Go Back
–+ servings
Side-angle shot of chili bowl with avocado slices, sour cream, and cilantro garnish.

3-Ingredient Chili

This recipe is a game-changer. Hands down, the quickest chili you will ever make—and I promise, it also delivers big on taste. 
Yield: 5 cups
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 pound ground turkey meat, 90 to 94% lean
  • 16 ounces kidney beans, rinsed and drained, 1 standard can
  • 16 ounces salsa, medium or spicy *
  • Optional: 2 tablespoons chili powder and 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • * Feel free to add more salsa for a saucier chili.

Instructions
 

  • Mist a wide pot or large skillet with nonstick oil spray and warm over medium-high heat.
  • Brown meat for about 6 minutes, breaking it apart into crumbles as it cooks.
  • Add beans and salsa and mix until everything is well-combined. Lower heat to medium and continue to cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until your chili is warmed through.
  • Taste and add optional chili powder, ground cumin and any other preferred seasonings, if desired.
  • Serve in bowls with toppings of choice, or create healthy chili dogs by spooning over lean poultry sausages in whole grain buns.

Notes

If you’re following a gluten-free diet, be sure to carefully read the packaging for each ingredient. While these foods are inherently gluten-free, gluten can sometimes be added during processing for a variety of reasons, including for flavor and consistency.
Vegetarian options: You can easily swap the ground meat for any of these items: veggie crumbles, baked or crumbled tofu, ~2 cups cooked lentils or ~2 cups shelled edamame, or simply add 2 extra cans of rinsed/drained beans (black, white, kidney, chickpeas--anything goes!) into the pot. If you're using dried beans, the two cans equate to about 30 ounces.
 
Nutrition information provided for 1 cup.
Author: Joy Bauer, MS, RDN, CDN
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Diet: Low Calorie, Low Fat

Nutrition Information per serving

Serving Size: 1cupCalories: 230Carbohydrates: 19gProtein: 23gTotal Fat: 8g— Unsaturated Fat: 6g— Saturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 730mgPotassium: 701mgFiber: 7gTotal Sugar: 4g— Natural Sugar: 4g— Added Sugar: 0gIron: 3mg
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.