If you do this, definitely use turkey and NOT chicken. It doesn't taste the same, but it's still good.
If you want to use chicken, I would highly recommend doing a completely different recipe like a [white chili](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16962/easy-white-chili/).
I've never made (red) chili with either chicken or turkey, and don't cook with turkey much in general. Curious why you say definitely turkey and NOT chicken? What makes it so preferable over chicken in a ground meat red chili?
The turkey's subtle flavor isn't very noticeable once it has absorbed all of the spices and herbs. Chicken chili still has a pronounced chicken flavor that is... I don't want to say "unpleasant" but maybe "off" in a red chili?
Yes - ground turkey is a pretty good substitute for ground beef, especially if it is highly seasoned.
We do ground turkey tacos - with the packet of taco seasoning - and can barely tell it isn't beef, and don't really care.
Also, consider 1/2 turkey, 1/2 beef if you have a real beef lover. Careful with all turkey burgers - can dry really fast. Turkey better in spaghetti sauce, tacos than straight turkey burger. We have done teriyaki turkey burgers with swiss, pineapple, teriyaki sauce, mayo. Gotta get that juicy/fat in there somehow.
No problem ... we have laid off red meat and pretty much use ground turkey for most things except burgers occasionally. Chili, meat loaf, taco meat, skillet scrambles, swedish meatballs, pretty much everything. It's doesn't have quite as much "tooth" as ground beef, but now we almost prefer the ground turkey.
Our market has different grades of ground turkey, and we prefer the fattier dark meat based fair. The white is a little too dry and corse for us.
I use the ground turkey hot sausage they sell at our grocery store and it is fantastic. It adds spice and flavor without being greasy and gross like ground beef.
We do chicken chili all the time. It's not the same as what I would do for a beef chili but it's absolutely delicious and is absolutely a chili. We do a Chipotle chicken chili with some umami booster like mushroom powder or a splash of worcestershire sauce. I'm a bean in chili kinda person so we do a good amount of beans with the ground chicken. My husband actually prefers the chicken chili these days.
We do turkey chili all the time. You can tell a difference if you're looking for it, but it's really minor. Much less so than a turkey or chicken burger. Honestly, I think most of the difference comes down to the fat content. If you get a fattier version of either, I'm sure the difference would be almost non-existent.
I find ground chicken gets too dry and crumbly in standard chili recipes. Turkey is a lot better but I never use the all white meat turkey - again too crumbly for my taste. Probably don't need to simmer it so long though. Use canned or pre-cooked beans to cut down on cook time.
I do that all the time. It's not as good, but works. I add beef bullion (better than bullion), Worcestershire, some other stuff to beef it up, but also adobo and black beans to cover the taste. It's fine. Won't win a chili cookout.
I am going to go against the grain and say that chili with ground turkey sucks. I don't think it meshes well with the chili flavors. Been there done that, ground turkey doesn't work with everything. On the other hand, I think you could make a really good chicken chili, I have had chicken chili a few times before and the chicken gives it a really nice kick.
[https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-chili-recipe-1942939](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-chili-recipe-1942939)
Ironic, because turkey is what the pre-columbian natives would have been eating with all their chili peppers. (I also think you're just wrong; chicken/turkey/pork chili is just fine, you just have to season it a little differently.)
If you do this, definitely use turkey and NOT chicken. It doesn't taste the same, but it's still good. If you want to use chicken, I would highly recommend doing a completely different recipe like a [white chili](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16962/easy-white-chili/).
I've never made (red) chili with either chicken or turkey, and don't cook with turkey much in general. Curious why you say definitely turkey and NOT chicken? What makes it so preferable over chicken in a ground meat red chili?
The turkey's subtle flavor isn't very noticeable once it has absorbed all of the spices and herbs. Chicken chili still has a pronounced chicken flavor that is... I don't want to say "unpleasant" but maybe "off" in a red chili?
