Turkey chili can be a great lower carb option for those looking to reduce their carbohydrate intake. While turkey chili does contain some carbohydrates, the amount is much lower than traditional beef chili thanks to the use of lean turkey meat instead of fatty ground beef. By making smart ingredient choices, turkey chili can easily be adapted to be a keto-friendly or low-carb meal.
Carb Content of Turkey Chili Ingredients
When evaluating the carb content of turkey chili, it’s helpful to look at the carb count of each ingredient that goes into the dish:
- Ground Turkey – 0g net carbs – Ground turkey is entirely made up of protein and contains no carbohydrates.
- Onion – 9g net carbs per 1 cup – Onions are a higher carb vegetable but can be used in moderation in turkey chili.
- Bell Pepper – 6g net carbs per 1 pepper – Bell peppers add flavor and vitamins while contributing a small amount of carbs.
- Tomatoes – 5g net carbs per 1 cup – Tomatoes make up the base of chili and add only a minimal amount of carbs.
- Chili Powder – 2g net carbs per tablespoon – Most chili powders contain just small traces of carbs so can be used generously.
- Garlic – 1g net carb per clove – Garlic adds lots of flavor for just a tiny amount of carbs.
When limiting carb ingredients like beans or corn, turkey chili can have a relatively low carb count compared to beef chili variations while still being full of flavor.
Net Carbs in Turkey Chili
To calculate the net carbs in a full pot of turkey chili, you’ll need to tally up the carb counts from each ingredient and account for the total number of servings the recipe yields. Let’s look at a typical recipe for turkey chili yielding 6 servings:
| Ingredient | Grams of Carbs |
|---|---|
| 1 pound ground turkey | 0g |
| 1 small onion, diced | 9g |
| 1 red bell pepper, diced | 6g |
| 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes | 15g |
| 2 tablespoons chili powder | 4g |
| 2 cloves garlic, minced | 2g |
| Spices and seasonings | 0g |
| Total Carbs | 36g |
For a pot of chili that yields 6 servings, the total carb count is 36g. Dividing 36g of total carbs by 6 servings gives us about 6g of net carbs per serving of turkey chili.
Lower Carb Turkey Chili Options
To make turkey chili even lower in carbs, there are a few simple tweaks you can make:
- Use less or no onion – Onion is one of the highest carb ingredients
- Increase tomatoes, reduce bell pepper – Bell pepper is slightly higher in carbs than tomatoes
- Skip corn or beans – These add more carbs so can be omitted
- Add more non-starchy veggies like zucchini, cabbage, spinach or kale
- Use avocado or sour cream as toppings instead of higher carb options like cheese or rice
Implementing some of these substitutions or avoiding higher carb toppings can result in a turkey chili with only around 3-4g of net carbs per serving.
Keto Turkey Chili
For those following a keto diet, turkey chili can also be adapted to meet keto guidelines by keeping net carbs very low, generally under 10g per serving. Here is one recipe for keto-friendly turkey chili:
| Ingredient | Grams of Carbs |
|---|---|
| 1 pound ground turkey | 0g |
| 1/2 small onion, diced | 5g |
| 1 green bell pepper, diced | 3g |
| 2 cups chopped kale | 2g |
| 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes | 8g |
| 2 tablespoons chili powder | 4g |
| 1 clove garlic, minced | 1g |
| Total Carbs | 23g |
For a keto-friendly turkey chili with only 5g net carbs per serving, limit onion, use kale instead of beans for fiber, increase tomatoes for the base and cut back on bell peppers. This creates a chili that is under 10g net carbs per serving to meet keto guidelines.
Turkey Chili Meat to Veggie Ratio
When making turkey chili, the ratio of meat to vegetables can impact the carb content. Some tips for balancing ingredients:
- Use at least 1 pound of ground turkey for 4-6 servings – This provides protein without excess fat from beef.
- Limit starchy veggies like corn, peas or potatoes and favor low-carb vegetables instead.
- Make tomatoes, spinach, kale and other lower carb vegetables the bulk of the recipe.
- Onions and bell peppers add flavor in moderation but increase carbs in large amounts.
- Add extras like avocado, cilantro, hot sauce, lime juice for more flavor without carbs.
Choosing plenty of low carb vegetables and herbs balances out the meat and helps create a flavorful chili that isn’t too high in carbs.
Turkey Chili vs Beef Chili Carbs
Comparing turkey chili and a traditional beef chili recipe shows the carb differences:
| Ingredient | Turkey Chili Grams of Carbs | Beef Chili Grams of Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Meat | 0g (1 lb turkey) | 0g (1 lb beef) |
| Onion | 9g (1 small onion) | 18g (1 large onion) |
| Bell Pepper | 6g (1 pepper) | 12g (2 peppers) |
| Beans | 0g | 68g (2 15oz cans) |
| Corn | 0g | 38g (1 1/2 cups) |
| Total Carbs | 15g | 136g |
The table shows a side by side comparison of a 6 serving turkey chili recipe vs a beef chili recipe. Because the turkey chili skips beans and corn, uses minimal onion and bell pepper, and favors low carb tomatoes and veggies, it contains significantly fewer carbs per serving compared to a bean-heavy beef chili.
Conclusion
Turkey chili can be adapted in many ways to be low carb, keto-friendly, or fit into a healthy diet. Choosing lean ground turkey, limiting starchy ingredients like beans or corn, and focusing on low carb vegetables and seasonings are keys to keeping the carb content down. While turkey chili does contain some natural carbohydrates from veggies and spices, the total carb count per serving can easily be kept under 10g net carbs, making it a great option for low carb, keto, or diabetic diets.