We define an extremal $(r|χ)$-graph as an $r$-regular graph with chromatic number $χ$ of minimum order. We show that the Tur{\' a}n graphs $T_{ak,k}$, the antihole graphs and the graphs $K_k\times K_2$ are extremal in this sense. We also study extremal Cayley $(r|χ)$-graphs and we exhibit several $(r|χ)$-graph constructions arising from Tur{\' a}n graphs.