Copycat Panera Turkey Chili Recipe
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This Panera Turkey Chili Recipe is a fantastic copycat version. The chili recipe is hearty, filling, and absolutely loaded with flavor. Perfect for cold nights when you don’t want to leave the house!
Copycat Panera Turkey Chili Recipe
If you are a fan of Panera’s Turkey Chili, today’s recipe is for you! No need to leave the house or use Uber eats to get this delicious Panera Chili on the table.
This Copycat Panera Turkey Chili Recipe features a base of ground turkey combined with diced tomatoes, peppers, onions, beans, and chili spices. The turkey chili is simmered in a flavorful tomato-based broth that adds an extra layer of depth to the dish. The chili can be topped with your favorite garnishes such as shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro, or diced red onion.
This hearty one-pot meal comes together quickly and easily in about 30 minutes and is ideal to feed a hungry crowd. Perfect for potlucks, weeknight dinners, or quick lunches during the week. I often make a double batch so I have ample leftovers on hand just for easy, no-fuss lunches.
Ingredients + Tips for Panera Turkey Chili
The list of ingredients looks long, but don’t be discouraged; it’s mostly spices and canned items that are easy to open and add to the chili. (Ingredients at a glance, you will find the full recipe with ingredient amounts in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Oil | I used one tablespoon of vegetable oil.
- Onion | I used one white onion, diced, but any kind of onion will work.
- Ground turkey | I like to use an 80/20 ground turkey mix. Ground chicken or beef will also work for the chili.
- Spices | You need garlic (2 cloves or about one tablespoon of fresh minced garlic), cumin, and ancho chile powder. (The ancho chile powder really adds a unique flavor, so don’t leave it out.)
- Diced tomatoes | I prefer to use petite diced tomatoes.
- Tomato paste | A can of tomato paste thickens up the chili and adds flavor.
- Diced green chiles
- Beans | The recipe calls for Chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) and kidney beans, but white or pinto beans will work in place of the kidney beans.
- Corn | You can use drained canned corn or frozen.
- Edamame | Make sure to buy shelled edamame. These are usually in the frozen vegetable section of the grocery store. If edamame is not for you you can sub with lima beans.
- Chicken broth | Beef broth or vegetable broth can be substituted.
- Lime juice | Use freshly squeezed lime juice for the best flavor.
How To Make Panera Turkey Chili
1 Brown the Turkey and onion. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the onion and the ground turkey. Saute, chop, and frequently stir until the turkey is cooked through.
2 Add the rest of the ingredients. Add garlic, cumin, chile powder, salt, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, green chiles, kidney beans, chickpeas, corn, edamame, and chicken broth. Stir together, cover, and bring to a simmer.
3 Cook. Simmer for 20 minutes. Taste, and add additional salt and pepper if needed.
4 Serve. Stir in lime juice and serve with desired toppings.
Recipe Tips
- Keep a supply of canned beans and tomatoes on hand so you can easily whip up this chili recipe.
- If you prefer a thicker chili, you can reduce the broth by about 1/2 cup or so.
- This recipe can also be made in the crockpot. Saute the ground beef with the onion, garlic, and spices, and then transfer to the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Variations
- Try fire-roasted diced tomatoes instead of regular diced tomatoes.
- Change up the ground turkey for beef or chicken. Or if you want to have a veggie chili use a vegetarian ground beef alternative. These can be found where the meat alternatives are, which are usually in the produce section of the grocery store.
- Add your favorite veggies like peppers or carrots.
- Mix in some chipotle in adobo sauce or a pinch of cayenne pepper for added spice.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To freeze, place in an airtight freezer container or for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
FAQs
What is Ancho chile powder?
Ancho chile powder is a type of dried poblano that has been ground up. Ancho chile is slightly spicier than regular chili powder and has a slightly sweet and earthy flavor. Ancho chile powder can usually be found in the spice section of a well-stocked grocery store. (McCormick is a big brand that makes it.)
What can I substitute for ancho chile powder?
A few options to use if you don’t have ancho chile powder are regular chili powder, chipotle powder, cayenne pepper, tabasco sauce, or red pepper flakes. If your family is slightly spice adverse you can also omit this spice or add it to the chili once you remove a few servings without it.
Can I make my own ancho chile powder?
You can make your own by grinding dried ancho chiles if you happen to have some on hand.
What toppings go best with this chili?
We like to top it with freshly grated cheese, cilantro, green onion, diced jalapenos, avocado, crushed tortilla chips and/or sour cream.
Can I use leftover turkey for this chili recipe?
If you have leftover cooked turkey you can most definitely add it to the chili (I prefer dark meat over white.), but ground turkey will help give the chili a thick and rich texture.
Can I make this Panera Turkey chili in the slow Cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes! Both the slow cooker and instant pot methods will require you to pre-cook the turkey.
- Slow Cooker: Saute the ground beef with the onion, garlic, and spices, and then transfer to the crockpot; add all the ingredients and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- Instant Pot: Saute the ground beef with the onion, garlic, and spices, and then add the rest of the ingredients to the Instant Pot and pressure cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Manually pressure release.
Can I freeze leftovers?
Yes, leftover turkey chili will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Pin this recipe for later
More chili recipes you might enjoy:
- Chili Cornbread Casserole
- Texas Style No Bean Chili
- Slow Cooker Beef Chili
- 30 Minute Meatless Chili
- White Chicken Chili
Did you make this Panera Chili Recipe?
Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. If you share an image on Instagram or Facebook, be sure to tag me and use #scatteredmomrecipes!
Panera Turkey Chili
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: main dish
- Method: stovetop
Description
This Copycat Panera Turkey Chili Recipe is so comforting and delicious! The chili features a base of ground turkey, combined with diced tomatoes, peppers, onions, beans, and chili spices. The turkey chili is simmered in a flavorful tomato-based broth that adds an extra layer of depth to the dish.
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2 cloves of garlic (about a tablespoon)
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 15.9 oz. cans diced tomatoes
- 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 1 4 oz. can diced green chiles
- 1 15.9 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15.9 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn
- 1 cup edamame
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat and add onion and turkey
- Saute, chopping and stirring frequently until turkey is done through
- Stir in garlic, cumin, chile powder, and salt, and saute for another 30 seconds
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, green chiles, kidney beans, chickpeas, corn, edamame, and chicken broth
- Stir together, cover, and bring to a simmer
- Simmer for 20 minutes
- Stir in lime juice and serve with desired toppings
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