Description
This hearty White Bean Turkey Chili is a flavorful, protein-packed dish made with lean ground turkey, cannellini beans, and a blend of spices. Perfect for a cozy meal, it combines a smooth, creamy texture with a gentle kick from chili powder and crushed red pepper. Ideal for those seeking a nutritious and satisfying chili that’s easy to prepare on the stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- Olive oil spray
- 2 small onions, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 pounds 93% lean ground turkey
- 1 (4.5 ounce) can diced green chilies
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons chili powder (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 to 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 (15.5 ounce) cans cannellini or navy beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt
Optional Toppings
- Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
- Diced avocado
- Cilantro
- Sliced jalapeno
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Chopped scallions
Instructions
- Heat the pot: Heat a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium flame. When hot, spray with olive oil spray to prevent sticking and start the sauté process.
- Sauté aromatics: Add the chopped onions and garlic to the pot and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Cook the turkey: Add the ground turkey to the pot, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until the turkey is white and fully cooked through, around 5 minutes.
- Add spices and chilies: Stir in the diced green chilies, kosher salt, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook and stir the mixture for about 2 minutes to allow the spices to bloom and meld.
- Blend beans and broth: Pour one can of the rinsed beans into a blender with 1 cup of the chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Add this creamy bean mixture back into the pot along with the remaining beans, broth, and the bay leaf. Stir everything together and bring to a boil.
- Simmer and meld flavors: Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it cook for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens and the flavors develop.
- Finish with sour cream: Stir in the reduced-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and other spices to taste.
- Serve with toppings: Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish with your choice of optional toppings such as shredded cheese, diced avocado, cilantro, sliced jalapeno, additional sour cream or Greek yogurt, and chopped scallions.
- Slow Cooker Option: To make in a slow cooker, follow steps 1 through 5 but reduce the chicken broth to 1 1/2 cups. Transfer the mixture to a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.
- Instant Pot Option: For Instant Pot preparation, halve the recipe if using less than an 8-quart model. Reduce chicken broth to 1 1/2 cups. Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes.
Notes
- Based on feedback about the chili being too liquidy, the chicken broth amount has been optimized to 2 cups for stovetop cooking.
- You can adjust the crushed red pepper flakes and chili powder to control the spice level.
- Using reduced-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt reduces fat content while maintaining creaminess.
- If using canned beans, rinse and drain to reduce sodium and avoid excess liquid.
- The recipe is versatile and can be adapted to slow cooker or Instant Pot for convenience.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
