Low Calorie Turkey Chili Recipe

I don’t think I have told you guys this yet, but I have been working pretty hard lately on getting healthier and losing weight. While I wouldn’t consider myself morbidly obese or anything (I currently wear a dress size 10 or 12) I do need to lose about 30 pounds, especially after the health concerns that I started having last year.  

So I have been working with a very supportive group of friends who are also trying to get healthy and we are downloading calorie counting apps on our phones, swapping recipes, checking in on Facebook, and starting our days with warm lemon water. I’ve also joined a gym and have been going just about every week day. I’m taking Zumba classes, lifting weights, working my way through the 30 Day Shred at home, and learning to love the elliptical. 

At this point it’s coming off very slowly (like a quarter of a pound per week or less slowly), but we’re a few months in and I have lost a few pounds, and several inches. More importantly, I feel really great. 

However, I have to admit, trying to eat well in the winter is not my favorite. We are often stuck in the house and when it’s cold outside I want something warm and filling. 

Plus, I got very tired of salad very fast. 

So, I came up with this turkey chili recipe, which I have made every week since. I really like it because there are a ton of vegetables, it’s filling, it tastes good, and the calorie count is low, which means I can eat more. 🙂 

Low Calorie Turkey Chili 

• 1 pound of 99% fat free ground turkey (680 cal)
• 1 medium onion (40)
• 1 green pepper (24)
• 1 jalepeno peper (26)
• 2 grated carrots (50)
• 2 15oz cans of Hunts seasoned tomato sauce for chili (350)
• 1 tbsp chili powder (22) 

The numbers in the parenthesis represent the calorie count: 1,192 for the entire pot. This recipe makes 6-8 servings, depending on how big you make your serving, at about 150-200 calories each. 

Dice the peppers and onion (removing the seeds and ribs from peppers if desired) grate the carrots. 

Add the fresh vegetables to a 5 quart pot like this one with 1/2 a cup of water and cook on medium heat, stirring until the onions are translucent and the peppers start to get soft.  

Add ground turkey and chili powder. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon to brown the meat. 

Before the meat is cooked completely through, add two cans of tomato sauce. 

Turn down the heat and simmer on low, stirring occasionally, for at least one hour, until the liquid has evaporated and the chili has thickened to your desired consistency. 

Adding a cup of pinto beans will add about 245 calories to the pot. My family doesn’t dig beans in their chili.  Obviously, if you choose to add extras like cheese or sour cream, that will alter the calorie count as well. 

If you would like to see more of my favorite recipes (I have to admit, not all of the ones I pin are diet-friendly. Hey, a girl can dream, right?) be sure to follow my I Like to Eat! Pinterest board. 

Follow Stephanie {Binkies and Briefcases} ‘s board I like to Eat on Pinterest.