This Panera turkey chili recipe is a faithful, flavorful copycat of the restaurant favorite. It makes a hearty, colorful soup that’s easy to prepare at home and perfect for weeknight dinners.
The combination of tender turkey, beans, vegetables, and warming spices gives this chili depth without overwhelming heat. Serve it with cornbread or flaky butter biscuits for a complete, satisfying meal. A crisp salad also pairs nicely — think a Mediterranean cucumber salad, shaved Brussels sprouts, or a simple Mediterranean salad with lime vinaigrette.
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Substitutions
This recipe uses ground turkey for a leaner option, but ground beef is an easy substitute if you prefer. If you use beef, choose a lean variety or drain excess fat after browning.
If you’d like to use leftover cooked turkey instead of raw ground meat (great for post-holiday meals), add about 2 cups of shredded or chopped cooked turkey later in the process — instructions below indicate where to do that.
The chili is mildly spiced as written, so you can easily increase or decrease the cayenne to suit your household. Removing jalapeno seeds also reduces heat.
What You’ll Need
- 2 tablespoons oil (omit if using lean ground beef)
- 1 pound ground turkey (or lean ground beef)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, deseeded and finely chopped (optional seeds for more heat)
- 12 ounces tomato paste
- 1 can (15.5 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15.5 oz) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen shelled edamame
- ¾ cup chopped carrot (about 1 small carrot)
- ½ cup corn, fresh, frozen, or drained canned
- 4 cups beef or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼–½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
How to Make Turkey Chili
1. Preheat a Dutch oven or a large heavy pot over medium heat.
2. Add the oil (if using) and then the ground turkey, chopped onion, and jalapeno. Cook about 15 minutes, breaking up the meat and stirring frequently, until the turkey is browned and the onion is softened. If using ground beef and excess fat accumulates, drain off most of it before continuing.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, drained kidney beans, drained garbanzo beans, frozen edamame (no need to thaw), corn, chopped carrot, broth, oregano, cayenne, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper, and salt. Mix well, mashing the tomato paste into the liquid to distribute it evenly.
4. Bring the chili to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Maintain a strong simmer rather than a hard rolling boil to avoid splattering.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or cayenne if desired. If using leftover cooked turkey, stir in 2 cups of chopped cooked turkey at step 3 and simmer until heated through.
6. Serve hot with cornbread, biscuits, or your favorite bread and a crisp side salad.
Tips & FAQs
Yes. Ground turkey keeps the recipe leaner, but lean ground beef works well. If the beef releases more than about 2 tablespoons of fat, drain the excess before adding the other ingredients.
Yes. Add about 2 cups of pre-cooked, chopped turkey after you cook the onion and jalapeno, then continue with the recipe so the turkey heats through and absorbs the flavors.
No — omit the cayenne or reduce it to ¼ teaspoon. You can also leave it out entirely and add a pinch at the end if needed, since heat often intensifies as the chili cooks and when reheated.
📋 Recipe
Panera Turkey Chili Recipe (copycat)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 medium onion , chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 jalapeno , deseeded and finely chopped
- 12 ounces tomato paste
- 15.5 ounces canned kidney beans , drained and rinsed
- 15.5 ounces canned garbanzo beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 cup edamame , frozen
- ¾ cup carrot , chopped (1 small)
- ½ cup corn , fresh or frozen
- 4 cups beef broth or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon oregano , dry
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper depending on heat level preferred
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt more to taste
Instructions
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Preheat Dutch oven or large heavy pot over medium heat.
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Add oil (if using), ground turkey, onion, and jalapeno. Cook about 15 minutes, stirring and breaking up the meat until browned and the vegetables are softened.
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Add tomato paste, drained beans, edamame, corn, carrot, broth, oregano, cayenne, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper, and salt. Stir to combine and break up the tomato paste.
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Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
Video
Notes
- Use beef or chicken broth interchangeably based on preference.
- Removing jalapeno seeds reduces heat; keep them for more spice.
- Chili often becomes spicier the longer it cooks and when reheated, so season conservatively if unsure.