A Little Katie, A Lot of Grace

I had two pounds of ground turkey thawed in the fridge and every intention of making chili. The only problem? By the time I got home the first night, I was much too tired to cook. So the chili had to wait another day. Anyone else have those evenings? 😂

When I finally got around to it, I pulled out the beans, tomatoes, sauce, a jar of chunky salsa, and some beef broth. I browned the turkey with a big onion, added all the good stuff, and let it simmer. Pretty standard chili so far.

And then came the cream cheese.

I considered using half a block. For approximately two seconds. The whole eight ounces went in. And I’m not even a little sorry. 😂

The result was a creamy, cozy, slightly tangy turkey chili with plenty of beans and a rich tomato base. I finished my bowl with shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream, because apparently there was still room for more dairy. It was delicious.

❧ Katie’s Loaded Creamy Turkey Chili ❧

Servings: Approximately 8–10   |   Prep: 10–15 minutes   |   Cook: 30–40 minutes   |   Method: Stovetop

A little kitchen note: I cook by taste more often than I measure. The seasonings, broth, and salsa below are the amounts I’d use to recreate this batch.

❧ Ingredients ❧

• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 can (15.5 ounces) light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (about 10 ounces)
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
• ½–1 cup medium chunky salsa
• ½ cup beef broth, plus more if needed
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper and salt to taste
• 1 full 8-ounce block cream cheese, cubed
• Shredded cheese and sour cream, for serving

❧ Let’s Make Chili ❧

• In a large soup pot over medium heat, cook the ground turkey and diced onion, breaking up the meat as it browns. Cook until the turkey reaches 165°F and the onion is soft.
• Stir in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper. Let the spices cook for about a minute.
• Add the drained beans, both cans of diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa, and beef broth. Stir everything together.
• Bring to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat and cook uncovered for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little more broth if you’d like it thinner.
• Turn the heat to LOW. Add the cubed cream cheese and stir until all of it melts into the chili, about 5–10 minutes. Taste and adjust your seasoning.
• Spoon into bowls and finish with shredded cheese and a generous dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!

❧ A Few Notes from My Kitchen ❧

• Yes, the whole block. Eight ounces of cream cheese is what makes this version so creamy.
• Skip the celery. I tossed a little leftover celery into the first batch, but decided I’d leave it out next time. This is the keeper version.
• Make it your own. Start with ½ cup salsa, taste, and add more if you like that extra tang and kick.
• Leftovers are a gift. Divide into shallow containers, refrigerate promptly, and enjoy within 3–4 days, or freeze extra portions. Reheat until hot throughout.

❧ A Little Kitchen Win ❧

This is the kind of recipe I love: mostly pantry ingredients, a good amount of protein, one big pot, and something comforting to eat at the end of a long day. No fancy techniques. Just real food that tastes good.

And if you were wondering whether the sour cream and shredded cheese on top were necessary… well, maybe not. But I’m keeping them. ♡

❧ Printable Recipe Card ❧

Want to tuck this one into your own recipe box? Here’s a little printable version! Click the card or the link underneath to open the one-page PDF, ready to save or print. ♡

Download or print Katie’s Loaded Creamy Turkey Chili recipe card (PDF)