1-First, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and cook the chopped yellow onion for 2 minutes until it softens and smells great. Next, add the ground turkey and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon until it’s browned all the way through. Then, stir in the minced garlic and cook for just 30 seconds to bring out its aroma without burning it.

2-After that, mix in the brown sugar if you’re using it, along with the chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and tomato paste. Stir everything together and cook for about 1 minute to let the spices bloom. Pour in the chicken broth, making sure to scrape up any tasty browned bits from the bottom of the pot for extra flavor.

3-Now, add the fire roasted crushed tomatoes and the rinsed beans, giving it all a good stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer it covered for 1 to 2 hours. In the last 30 minutes, uncover the pot to let it thicken up nicely. Serve it hot with your favorite toppings for a meal that’s sure to please.

4-If you prefer a hands-off approach, you can make this turkey chili in a slow cooker. Start by browning the onion, turkey, and garlic in a skillet as described above. Add the brown sugar, seasonings, and tomato paste, then pour in the broth and scrape up those browned bits. Transfer everything to the slow cooker, add the tomatoes and beans, and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours.

5-For an Instant Pot version, sauté the onion and turkey until browned, then add the garlic and turn off the sauté mode. Stir in the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, tomato paste, and broth while scraping the bottom. Add the crushed tomatoes and beans on top without stirring, seal the lid, and cook at high pressure for 12 minutes. Let it release pressure naturally for 10 minutes before quick releasing the rest, and use sauté mode to thicken if needed.