Copycat Panera Turkey Chili

Is chili a soup? That depends on the ingredients. And what I love best about chili is that there are so many different ingredients, recipes, and ways to make it that you can eat it for a lifetime and never get tired. One such favorite recipe of mine is for Panera turkey chili, which I love to order but also wanted to try replicating at home.

Panera Bread makes their chili with turkey instead of beef (the more common meat ingredient), which is great if you’re conscious about your beef consumption for dietary, ethical, or environmental reasons. As you’ll see, it’s easy enough to make and very nearly captures those same hearty, warming flavors as when someone else makes it.

Read on for a walkthrough of my copycat recipe for Panera turkey chili, plus a recipe card you can save or download for your own recipe collection.

Making Panera Turkey Chili at Home

As I mentioned, chili recipes can vary a lot in the ingredients used; it’s this variance that makes Panera turkey chili and my copycat recipe unique. In particular, this recipe uses garbanzo beans (rather than black beans, a more common chili ingredient), edamame (soy beans), jalapeño, carrot, and corn. If you’re a chili connoisseur, you know these are some unusual ingredients – which is what makes the original Panera Bread recipe stand out.

To begin making your own copycat Panera turkey chili, start by adding the ground turkey, onion, jalapeño, and olive oil into a large pot. You’ll want to cook these the longest, to ensure the onion and jalapeño get nice and soft, and the turkey is fully cooked. This typically takes around 15 minutes if you’re using one pound of ground turkey.

Once these ingredients are done, it’s time to add the beans (Kidney, Garbanzo, and Edamame), carrot, and corn, as well as the beef broth to give your chili more liquid to cook in. (This technically makes this chili recipe a soup; the definition of soup vs. stew is whether the dish includes broth or stock. As this one does, it’s a soup!)

Next, it’s time to spice your chili. I personally find that the best chili recipes have a unique blend each time – I rarely measure out my spices when making chili. However, in my recipe card below I have put in exact suggestions in case you’re looking for the exact flavors of Panera turkey chili. This is one area where you can get creative though – if you like one spice or flavor more, definitely feel inspired to add more (or less) as you desire.

The last step is all about getting the right consistency: bring the whole mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and let your chili set for at least 45 minutes. During this time, the flavors will mingle and some of the broth will evaporate (even with a lid). In the end, it will be less soup-y and more stew-y and all around delicious.

After you’ve let the chili mix, you’re all set to serve it up! I love to top my chili with fresh medium cheddar cheese and Two Good Greek yogurt, which is keto-friendly. Again, this is an area you can get creative in if you want to add other toppings.

Panera Turkey Chili Copycat Recipe

This recipe seems complicated, but it’s not – it’s similar to any other chili recipe you might make in terms of cooking the ingredients in the right order and adding the right spices. In the end, I’m confident you can make this copycat Panera Bread turkey chili even if you’ve never made chili before!

Have other questions about this Panera turkey chili copycat recipe? Let me know in the comments!