This turkey white bean chili recipe is hearty, healthy, simple to make, and packed with flavor.
This recipe is pretty straightforward. It does need a bit of time to simmer, but most of that is largely hands-off, so this is a nice easy meal that's perfect for weeknights. It also makes plenty of leftovers, so it's a good option for meal prep as well.
You can't go wrong with chili. I have a few other turkey chili recipes on my blog that you may also like, including this turkey sweet potato chili, my Crockpot turkey chili, this turkey pumpkin chili, and this Instant Pot turkey chili.
Cook a batch of this ground turkey chili on Sunday and you've got some easy meals for the week. No matter the weather, this is the perfect thing to warm up in the microwave at work when you're freezing in an air-conditioned office. 😉 The protein in the lean turkey and white beans will keep you full for hours.
How to make turkey white bean chili
Start by sautéing the onion in a fairly large soup pot, then add in the turkey and "brown" it. Add in the remaining ingredients (except for sour cream and salt & pepper). Simmer for 15-20 minutes, then stir in the sour cream, season it to taste, and serve each bowl with your desired toppings.
(Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below)
Recipe notes & tips:
- The sour cream provides a little bit of creaminess and a little bit of tang to the dish. I love finishing dishes off this way. You could skip it if you avoid dairy, but I do think it enhances the flavor. Half a block of Philly cream cheese would also taste great! Or use a half cup of heavy cream and add some lime juice for extra tang.
- The chili isn't particularly spicy as-is, but if you do want to kick the heat up, I suggest either using spicy green chilis, adding a half teaspoon (or more) of cayenne pepper, or topping it with cut-up jalapeno peppers.
- You could swap the beans with a different kind of canned bean. Or throw in extra veggies if you happen to have some that need using up.
Turkey and white bean chili topping ideas:
Use any/all:
- Avocado
- Chopped cilantro
- Lime juice
- Tortilla strips
- Jalapenos
- Dollop of sour cream
- Shredded cheese (cheddar, Tex-Mex blend, Monterey Jack etc.)
More delicious chili recipes:
- Creamy White Chicken Chili
- Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
- Easy Black Bean Chili
- Quick Chili Recipe
- Instant Pot Beef Chili
Questions about this white bean turkey chili recipe? Made this recipe? Tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram and leave me a comment below.

Turkey White Bean Chili
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds extra lean ground turkey
- 1 (28 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 (4 fluid ounce) cans diced green chilies
- 2 (14 fluid ounce) cans white kidney (cannellini) beans drained
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Optional toppings: shredded cheese, avocado, tortilla strips, cilantro, sour cream, etc.
Instructions
- Prep your ingredients. Add the oil and the onion to a pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 5 minutes.
- Add the turkey to the pot, and cook it until it turns white (about 5 mins), breaking it up with your spoon/stirring it periodically.
- Add the tomatoes and remaining ingredients except the sour cream and salt & pepper.
- Once the chili starts to bubble, reduce the heat so it's gently simmering. Let it cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring it periodically.
- Stir in the sour cream and season with salt & pepper. Serve immediately as-is or with suggested toppings.
Notes
- I used mild green chilis, but feel free to use hot ones instead. You could also add some cayenne pepper if you want to kick up the heat.
- I found this chili to have plenty of liquid, but if you want a bit more, add in some chicken broth.
- Serves 6+ depending on how much you eat.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Connie says
Made this chili the other day, it is very good and a nice simple recipe. I believe the sour cream is what makes it special!! Thank you for the recipe.
Natasha says
You're very welcome, Connie! 🙂
Sandy says
We are iced in. I'm making this now but the only beans I have are garbanzo's. Thoughts? Add or leave out?
Natasha says
I think I'd probably skip the chickpeas in this case.
Jenna says
I love love love this recipe! Instead of sour cream I add nutritional yeast to the chili at the end and it adds a wonderful cheesy flavor! The seasonings are so on point with this one.
Natasha says
I'm so happy you liked it!! 🙂
Gail says
Fabulous recipe! Best turkey chili I’ve ever had!! The whole family loves it.
Natasha says
That's so nice to hear, Gail! 🙂
Cailin says
Love this recipe so much
Natasha says
Thank you!!
tamar says
I tried this and it was delicious. I was conservative with spices so it was mild, but next time I will add more. My household is small so I am freezing a large portion. The lime, sour creme, and corn bread are great compliments. It is a heavy dish good for winter.
Natasha says
I'm so pleased you enjoyed it, Tamar! Thanks for your review. 🙂
Vivian says
My husband does not like beans. Would it ruin the recipe if I blended the beans?
Natasha says
It'll make the texture a bit thicker, but I think it should be ok. 🙂 Let me know!
Nikki says
looks yummy--do you drain the chilies?
