White Bean Turkey Chili

Hearty and deliciously zesty, my white bean turkey chili puts a tasty, lightened up twist on classic chili. Prepared with lean ground turkey, a combination of warming spices, diced chilis, and creamy Great Northern white beans, this turkey chili recipe is a wonderfully cozy and nourishing meal, especially when topped with your favorite add-ins!

A zesty, lightened up take on classic chili

During these months when the temperatures grow cold and the evenings grow long, I find myself gravitating towards some healthy nourishment in the form of a warming and hearty homemade chili.

Packed with fiber and protein, chili is a terrific pick—easy to make and loaded with lots of zippy flavor. Whether it’s my recipe for sweet potato chili, my chickpea chili, my lentil chili, or my chili verde, I always appreciate a tasty and unique way to enjoy a pot of hearty chili during the chilly months!

Seeing as I love to tinker with chili recipes, puting interesting twists on them by way of the protein I use or the beans I choose to add in, my latest favorite is this white bean turkey chili recipe, a lightened up version of a classic meal.

Probably one of my all-time favorite chili recipes so far, this rich, comforting version makes use of lean, ground turkey, a trio of spices for bold, zesty flavor, and Great Northern white beans for texture.

Topped with green onion, cilantro, avocado, lime, or even a sprinkle of cheese, a piping-hot bowl of this mouthwatering white bean turkey chili is absolutely out-of-this-world delicious!

My recipe for white bean turkey chili

What I appreciate about this chili recipe is that it doesn't require a super long list of ingredients to create this truly scrumptious and nutritious meal loaded with rich flavor and hearty texture.

Just because this turkey chili is a bit lighter than traditional beef chili, doesn't mean it isn't just as bold and filling. It'd brimming with lots of lean protein and satiating fiber

With this white bean turkey chili recipe, I'm opting for lean, ground turkey, and using the darker meat. One can easily substitute ground turkey breast here (white meat turkey) as an ever-so-slightly leaner pick, but I find that the dark meat brings just a little more richness and flavor to the chili pot.

To create all of that zesty aroma and flavor, a couple of cans of organic diced hatch chilis are added in, and I use the mild chilis for this recipe. If you like a bit more “kick”, go ahead and use the medium or hot chilis, or even sub some chipotle peppers instead!

Then, of course, there are the warming spices...

I put together a trio of spices which I find perfectly enhance this chili, and these include chili powder (which already has a combo of spices and seasonings), smoked paprika, and ground cumin. These spices don't make the chili "hot", but they do add a terrific warming quality that gives lots of earthy depthi, offering some savoriness as well.

And since this turkey chili is loaded up with beans as well, I'm opting for Great Northern white beans—a bit of a cross between cannellini beans and navy beans—to create a thick, hearty, and slightly creamy texture that is utterly delicious.

There are a number of varieties of white beans out there to choose from, and really any of them would work for this recipe. So if you prefer cannellini beans or even the smaller navy beans, feel free to use those.

Here's a sneak peek at my white bean turkey chili recipe:

(or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I heat up some of the aromatics in my soup pot (at least 6 quart size), and once softened, I crumble in my ground turkey.
2. Next, my spices and my diced chilis are stirred into the ground turkey, followed by the beans.
3. I add in my chicken stock next, then allow the white bean turkey chili to very gently simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes.
4. To finish my white bean turkey chili, I add in a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
5. To serve, I ladle up the chili and top with optional ingredients such as green onion, extra cilantro, diced avocado, lime, or even a sprinkle of cheese, if desired.

Recipe

White Bean Turkey Chili

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

Deliciously zesty, this white bean turkey chili is a lightened-up option, brimming with lean ground turkey, warming spices and white beans!

Category: Soup
Cuisine: Southwest

Yield: Serves 6

Nutrition info: 580 calories (per serving)

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• Olive oil or avocado oil
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 1 pound ground turkey (dark meat, organic preferably)
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 (heaping) teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 (4 ounce) cans diced hatch chilis (mild or hot)
• 5 (15 ounce) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed (or navy beans or cannellini beans)
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish
• Sliced green onions, optional topping
• Grated cheddar cheese, optional topping
• Avocado, optional topping
• Corn chips, optional topping
• Lime wedges, optional topping

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Place a large pot (about 6 quarts) over medium heat, and add in about ¼ cup of olive or avocado oil. Add in the diced onions, plus a pinch of salt and pepper, and saute the onions for a few minutes until softened and translucent.
3. Then, add in the garlic, and continue to saute for about 30 seconds, until aromatic.
4. Crumble into the pot the ground turkey, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and add another generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the ground turkey for a few moments until almost cooked through.
5. Next, sprinkle in the chili powder, ground cumin, and smoked paprika, and add in the diced chilis, then stir that into the turkey, cooking together for about 1 minute.
6. Add in the white beans, followed by the chicken stock, and give things a gentle stir. Bring the white bean turkey chili to a vigorous simmer, then reduce the heat to low or medium-low, and allow the chili to gently simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Finish the white bean turkey chili by stirring in the 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro, then ladle the chili into bowls and top with your favorite toppings such as more cilantro, green onion, cheese, corn chips, avocado, or lime.

Tips & Tidbits for my white bean turkey chili recipe:

• Great Northern beans, or your favorite white bean: I love the size and texture of Great Northern beans for this chili recipe, but feel free to use navy beans (smaller and more delicate) or cannellini beans. I even love to use a combo of white beans and pinto beans from time to time, as the pinto beans are lovely and add a different heartiness.
• Mild or hot canned, diced chilis: When I'm craving a bit of kick in this turkey chili, I'll opt for hot, diced, canned chilis. But to keep things a bit easier for all to enjoy, mild, canned, diced chilis (hatch) are terrific here. And no need to drain them, just add them in with any juices.
• Dark or light meat ground turkey: I personally prefer to use dark meat ground turkey here, for just a touch more flavor and richness. The white meat (breast) is slightly leaner, though not by much, so opt for that if you prefer a lower fat version. Both are lower in fat than ground beef.

Craving more cozy recipes like this one? Check out my recipe for Chili Cheesesteak Stew, Chickpea Chili, Lentil Chili, Chili Verde, Sweet Potato Chili, or even my recipe for White Chicken Chili!