Delicious turkey white bean chili made with ground turkey, white beans and tomatoes. Ready in under 45-minutes, this recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner. Recipe originally published on January 19, 2014 and updated on January 15, 2021.
Hello to my favourite classic winter dish; chili. I just love it. I love how it gets more flavourful the second day–and this is coming from someone who generally speaking is not a huge fan of leftovers!
It’s worth noting that this version of turkey chili is tomato-based, so if you’re looking for a white chili, this isn’t the recipe for you.
This version is closer to a classic beef chili but uses ground turkey and white beans, as well as a few different vegetables to bulk it up.
How can I make a more vegetable-forward chili?
Other than making a fully vegetarian chili, what I love about this recipe is that it has bell pepper (I like green here, but red would work too), diced tomatoes and sweet potatoes. So it’s not all meat, all the time.
The toppings are key here. I always finish mine off with a dollop of sour cream, some avocado and sharp cheddar cheese. I like to add some brightness from green onions, but you could use red onion here as well.
What could I use instead of ground turkey?
This recipe is so adaptable and forgiving for whatever ground meat you have on hand or in your freezer.
- Ground pork
- Ground beef
- Ground chicken
The only meat I would stay away from is ground lamb.
What sides would go well with this turkey white bean chili?
That’s the thing about chili, I find, like most stews, it doesn’t really need a side dish, but there are a couple of things I love to serve with this.
What better pairing for chili than cornbread? I love making a simple honey cornbread. You could also serve with a simple avocado salad.
Turkey White Bean Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 lb ground turkey, or ground chicken
- 1 ¼ tsp salt, divided
- ¼ cup pickled jalapenos, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 28oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced, about 2 – 2 ½ cups diced
- 1 19oz can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Recommended Toppings:
- sour cream
- grated cheddar cheese
- green onions
- avocado
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook for 4 minutes, until translucent. Add ground turkey and ½ tsp salt, brown for 5 minutes until mostly cooked.
- Add pickled jalapenos, garlic, spices and oregano. Cook until garlic and spices are fragrant, another 2 minutes or so.
- Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth and remaining salt. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Carefully add bell pepper and sweet potato. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. During the last 5 minutes add white beans.
- Finish off with balsamic vinegar. Serve with favourite chili toppings.
Erin @ The Almond Eater 
Lou 
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely 
Rhonda 
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl
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