The Best Gluten-Free Chili

This naturally gluten-free chili is a family favorite. With simple ingredients (and a couple secret ingredients that add more flavor), it’s easy to whip up for a quick weeknight dinner or healthy meal prep. Bonus – it can easily be made on the stove top, in a slow cooker, or in the Instant Pot!

a blue dutch oven of gluten-free chili on a marble surface

You may be reading this blog post and wondering, “wait – isn’t chili already gluten-free?” Sure, the basic ingredients (ground meat, beans, tomatoes, spices) are gluten-free, but many recipes have other gluten-containing ingredients.

Gluten Ingredients to Watch Out For

  • Beer
  • Some spice mixes
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Gluten-containing grains (i.e. barley)
  • Anything the chili is served over (i.e. spaghetti) or topped with (i.e. crackers)

The good news is, this easy chili recipe is great whether you’re gluten-free or not!

Why You Should Make This Gluten-Free Chili

  • It’s family-friendly (note: because of that it’s low-spice, so if you need some kick in your chili, look elsewhere or have hot sauce on hand!)
  • Full of protein and fiber, it’s healthy and naturally gluten-free.
  • It’s simple, with one of the most streamlined chili ingredients list, but still is tasty and flavorful.
  • There are a couple specific ingredients that help make it taste like it has been simmering for hours longer.
  • It’s versatile. Swap out different ground meats, add more chopped vegetables, do your thing!
  • No tomato paste? No problem! Not needed here!
  • You can cook it pretty much however you want or need to – on a stove top, in an Instant Pot, or in a slow cooker (instructions provided for the Instant Pot and slow cooker in the recipe notes).

What You Need

  • 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey (the package may also read 93/7 lean)
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 2 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 3 cans (15.5 oz) kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 3 cans (14.5 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes (do not drain!)
  • 1 cup unsalted or low-sodium broth or water
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Secret Ingredients for More Flavor

a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to go into turkey chili

The first secret ingredient is apple cider vinegar! Adding just a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar helps deepen the flavors just enough to make the chili taste like it’s been simmering for hours longer than it has.

A little acid tends to bring out other flavors more, too. From a health and nutrition perspective, this is great because it means you can use less (or no!) added salt.

My other “secret” ingredient is to use fire-roasted diced tomatoes instead of regular/ plain diced tomatoes. The fire-roasted diced tomatoes make a noticeable difference in flavor!

Finally, you’ll need to add a little liquid to the recipe. Growing up, we just used water, which is totally fine! But if you want more flavor, add unsalted or low sodium broth (whatever you have on, like chicken or vegetable broth or stock).

How to Make It

collage depicting how to make gluten-free chili: 1. saute onions, 2. brown meat, 3. add spices, 4. add beans, tomatoes, and broth
  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and saute 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions should turn translucent and slightly golden.
  2. Add the ground turkey and brown 3-4 minutes, using a spoon or spatula to break up the meat.
  3. Add the spices (chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano) and stir, cooking another minute.
  4. Add the rinsed and drained kidney beans, canned tomatoes, broth or water, and apple cider vinegar, and stir.
  5. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer at least 20-30 minutes (I’ll often simmer covered for 20 minutes, then remove the cover and simmer an additional 10). You can gently simmer for hours, though!

See the recipe card notes for Instant Pot and slow cooker directions.

Top Tips to Make This Recipe

Ultimately chili is pretty personal – people have realllllly strong opinions about how they prefer theirs! But when it comes to this recipe, here are a few tips:

  • Don’t forget to add the spices towards the end of browning the meat. The direct heat will help the spices become more fragrant and flavorful, compared to just dumping the spices in the liquid.
  • This recipe doesn’t call for a very long cook time, but chili is flexible. If you decide to let yours simmer for hours, consider adding the beans towards the end of the cooking time to prevent them from getting overly mushy.
  • I call for lean ground turkey, but if you’re using another higher fat ground meat, I would recommend draining excess fat of the ground meat before combining with the rest of the recipe (blot with a paper towel or drain onto a paper towel to do this easily).
  • Make it your own by adding some diced bell peppers, jalapenos, or hotter peppers when sauteing the onions.

Has your chili simmered covered too long or is it too watery for your liking? Check out the easiest way to thicken it!

How to Thicken Chili

If you accidentally added to much liquid or find any chili to be too soupy for your preference, the best way to thicken it is to let it simmer uncovered while stirring occasionally until it’s reached your desired consistency.

