Easy Recipe
    • Kale pomegranate salad in a white salad bowl with wood serving spoon in the bowl and a cut pomegranate behind it.
      Easy Winter Kale Pomegranate Salad – 10 minutes
    • Red square tin filled with pieces of chocolate peppermint bark with candy canes and crushed peppermint around it.
      Easy Chocolate Peppermint Bark – 3 Ingredients
    Pinch Me Good! » Main Dishes » Easy One Pot Pumpkin Turkey Chili

    Easy One Pot Pumpkin Turkey Chili

    September 30, 2021 by Amy Estes 5 Comments

    632 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Please note that some of the links are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links.

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Hearty Pumpkin Turkey Chili is the ultimate fall comfort food! Made with ground turkey, canned pumpkin, peppers, onions, tomatoes, kidney beans, and chili spices. It’s an amazing flavor-packed recipe that cooks quickly and freezes well too!

    White bowl filled with pumpkin turkey chili with melted cheese on it with tortilla chips behind it and a striped towel in front of it.

    Turkey Pumpkin Chili pairs nutritious, tasty ingredients together to form an incredibly flavorful chili that is perfect for fall or winter.

    Chili is perfect this time of year like this Healthy Turkey Chili or Low Carb Turkey Chili that we make all winter long. This Pumpkin version is perfect for fall and is so easy to make.

    With the combination of the pumpkin, turkey, warm spices, and tomatoes you get this simmered, satisfying bowl of goodness that is a harmony of flavors you will want to devour.

    Pumpkin chili with turkey in a bowl topped with melted cheese and green peppers with tortilla chips and a bowl of shredded cheese and peppers behind it.

    Why you’ll love this recipe

    • Flavor-packed
    • Healthy and Nutritious
    • Easy clean up – made all in one pot
    • Perfect meal prep recipe
    • Hearty and filling
    Jump to:
    • Why you’ll love this recipe
    • Ingredients For Pumpkin Chili
    • How To Make Pumpkin Turkey Chili
    • Recipe Variations
    • Chili Topping Ideas
    • Expert Tips
    • Storing and freezing pumpkin chili
    • More Pumpkin Recipes to try
    • Pumpkin Turkey Chili

    Ingredients For Pumpkin Chili

    Ingredients for pumpkin turkey chili with labels over each ingredient.
    • Ground turkey – I used 93/7 ground turkey
    • Pumpkin puree – 1 can of pumpkin puree, make sure it isn’t pumpkin pie filling.
    • Diced tomatoes – any diced tomatoes or even crushed tomatoes will work.
    • Beans – I used red kidney beans + black beans, which was the perfect combination. Pinto beans, white kidney beans or cannellini beans would also work.
    • Bell pepper and onions – fresh is best for that deep flavorful chili.
    • Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil
    • Spices – cumin, cinnamon, chili powder, oregano
    • Garlic paste – or minced garlic
    • Tomato paste – give the chili that deep tomato flavor.
    • Salt & pepper
    • Stock – chicken or vegetable stock to thin the chili out a little and give it even more depth of flavor.

    *Get full list of ingredients and recipe instructions in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.

    How To Make Pumpkin Turkey Chili

    You can make this easy chili recipe in one pot in under 30 minutes.

    White pot with diced peppers and onions in it.

    Cook the veggies. Sauté the onions, and peppers in a large pot or Dutch oven with some olive oil. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic paste and cook for 1-2 more minutes.

    White pot with raw ground turkey and diced peppers and onions in it with a wooden spoon in the pot.

    Add the meat. Add in the ground turkey and seasoning and toss and cook until the turkey is no longer pink.

    White pot filled with cooked ground meat, pumpkin, beans and tomatoes.

    Pour in the rest of the ingredients. Add in the beans, tomatoes, pumpkin puree, and stock. Stir all together until combined and season everything with more salt and pepper to taste.

    White pot of cooked chili.

    Simmer. Cover and simmer the chili on medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes. Then serve, top, and enjoy!

    Chili in a white bowl with melted cheddar cheese ontop and a spoon in the bowl with tortilla chips and more cheese and chopped green peppers behind it.

