Description
This White Bean Turkey Chili is a hearty and creamy chili made with lean ground turkey, cannellini beans, and a blend of aromatic spices. It is perfect for a comforting meal that is full of flavor without the use of tomatoes. The recipe includes options for stovetop, slow cooker, and Instant Pot preparations, making it versatile and convenient for any cooking preference.
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 (to your taste)
- 1/2 to 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (to your taste)
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 (15.5 ounce) cans cannellini or navy beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups chicken broth (adjust to 1 1/2 cups for slow cooker or Instant Pot)
Toppings
- 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Shredded Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack Cheese
- Diced avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Sliced jalapeno
- Chopped scallions
- Additional Greek yogurt or sour cream (optional)
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.
- Sauté onions and garlic: Add the chopped onions and garlic to the pot and sauté until soft and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Cook the turkey: Add the ground turkey to the pot, breaking it up with a spoon or spatula. Cook until the meat turns white and is fully cooked through, approximately 5 minutes.
- Add spices and chilies: Stir in the diced green chilies, kosher salt, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for about 2 minutes to allow the spices to become fragrant.
- Blend and add beans: Pour one can of the rinsed beans into a blender along with 1 cup of chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Add the blended bean mixture to the pot along with the remaining beans, the rest of the chicken broth, and the bay leaf. Stir to combine.
- Simmer the chili: Bring the pot to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to let it simmer gently for 30 to 35 minutes. Stir occasionally until the chili thickens and the flavors meld together.
- Add sour cream: Stir in the reduced-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt, then cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes to incorporate the creaminess into the chili. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt if needed.
- Serve with toppings: Ladle the chili into bowls and top with your choice of shredded Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, sliced jalapenos, chopped scallions, and additional sour cream or Greek yogurt if desired.
Notes
- This chili is tomato-free, giving it a unique creamy texture and white bean flavor.
- You can adjust the heat level by varying the amount of chili powder and crushed red pepper flakes according to your taste.
- For a slow cooker version, reduce chicken broth to 1 1/2 cups and cook on low for 8 hours after completing steps 1 to 5.
- The Instant Pot version requires an 8-quart model or halving the recipe. Reduce broth to 1 1/2 cups and cook on high pressure for 25 minutes.
- Make sure to rinse and drain canned beans well to avoid excess sodium.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat nicely.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 307 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 835 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 88 mg
