Turkey white bean chili is an easy way to satisfy a comfort food craving. This easy turkey chili is made with convenience ingredients like canned tomatoes, canned beans and chicken broth. Then, onions, garlic and lots of spices are added to give it a homemade taste. It’s a happy balance that yields a delicious chili without spending all afternoon in the kitchen.
For this chili recipe we use a less conventional ground turkey instead of ground beef. Lean ground turkey is a great alternative to ground beef. Maybe you’re trying to cut down on red meat or save a few calories, you don’t have to give up your favorites, just make a simple swap.
Try it out in this turkey meatloaf and see for yourself. And for other unconventional chili recipes try this chili cornbread casserole that the family will love.
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Ingredients
- Ground Turkey – use lean turkey but not turkey breast (we used 85/15)
- Spices – chili powder, salt, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper and cayenne pepper add flavor and spice to the chili.
- Aromatics – onions (use a yellow or white onion) and garlic add even more flavor.
- Pantry – chicken broth, diced tomatoes and cannellini beans (also known as white kidney beans) make this chili convenient and easy to make.
- Oil – use your favorite neutral oil with a high smoke point (we use canola oil)
Recipe tips
- Prepare a seasoning mix instead of adding each ingredient individually. You’re less likely to have a mishap like way too much seasoning ending up in the chili. Plus, you’re not standing over a hot, steaming pot trying to measure out spices.
- Use a lean ground turkey. We use 85/15, which means it’s 85 percent lean and 15 percent fat content. You can use leaner if you wish (like 93/7 which is 93 percent lean and 7 percent fat). However, do not use turkey breast. We need some fat for flavor and moisture. Turkey breast will not supply us with either.
- It’s best to use a heavy pot to make chili, soups and stews; anything that needs to simmer for an extended time. A heavy pot will hold the heat so the chili can simmer while at a lower temperature and the bottom will be less likely to burn. We use an enameled cast iron pot, and it works well.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Then, add the garlic and cook 1 minute while stirring.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and immediately add the ground turkey, sprinkle with the prepared seasoning mix and stir well to combine the meat with the onions and spices.
- Arrange the turkey into a layer and cook for 3 minutes. Stir and break-up any large pieces, arrange into a layer again and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until browned and any liquid rendered has cooked away.
- Add the diced tomatoes and white beans to the pot.
- Next, add the chicken broth and stir well. Bring the liquid to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and simmer the chili for 30 minutes, stir occasionally.
Uncover the pot and cook for an additional 10-20 minutes or until the chili thickens and is saucy, not soupy. Keep an eye on it and stir it often, especially as it starts to thicken to make sure it is not sticking. You can see on the side of the pot how much the liquid reduced as it thickened.
Taste the chili and add salt if needed. As a reference we did not add extra to ours.
Serving and storing
The turkey white bean chili is great on its own, but if you want to dress it up a little, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, parsley or cilantro, sour cream, and hot sauce are all good topping options.
This turkey chili recipe is a good option for meal prep. You can use it to top hot dogs for a quick family friendly meal, serve it on its own with cornbread or crackers, top it with mashed potatoes for a different take on shepherd’s pie or serve on top of elbow macaroni for a tasty chili mac.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
You may also like these ground turkey recipes:
- Ground Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
- Turkey Picadillo
- Avocado Turkey Burgers
- Turkey Taco Soup
- Ground Turkey Stir Fry
Turkey White Bean Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Pinch Cayenne Pepper optional
- 1 tablespoon Oil use a flavorless oil with a high smoke point (we use canola oil)
- 1 Medium Onion finely diced (use yellow or white)
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 Pound Ground Turkey we used 85/15 but 97/3 will also work well
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 14 – 14.5 ounce can Diced Tomatoes
- 15 – 16 ounce can Cannellini Beans (white kidney beans) drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Prepare a seasoning mix: add the chili powder, salt, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper and cayenne pepper (if using) to a small bowl. Stir to combine well.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and immediately add the ground turkey and sprinkle with the prepared seasoning mix. Stir well to combine the turkey with the onions and spices.
- Arrange the turkey into a layer and cook for 3 minutes.
- Stir well and break-up any large pieces. Arrange it into a layer again, cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until browned and any liquid rendered has cooked away.
- Add the diced tomatoes, white beans and chicken broth to the pot. Stir well.
- Bring the liquid to a boil (it will take about 4-5 minutes to start boiling), then lower the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer the chili for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Uncover the pot and cook for an additional 10-20 minutes or until the chili thickens and is saucy, not soupy. How long this will take depends on how much liquid is left after the initial cooking time. Keep an eye on it and stir it often, especially as it starts to thicken, to prevent sticking on the bottom.
- Taste the chili and add salt if needed. As a reference we did not add extra to ours.
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