    Recipe Variations

    This pumpkin turkey chili recipe is so great because it is totally adaptable based on your diet and what ingredients you have on hand. Many of the ingredients come right from your pantry, making this a quick and easy throw-together meal your family will love. Check out some variations below:

    • Make it a meatless chili. Swap the ground turkey with another can of beans to make this a vegan/vegetarian chili or use meatless crumbles. I suggest adding in a 15-ounce can of either pinto beans, kidney beans or black beans. Make sure to drain and rinse the beans before adding them to the chili.
    • Use ground beef or ground sausage. You can mix up the meat and use any type of ground meat you have.
    • Sub the pumpkin puree with pureed sweet potato. Although the pumpkin flavor in this recipe is everything it is still delicious with sweet potato.
    • Add some diced sweet potato or squash. You can add in some diced sweet potato or squash right when you add in the beans, tomatoes, pumpkin, and stock. Cook the chili until the potatoes or squash are tender and cooked through.
    • Switch up the spice blend. Use any chili spice blend you like, although I really think that the cinnamon adds a nice hint of flavor and really brings out the flavors of the pumpkin.

    Chili Topping Ideas

    • Sliced avocado
    • Shredded cheese – I used shredded cheddar cheese
    • Diced red onion or regular yellow onion
    • Diced bell peppers
    • Sour cream
    • Greek yogurt – plain of course
    • Lime juice
    • Cilantro
    • Jalapeños

    Expert Tips

    • Do not skip sautéing the veggies and browning the meat. This step gives the chili a lot of flavor.
    • The combination of beans in this recipe is just perfect, so try to mix it up and use a few different types of beans rather than one type.
    • Make sure you use canned pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
    • Any type of canned tomatoes will work. I used petite diced since my kids are not fans of the larger chunks of tomatoes.
    • See recipe notes in the recipe card for how to make this pumpkin chili in the Slow Cooker or the Instant Pot.
    Pumpkin chili in a white bowl with melted cheese on it and diced pepper with a spoon in the bowl and tortilla chips around it.

    Storing and freezing pumpkin chili

    Like most chili, pumpkin chili is a great make-ahead recipe since it stores and freezes well.

    • Storing – You can store this chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Easily reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
    • Freezing – To freeze pumpkin chili, transfer it to a freezer-friendly ziplock bag, press out the air, close it up, and store it flat in your freezer. This is the best method since it will take up less space in your freezer and you can easily remove and defrost it in the refrigerator when you are ready to eat it. It should last 2-3 months if stored in the freezer.
    • Reheating – easily reheat portions in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop until warmed through. To reheat frozen chili, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat as noted above.

    More Pumpkin Recipes to try

    • Vegetarian Pumpkin Lasagna
    • Healthy Pumpkin Protein Muffins
    • Healthy Baked Pumpkin Donuts
    • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Homemade Granola with Pumpkin Spice

    Did you make this Pumpkin Turkey Chili recipe? If you did, then please leave a rating and comment below. You can also tag me on Instagram @pinchmegoodfood so I can see your creation.

    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

    Pumpkin Turkey Chili


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 3 reviews

    • Author: Amy Estes
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
    • Diet: Gluten Free
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Hearty Pumpkin Turkey Chili is the ultimate fall comfort food! This chili is made with ground turkey, canned pumpkin, tomatoes, kidney beans, peppers, onions, and spices. It cooks quickly and freezes so well. 


    Ingredients

    Scale

    For the chili

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 medium yellow onion – peeled and diced
    • 1 medium red bell pepper – diced
    • 1 medium green bell pepper – diced
    • 1 tablespoon garlic paste or 1–2 tablespoons minced garlic
    • 4 tablespoons tomato paste – about ¼ cup
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1 pound 93/7 ground turkey – thawed and ready to cook
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika – optional
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 – 15 ounce can black beans – drained and rinsed
    • 1  – 15 ounce can of red kidney beans/pinto beans – drained and rinsed
    • 2 – 14-ounce cans of petite diced tomatoes
    • 1 – 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
    • 2 cups of chicken stock

    For topping the chili

    • Sliced avocado
    • Diced red onion
    • Shredded cheddar cheese
    • Lime 
    • Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt 
    • Fresh cilantro

    Instructions

    1. Add the olive oil to a heavy pot or large dutch oven heated to medium heat.  Once the oil is hot, add in the onion and peppers and toss and cook them for a few minutes until they are nice and soft.  Add in the garlic, tomato paste, and a little salt and pepper.  Toss that all together and let that cook for a few minutes. 
    2. Combine the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and mix.  This is your chili seasoning blend. 
    3. Add in the ground turkey to the pot with the veggies and garlic and break it up in the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula.  Add the chili seasoning blend to the pot and toss and cook the meat until it is no longer pink. 
    4. Add in the beans, tomatoes, pumpkin, and desired amount of stock.  Stir that all together and cover and simmer the chili on medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes.  Halfway through cooking, check the chili and add more salt and pepper if needed. 
    5. After 20-25 minutes, remove the chili from the heat, let it cool for a few minutes then ladle it into bowls and top it with your desired chili toppings. 