On the stove top, simply remove the lid and simmer for an additional 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To thicken in an Instant Pot, once the chili is done cooking and the pressure has been released, safely open the Instant Pot. Switch to the Saute function and saute the chili (uncovered, of course) for 5-10 minutes, until the chili has reached your desired thickness.

To thick in a slow cooker, remove the lid, give it a stir, and let it cook uncovered on high for 30 or more minutes, until it’s at your desired consistency.

Tips to Meal Prep Chili

Chili is perfect for meal prep (especially a healthier chili like this one!) because the flavors get better and better with time!

But tip #1? Don’t waste too much time! When refrigerated, consume the chili leftovers within 3-4 days for food safety purposes.

Tip #2: Freeze it! Chili freezes great (3-4 months in a regular freezer, 6+ months in a deep freezer). Try freezing it in individual containers that can quickly be reheated for a fast lunch or dinner, or taken as a grab-and-go lunch to bring to work or school.

Tip #3: Label it! Whether in the fridge or freezer, always label your chili with what it is and the date you made it to make sure it’s still safe to consume. Plus, if you’re someone tracking their nutrition, this makes it a lot easier to know what you’re eating.

A black spoon in a white bowl of gluten-free turkey chili

Is This Chili Healthy?

I definitely consider this chili a meal that would fit into a healthy, balanced diet. Using lean ground turkey, it’s lower in fat than many other chili recipes, plus when combined with all the beans, it’s absolutely packed with protein (over 20 grams) and fiber (10 grams!). It’s a little low on vegetables for my personal preference (which is fine – I wanted this to be a simple recipe with mostly pantry staple ingredients!), so we usually serve it with a simple salad or steamed veggies.

Know, too, that “healthy” is subjective. The foods that help one maintain their health may or may not work for you – and that’s okay! Honor the body you have. As a registered dietitian nutritionist, I suggest eating a variety of nourishing foods that help you feel good and achieve or maintain your health, balanced with the foods you love. Remember – an election isn’t won with every vote, but the majority. Your health is the same way – the overall dietary pattern is what matters most.

More Healthy Soup & Chili Recipes

(All gluten-free!)

Did you make this recipe? Give it a 5★ rating below! For more balanced nutrition and simple, healthy-ish recipes, be sure to follow me on Instagram!

A blue dutch oven of gluten-free chili on a marble surface

The Best Gluten-Free Chili

This naturally gluten-free chili is a family favorite. With simple ingredients (and a couple secret ingredients that add more flavor), it's easy to whip up for a quick weeknight dinner or healthy meal prep. Bonus – it can easily be made on the stove top, in a slow cooker, or in the Instant Pot!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 261kcal
Author: Lindsey Janeiro, RDN
Cost: $9.98 recipe/ $1.25 serving

Ingredients

  • 1 lb 93/7 lean ground turkey
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 2 T chili powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 3 cans (15.5 oz) kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 3 cans (14.5 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup unsalted broth or water
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and saute 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions should turn translucent and slightly golden.
  • Add the ground turkey and brown 3-4 minutes, using a spoon or spatula to break up the meat.
  • Add the spices (chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano) and stir, cooking another minute.
  • Add the rinsed and drained kidney beans, canned tomatoes, broth or water, and apple cider vinegar, and stir.
  • Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer at least 20-30 minutes (I'll often simmer covered for 20 minutes, then remove the cover and simmer an additional 10). You can gently simmer for hours, though!
  • If you want a thicker chili, remove the lid and continue to simmer while stirring occasionally until chili is at your desired thickness.
  • Let a cool a few minutes before serving, then enjoy!

Notes

Instant Pot Instructions: Use the saute function to heat olive oil and saute the onions. Then add ground turkey to brown, along with the spices. Add remaining ingredients, stir, then close and seal the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Naturally release for 10 minutes, then you can quick release remaining pressure. If you desire a thicker chili, return the Instant Pot to saute function and cook uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it meets your desired thickness.
Slow Cooker Instructions: For added flavor, saute onions and brown ground meat and spices on the stove top, then add to the slow cooker with remaining ingredients. Cook on low 4-6 hours or on high 2-4 hours. If your chili is too thin, let it simmer uncovered over high heat for 30 minutes (or until you reach your desired consistency), stirring occasionally.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 314mg | Potassium: 590mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1251IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 5mg

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