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Want a cozy meal that you can cook on repeat all winter long? This Turkey and White Bean Chili is hearty, healthy, and packed with flavor!
This is one of those simple weeknight dinners that the entire family will devour. While it does need some time to simmer, the recipe is mostly hands-off and all made in one pot, which makes for easy clean-up. Plus, the leftovers are delicious throughout the week because the flavor really does get better with time!
Ground turkey is definitely the star in this recipe. I love incorporating this lean, high-protein staple into meals throughout the week. I also love to use boneless turkey breast when possible, as it is one of the leanest meats available with one of the highest amounts of protein. It actually has a whopping 12 percent more protein than the same serving size of boneless skinless chicken breast!
And if you’re worried that it will taste bland or dry, this chili recipe will immediately prove otherwise.
ingredients:
- Avocado Oil
- Yellow Onions
- Garlic Cloves
- Ground Turkey
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Ground Cumin
- Ground Coriander
- Chili Powder
- Dried Oregano
- Cayenne Pepper
- Canned Mild Diced Green Chiles
- Canned Cannellini Beans
- Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
- Bay Leaves
- Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese, For Serving
- Pico De Gallo, For Serving
- Pickled Jalapeño Peppers, For Serving
- Fresh Cilantro, For Serving
- Sour Cream, For Serving
- Lime Wedges, For Serving
step-by-step:
step one: cook the onions and garlic
Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat. When hot, add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
step two: cook the turkey
Add the ground turkey, salt, and pepper and cook, breaking up the meat with the edge of a spoon into smaller pieces and the turkey is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
step three: add the dried spices
Add the cumin, coriander, chili powder, oregano, and cayenne pepper, tossing until the spices are well combined with the meat. Cook, toasting the spices, for about 2 minutes.
step four: build the chili
Add the green chiles, beans, broth, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low and cook, lightly simmering and stirring occasionally to allow the flavors to meld and the chili to thicken, about 25 minutes.
step five: garnish and serve
Ladle the chili into bowls and top with desired toppings! Enjoy!
recipe faqs:
I haven’t made this particular recipe in a slow cooker, but here’s what I’d recommend: brown the meat in a skillet on the stovetop, then place all of the ingredients in the slow cooker (other than the garnishes) and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
Let the chili cool completely, then transfer it to a few airtight containers and store in the fridge for up to four days. If you want to freeze it, be sure to leave about an inch of room at the top to allow the chili to expand. Use it within a month or two for the best flavor!
If you are like me and are looking to incorporate more turkey into your diet, try this easy White Bean and Turkey Chili! Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments below!
want more chili recipes? try these!
Turkey and White Bean Chili
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 cups diced yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 pounds lean ground turkey
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 (4-ounce) cans mild diced green chiles, undrained
- 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini or Great Northern Beans, undrained
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
Optional Toppings:
- shredded monterey jack cheese
- pico de gallo
- pickled jalapeño peppers
- chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- sour cream
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the ground turkey, salt, and pepper and cook, breaking up the meat with the edge of a spoon into smaller pieces and the turkey is cooked through, or no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Add the cumin, coriander, chili powder, oregano, cayenne tossing until the spices are well combined with the meat. Cook, toasting the spices, for about 2 more minutes.
- Add the green chiles, beans, broth and bay leaves and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, lightly simmering, uncovered, and stirring occasionally to allow the flavors to meld and the chili to thicken, about 25 minutes.
- Ladle the chili into bowls and top with desired toppings! Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Food Photography and Styling by Modern Food Stories.
Hi Alex….I really want to make this for our chil cookoff party in a few days, can I use my slow cooker? 6 hours appropriate? or too long? I can also start high and adjust to low after a couple of hours, please let me know….I am so excited to try it and share with all our neighbors!! (p.s. I’ll let you know if your recipe wins the cook off) haha.
Hi!! I would just keep it on low for 6 to 8 hours!! will be great! But I will say– if you want to win a chili cookoff- my classic chili is better in my opinion!! 🙂
https://thedefineddish.com/beef-chili-with-beans/
Love this! I am making it again this week! The white chili is always bland when I make, but not this one! I also soaked my beans and sprouted them and cooked them in Olive oil and garlic and oregano, so they were a nice flavor and addition – nice layering with the Chili flavors. Thanks!
I think this is probably my first time making white chili, but it definitely won’t be my last. What great flavors! Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
Super yummy! I left the cayenne on the side and all my kiddos loved it!
Another winner! I’m not the biggest fan of chili but I’ve loved everything Alex creates so figured I’d give this a try. I followed the recipe except didn’t have coriander so added another TSP of cumin. Turned out delicious and satisfying. Will be making again for sure
I used a turkey breast diced up, but was fantastic!
Made this tonight as a practice run for our church chili cook off!! DELICIOUSLY AMAZING!!! My 4 yr old and 16 month old loved it, too!!
It was perfection but I have one question. How would I make it thicker?
Add shredded Monterey Jacki cheese to the recipe to make it thicker and creamier!
Oh WOW!!! This chili is DELISH!! And the garnishes take it to the next level! Loved it! Yet another DD recipe that will be added to my rotation! Thank you, Alex!
(For those asking about WW – I used extra lean ground turkey at it was 6 pts on Green).
Just made this and it’s so good…I didn’t have any Cayenne pepper still so good!!
Hi! Any recommendations for freezing/reheating this? Thanks!
This was so delicious and easy to make!
We love love this chili! Just wondering if you have any recommendations to make it a bit more friendly for a Midwestern palate? Asking for a friend…;) Thanks, Alex!
haha, meaning it’s too spicy?