    Notes

    • Do not skip sautéing the veggies and browning the meat. This step gives the chili a lot of flavour.
    • The combination of beans in this recipe is just perfect, so try to mix it up and use a few different types of beans rather than one type.
    • Make sure you use canned pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
    • Any type of canned tomatoes will work. I used petite diced since my kids are not fans of the larger chunks of tomatoes.
    • Slow Cooker Version. Follow steps 1-4, cover, and cook on low for 2-4 hours or on high for 1-2 hours.
    • Instant Pot Version. Follow steps 1-4, secure the lid, set the dial to the sealing position, and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
    • You can store this chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or freeze it for up to 3 months. Easily reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop. If frozen, defrost it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating it. 
      • Prep Time: 10 minutes
      • Cook Time: 20 minutes
      • Category: Healthy Dinner Ideas
      • Method: Stovetop
      • Cuisine: Mexican

      Did you make this recipe?

      Tag @pinchmegoodfood on Instagram and hashtag it #pinchmegoodfood

      « Healthy Baked Cider Donuts – Vegan + Gluten Free
      Apple Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash With Pecans and Cranberries »

      Filed Under: 30 Minute Meals, Dairy Free, Gluten-Free, Healthy Fall Favorites, Kid-Friendly, Main Dishes, Meal Prep, No-Bake, Stovetop

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Linda

        October 6, 2021 at 4:58 pm

        Just made this chili and it is delicious! Perfect for a fall day…..

        Reply
        • Amy

          October 7, 2021 at 10:40 am

          Thank you Linda! I am so glad you liked it. It is my new favorite chili.

          Reply
      2. Maureen

        October 6, 2021 at 9:01 pm

        Amy,
        This is AMAZING chili!! Thank you for a great, gluten-free recipe. We will be eating it often this fall and winter!
        One question: I thought I saw somewhere the point total for each of the WW colors but now I can’t find it. How many points is it for Blue?
        Thank you!!
        ~Maureen

        Reply
        • Amy

          October 7, 2021 at 10:39 am

          Thank you Maureen! I am so glad you liked it! I believe it is 2 points per serving if you use 93/7 ground turkey and 0 points per serving if you use ground chicken breast. I do have plans to add WW points to my recipes next year so stay tuned.

          Reply
      3. Jodi

        November 23, 2021 at 7:42 pm

        Excellent recipe. I used ground beef and browned that first and drained the grease and took out the beef. Then Did the veggies and added the chili mix and added back in the beef. I also used several different kinds of peppers. Would definitely make again. Thanks!

        Reply

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

      Primary Sidebar

      Hi there,
      I'm Amy and I'm so excited to share my best healthy recipes and tips with you. I hope I can inspire you to eat better, feel better, and get back in the kitchen. Read More…

      Amy Estes: View My Blog Posts

      Search recipes:

      Most Popular

      Mixe kale salad in a white salad bowl with wooden serving spoons in the bowl.

      Easy Kale Salad With Lemon Dressing

      Best Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl – with black beans

      Eggplant Meatballs with mushrooms and garlic

      The Best Healthy Turkey Meatloaf – Gluten Free

      Best Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins – Healthy

      two grey plates filled with arugula salad topped with crispy breaded chicken breast

      Crispy Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Breast – 15 Minutes

      Round, white salad bowl filled with roasted butternut squash salad with beets, nuts and cheese with wood salad serving spoons in the bowl and a green linen in front of it.

      BEST Butternut Squash Salad – With Roasted Beets

      Best Healthy Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs

      Healthy Fall Favorites

      Hand holding a spoon with sweet potato soup on it over a bowl of creamy sweet potato soup.

      Best Instant Pot Sweet Potato Soup Recipe

      Cooked sweet potato shepherds pie in a white cast iron pan with a striped towel on the handle and rosemary sprigs around it.

      Healthy Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

      Plate of eggplant fries with on white parchment paper with marinara sauce on the plate next to it with more fries behind it.

      Easy Baked Eggplant Fries – Gluten Free

      Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp – Simple and Healthy

      Easy Air Fryer Baked Apples – 15 Minutes

      Serving bowl filled with cooked chicken that is shredded with a striped towel in front of it.

      Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

      Easy One Pot Pumpkin Turkey Chili

      Pile of air fryer fries on a white platter with orange dipping sauce on the platter with them.

      Healthy Air Fryer Fries – Easy and Delicious

      Search more Recipes

      Search more recipes!

      Footer

      As Seen On

      As Seen On

      CONTACT | PRIVACY POLICY

      Ingredients for pumpkin turkey chili with labels over each ingredient.