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Turkey White Bean Chili

Name: Turkey White Bean Chili
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
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.

Published: Jun 14, 2019 / Updated: Dec 18, 2020 / 29 Comments

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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:

Questions about this white bean turkey chili recipe? Made this recipe? Tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram and leave me a comment below.