Easy Bacon & Maple Turkey Chili (video)
For those days when you absolutely must have some warming comfort food, you’ll love this easy chili recipe! Smoky and aromatic bacon maple turkey chili, made with pure maple syrup from Canada. This recipe is sponsored by Maple from Canada. I love using pure maple syrup for baking and cooking. It’s a delicious and natural alternative to sugar and adds rich, one-of-a-kind maple flavor to any recipe!
My hearty and warming turkey chili is made with lots of bacon, ground turkey, fresh corn, fire-roasted peppers, tomatoes, and a medley of beans. For serving, I top the chili with maple bacon bits, peppers, sour cream, and cheese.
Watch My Maple Chili Video Tutorial
Watch my YouTube maple turkey chili video tutorial for step-by-step instructions and see how I make this hearty and delicious chili at home. Want to stay up to date on the latest recipes? Make sure to subscribe to my website email list and my YouTube channel and turn on notifications.
Ingredients for Turkey Chili Recipe
Here are my tips for the main ingredients you’ll need for making turkey chili. Find the full, printable recipe in the recipe card below.
- Ground Turkey: I prefer to use regular ground turkey, versus turkey breast, but both will work great. You can also use ground chicken.
- Bacon: go for an aromatic, smoked bacon for best tasting results.
- Pure Maple Syrup: unlike mass produced syrups which contain a slurry of corn syrups, artificial flavors and colors, pure maple syrup from Canada has just one ingredient – 100% maple!
- Corn: both fresh and canned corn works well for this recipe. If you’re using canned corn, drain it first, then add during the last 30 minutes.
- Peppers: to make things easy, I used canned fire-roasted peppers. You can also roast your own bell peppers and then use them in the recipe.
Beans: I love a variety of beans in my chili, such as cannellini, black and red kidney beans. Feel free to use a variety, or just one type.
Cooking with Maple from Canada
This delicious and hearty maple turkey chili recipe is sponsored by Maple from Canada. Pure maple syrup from Canada adds an incredible amount of flavor and aroma to this recipe. It’s going to fill your entire house with a mouthwatering aroma!
100% pure maple syrup is a natural sweetener derived directly from maple tree’s sap. It’s great for baking, cooking, roasting, and even for making cocktails!
Preparing for the Recipe
Before beginning on the recipe, here are a few things you can get done ahead of time.
- Corn: I like to use fresh corn for this chili. Place the corn flat on a cutting board, then use a chef’s knife to cut the kernels away from the corn.
- Beans: transfer the canned beans into a fine mesh strainer or colander and let the liquids drain from the beans. If desired, rinse the beans with cold water.
- Tomatoes: if you’re using canned, whole tomatoes, use your hands to crush the tomatoes into a thick sauce.
Preparing the Bacon & Turkey
You’ll love how quickly and easily this turkey chili recipe comes together!
- Start by preheating a large soup pot over medium heat. Add in ½ of the diced bacon (1/2 pound) and fry it until it’s golden and crispy. Remove the bacon bits from the pot, leaving behind the bacon fat.
- Next, fry the ground turkey in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. Add in half of the turkey, season it lightly with salt and pepper, then fry it until it’s well browned. Use a spatula to break the meat down into small bits as it’s frying.
- Remove the browned turkey and set it aside for later.
How to Make Maple Turkey Chili
Once you have the bacon bits and the ground turkey ready, it’s time to make the chili base.
- Into the same pot over medium heat, add in a few tablespoons of butter, the diced onion and the corn. Sauté the onion and corn for about 7 to 9 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
- Next, add in the minced garlic, diced peppers and all the seasonings: salt, pepper, coriander, cumin, chili, paprika, oregano, and basil. Toss everything together and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the tomato sauce, drained beans, and chicken broth next. Return the browned turkey and bacon bits to the pot. Measure out ½ cup of pure maple syrup from Canada and add it to the pot, then give everything a good mix.
- Cover the pot and bring the chili to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, reduce the heat and let the chili cook over low heat for 1 to 1 ½ hours. Stir every 20 minutes.
- You can also place all the ingredients into a slow-cooker and cook on the ‘high’ setting for 6 hours.
Making Maple Bacon Bits for Topping
While the turkey chili is simmering away, I like to take the time and make some maple bacon bits for serving.
- Preheat a medium-sized frying pan over medium heat. Add in the remaining ½ pound of diced bacon. Fry the bacon until it’s golden and almost crispy.