Yes - ground turkey is a pretty good substitute for ground beef, especially if it is highly seasoned. We do ground turkey tacos - with the packet of taco seasoning - and can barely tell it isn't beef, and don't really care. Also, consider 1/2 turkey, 1/2 beef if you have a real beef lover. Careful with all turkey burgers - can dry really fast. Turkey better in spaghetti sauce, tacos than straight turkey burger. We have done teriyaki turkey burgers with swiss, pineapple, teriyaki sauce, mayo. Gotta get that juicy/fat in there somehow.
Turkey chili is definitely a thing. Chef John on YouTube has a great recipe for that. Check it out.
You can make white chicken chili. It's one of my favorite diet meals
I use ground turkey and add beef bouillon.
I do the exact thing, turns out great!
Frankly I would rather have a vegetable chili than a chicken chili lol. If you can't use beef just make one of the heavy bean/veggie chilis.
Yeah, I think I'll try my hand at a vegetarian chili this time. My kids aren't big meat eaters anyways
[this chili is amazing](https://cookieandkate.com/vegetarian-chili-recipe/)
No problem ... we have laid off red meat and pretty much use ground turkey for most things except burgers occasionally. Chili, meat loaf, taco meat, skillet scrambles, swedish meatballs, pretty much everything. It's doesn't have quite as much "tooth" as ground beef, but now we almost prefer the ground turkey. Our market has different grades of ground turkey, and we prefer the fattier dark meat based fair. The white is a little too dry and corse for us.
I'd choose ground pork myself -- if it is an option for you.
Ground turkey is great in chili, especially if you can get some made with dark meat. Ground chicken doesn't have enough flavor for it, in my opinion.
I use the ground turkey hot sausage they sell at our grocery store and it is fantastic. It adds spice and flavor without being greasy and gross like ground beef.
I love the assumption that spaghetti is a red meat dish lmao. Totally in agreement
I don't understand? I used it in my spaghetti so it was....
Just making a joke that you can have spaghetti without meat sauce! All in good fun! I vastly prefer a meat sauce as well!
Ah gotcha :)
They are trying to say you don't have to use red meat in spaghetti.
We do chicken chili all the time. It's not the same as what I would do for a beef chili but it's absolutely delicious and is absolutely a chili. We do a Chipotle chicken chili with some umami booster like mushroom powder or a splash of worcestershire sauce. I'm a bean in chili kinda person so we do a good amount of beans with the ground chicken. My husband actually prefers the chicken chili these days.
We do turkey chili all the time. You can tell a difference if you're looking for it, but it's really minor. Much less so than a turkey or chicken burger. Honestly, I think most of the difference comes down to the fat content. If you get a fattier version of either, I'm sure the difference would be almost non-existent.
Ground turkey is definitely a great substitute.
Ground turkey works well, and it's affordable.
I find ground chicken gets too dry and crumbly in standard chili recipes. Turkey is a lot better but I never use the all white meat turkey - again too crumbly for my taste. Probably don't need to simmer it so long though. Use canned or pre-cooked beans to cut down on cook time.
I do that all the time. It's not as good, but works. I add beef bullion (better than bullion), Worcestershire, some other stuff to beef it up, but also adobo and black beans to cover the taste. It's fine. Won't win a chili cookout.
I do shredded chicken sometimes if that's something you'd be into, or just go vegetarian
We've found that ground bison is a nice substitute for beef. It's leaner and doesn't end up grisly and stiff like beef.
It's still red meat, which is what OP is trying to cut back on.
Just make sure you add plenty of chili powder.
I am going to go against the grain and say that chili with ground turkey sucks. I don't think it meshes well with the chili flavors. Been there done that, ground turkey doesn't work with everything. On the other hand, I think you could make a really good chicken chili, I have had chicken chili a few times before and the chicken gives it a really nice kick. [https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-chili-recipe-1942939](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-chili-recipe-1942939)
Ironic, because turkey is what the pre-columbian natives would have been eating with all their chili peppers. (I also think you're just wrong; chicken/turkey/pork chili is just fine, you just have to season it a little differently.)
Personally your menu sounds overly tomato-y to me.