This Protein Pumpkin Chili is a high protein meal that is also a one pot dinner, so it makes for super easy clean up. If you love all things pumpkin plus chili, you’ll fall in love with this easy, healthy dinner recipe. And, to make it even better, it’s healthy, high protein, high fiber, and very tasty!

Pumpkin Chili Recipe, High Protein Dinner, One Pot Dinner

Here’s Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Chili Recipe

It’s super tasty. No, it doesn’t taste overwhelmingly like pumpkin. It still has that bold chili flavor but with a little more thickness and richness.
One pot dinner. Everything is made in one pot making this healthy dinner recipe convenient and easy to clean up.
It’s healthy. Because we’ll be using ground turkey in this chili recipe, it’s super high in protein. It’s also filled with vegetables, which means more fiber.
It’s flexible. You can make some tweaks with this recipe. It’s very forgiving. For a more hearty chili flavor, opt for ground beef instead of ground turkey. Or, add some spice with cayenne pepper.
It’s great for meal prep. This chili will last in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. And, it actually gets better the longer it marinates.

Pumpkin Chili Ingredients

The ingredients are very similar to regular chili but with a few additions.

Ground Turkey. This makes it a high protein dinner. However, you can also use ground beef or ground chicken.
Onion and Bell Pepper. Staying true to classic chili, onion and green bell pepper are a must.
Pumpkin Puree. This is where things change a bit. This adds thickness with a hint of pumpkin flavor.
Chili Spice Blend. It wouldn’t be chili if we didn’t add a chili spice blend! But, we’re also adding a bit of pumpkin spice for that added pumpkin, Fall flavor.
Sweet Potato. This adds a twist in terms of flavor and texture!
Beans. I use a combination of kidney and pinto beans.
Tomato Paste and Diced Tomatoes. Fire roasted tomatoes are best with this recipe!
Chicken Broth. To thin out the consistency of the chili.
Toppings. Dress your pumpkin chili up with fresh parsley or chives, cheese, sour cream, etc.

How to Make Pumpkin Chili

Just like any other chili recipe, this pumpkin chili recipe is super easy to make and is an easy one pot dinner you can put together pretty quickly.

Saute the veggies. In a large soup pot, add some avocado oil and saute the onions, bell pepper, garlic, and sweet potato.
Brown the meat. Next, add the ground turkey and cook until it’s fully browned.
Season the meat. Add all of the chili spices and mix well.
Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a light boil then reduce the heat and bring it to a low simmer. Cover pot with a lid and let it cook for about 30 minutes.

Storage Tips and Meal Prepping

If you plan on making this chili in advance to serve throughout the week as part of your healthy meal prep routine, here’s everything you need to know.

Refrigerator. This pumpkin chili will last in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer. It will last in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Reheating. To reheat this chili, add it to a saucepan over medium heat and let it heat through completely. Add toppings and serve.

How To Serve This One Pot Dinner

You can certainly serve this pumpkin chili own its on, but if you’re looking for side dish inspiration, here are some ideas…

Tortilla Chips. This chili is delicious with the added crunch of tortilla chips. If you want to keep it grain free, opt for the Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips or regular tortilla chips will work too!
Corn Bread. In the South, we always pair chili with cornbread. Here’s my grain free cornbread recipe.
Side Salad. Another healthy side dish idea would be to serve this chili with a side salad.