- Next, pour in a few tablespoons of pure maple syrup from Canada. Continue to cook the bacon bits for 1 to 2 minutes, allowing the maple syrup to stick to the bacon.
- Remove the pan from heat and tilt it to one side, allowing the bacon grease to flow to one side. Use a spoon to scoop out the maple bacon bits into a separate bowl.
Serving the Turkey Chili
Once the maple turkey is cooked, add in a few tablespoons of freshly chopped cilantro and green onions. If you need to adjust the sweetness of the chili, squeeze in the juice of 1 to 2 lemons, or 4 limes. For serving, top each bowl of chili with the maple bacon bits and a dollop of sour cream, grated cheese, sliced peppers, tortilla chips, or any of your favorite chili toppings!
More Recipes!
Enjoyed this delicious maple recipe? Check out some of my other recipes you’re sure to enjoy!
- Maple Dijon Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner: another delicious recipe using pure maple syrup from Canada! Juicy, baked chicken and potatoes with a sweet and spicy maple mustard glaze!
- Maple Glazed Thanksgiving Turkey: you’ll love this aromatic turkey, stuffed with apples and oranges and finished with a sweet maple glaze.
- Easy Maple Apple Streusel Cake: perfect for fall! Quick and easy apple cake sweetened with pure maple syrup and topped with a maple streusel!
- Smoky Pepper Bisque: if you love bacon, you’ll love this creamy roasted pepper bisque, topped with loads of bacon bits!
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Easy Bacon & Maple Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb smoked bacon, diced & divided
- 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
- salt and pepper, for seasoning
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 1 1/2 cup fresh corn, about 2 corn cobs
- 6 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 large canned, fire-roasted bell peppers, diced
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp EACH: ground black pepper, ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp EACH: ground coriander, chipotle chili, smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried basil
- 28 oz canned, whole tomatoes, crushed
- 28 oz canned beans, drained (cannellini, black or kidney)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup 100% pure maple syrup from Canada
For Toppings:
- 3 tbsp 100% pure maple syrup from Canada
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 to 2 lemons, adjust to taste
Instructions
Preparing the Bacon & Turkey
- Start by preheating a large soup pot over medium heat. Add in ½ of the diced bacon (1/2 pound) and fry it until it’s golden and crispy. Remove the bacon bits from the pot, leaving behind the bacon fat.
- Next, fry the ground turkey in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. Add in half of the turkey, season it lightly with salt and pepper, then fry it until it’s well browned. Use a spatula to break the meat down into small bits as it’s frying.
- Remove the browned turkey and set it aside for later.
Making the Chili:
- Into the same pot over medium heat, add in a few tablespoons of butter, the diced onion and the corn. Sauté the onion and corn for about 7 to 9 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
- Next, add in the minced garlic, diced peppers and all the seasonings: salt, pepper, coriander, cumin, chili, paprika, oregano, and basil. Toss everything together and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the tomato sauce, drained beans, and chicken broth next. Return the browned turkey and bacon bits to the pot. Measure out ½ cup of pure maple syrup from Canada and add it to the pot, then give everything a good mix.
Cooking Instructions:
- Cover the pot and bring the chili to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, reduce the heat and let the chili cook over low heat for 1 to 1 ½ hours. Stir every 20 minutes.
- You can also place all the ingredients into a slow-cooker and cook on the ‘high’ setting for 6 hours.
Maple Bacon Bits:
- Meanwhile, prepare the topping. Preheat a medium-sized frying pan over medium heat. Add in the remaining ½ pound of diced bacon. Fry the bacon until it’s golden and almost crispy.
- Next, pour in a few tablespoons of pure maple syrup from Canada. Continue to cook the bacon bits for 1 to 2 minutes, allowing the maple syrup to stick to the bacon.
- Remove the pan from heat and tilt it to one side, allowing the bacon grease to flow to one side. Use a spoon to scoop out the maple bacon bits into a separate bowl.
Serving Suggestions:
- Once the maple turkey is cooked, add in a few tablespoons of freshly chopped cilantro and green onions. If you need to adjust the sweetness of the chili, squeeze in the juice of 1 to 2 lemons, or 4 limes.
- For serving, top each bowl of chili with the maple bacon bits and a dollop of sour cream, grated cheese, sliced peppers ,tortilla chips, or any of your favorite chili toppings!