Natasha says
Hi! I don't think that I did. They're tiny cans and don't have that much liquid in them anyway, so not a huge deal either way. Hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
Laura D says
This recipe could not be more straight forward, simple and delicious. It’s made with things I almost always have on hand and pantry items many cooks keep stocked. I prepped most of the ingredients morning of, which took maybe 10 min) and when it came time to make it it was a snap. I love that the cook times for each step are included, so helpful for me.
I didn’t have a second 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, so I added some tomato paste and water and all was well. I cut the chili powder to 1 Tbs versus 2 since my almost 2 year old likes a little spice but not too much.
It was perfect for us all and will definitely be put into the regular rotation. Delicious with guac, shredded cheese and cilantro but the kicker was a slice of cornbread on top to have a little with every bite.
So so good!!! Thank you!
Natasha says
Excellent!! I'm thrilled to hear you enjoyed it, Laura. Thanks for your detailed review! 🙂
Tammy says
This looks great! Any tips for doing this in a slow cooker?
Natasha says
Thanks! I'd do 3-4 hours on high probably (or 6-8 on low, but keep in mind turkey is lean and might dry out even more) then add the sour cream in right at the end.
Tammy says
Thanks will let you know how it turns out.
Tammy says
It came out great! Since it is just me, I halved the recipe, browned the meat with the onions and garlic before putting it in the slow cooker. I added 1 chopped jalapeno because I like spicy, and about 1/2 cup of chicken broth so it would not dry out. It cooked on high for 3 1/2 hours and then I added the sour cream and cilantro and it cooked another 15 or 20 minutes. Delicious! The meat is super moist, too. Will be making this again for sure. Thanks for this recipe, going to check out your website for more.
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know. Let me know if you try anything else, Tammy!
AngelaML says
Hi Natasha,
3rd recipe I've tried this week of yours, and another easy and tasty one! This was delicious! I usually make chili in the slow cooker and use half hamburger / half turkey. Was curious how this would taste with just turkey and loved the results!
I left out the cumin and chilies (I can't do spicy), and substituted light cream for the sour cream.
Will definitely be making this again!
Natasha says
Yay!! I'm so glad you liked it!! 🙂 Thanks for the review, Angela!
Caroline says
Hi there! I’m a big fan of your recipes and this was another great one! I really enjoyed this chili. I used ground chicken (Santa fe seasoned) instead of turkey (didn’t have any). Still came out so flavorful and delicious!
Natasha says
Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed it. 🙂 And thanks for taking the time to write me a comment/review!
Alison Taubman says
My husband and I really liked this dish. Great flavors!! He isn't a big fan of ground turkey, but this dish sold him. So easy to make and we had a lot of leftovers too!
Natasha says
Well that's great!! I'm so glad it was a hit. 🙂
Gwen Steffens says
Can I use leftover cooked turkey ground up?
Natasha says
I'd just chop it finely... I don't really think you'd need to make extra effort to grind it up.
Ann Crone says
Recipe says "can of dried green chilies". Should that be "can of diced green chilies"?
Natasha says
Yes! Thanks for catching that. Ugh, no matter how many times I proofread I still miss stuff!
Christy says
Quick, easy, and tasty. The only thing I changed was adding a chopped yellow bell pepper because I can't not add extra veggies to things, and I did add a little liquid, maybe 1/2 cup. It was delish, and I expect it to taste better tomorrow, as things like this often do. Thanks!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you liked it! Yup, chili definitely tastes better the longer you leave it. 🙂
lcrowley says
This was came together so quickly! So comforting and delicious!
Natasha says
So glad you liked it!
Debra says
This my second time making it ,quick and easy .Delicious
Natasha says
Wonderful! So glad you like it. 🙂
Michelle Mercer says
I made this last night and it was delicious. My husband and son aren’t fond of beans, so I opted to only add one can of beans. The chili was still hearty and full of flavor. My daughters (14 and 18) went back for seconds. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Natasha says
I am so glad you all enjoyed it! 🙂
Terryn says
This recipe is a winner! My entire family enjoyed it...my hubby, 9 year old daughter and my almost-2 year old enjoyed it with white rice on the side. I did have to add about a half a cup of chicken broth. I am adding this recipe to my "go to weeknight meals". The ingredients were easy (most of which I already had on hand), prepping was quick and it was ready to eat within 30 minutes. Yes! Thank you Salt & Lavender!
Natasha says
That's awesome!! Thanks so much for leaving me a comment, Terryn! 🙂
Michelle says
Looks delish. Can the leftovers be frozen?
Natasha says
You bet!
Michelle says
Thanks! I made it tonight and it was delicious.
Natasha says
Wonderful! Thanks for letting me know. ❤️