Easy White Bean Turkey Chili Verde

Chili is one of our specialties here on Panning The Globe. Our vegetarian chili is thick, "meaty" and irresistible - even to sworn carnivores. Our two award winning chili recipes are our most popular blog recipes of all time. We continually hear back from folks who've made our chilis, entered them in chili cook-offs, and have taken home the gold! (check out the comments!). 

I can't wait for you to try this turkey chili recipe - it's my favorite go-to chili for weeknight dinner and easy entertaining.

A Fantastic Turkey Chili

I went through a lot of turkey chili recipes before settling on one this as my favorite "go-to". I love this one because it's different from the norm, made with tangy salsa verde instead of tomatoes, and it's:

• Easy to cook - takes 20 minutes to prep and it all cooks in one pot
• Convenient  - made with common, easy to find ingredients, many of which you can keep on hand in your pantry
• Healthy - made with lean ground turkey and high-fiber white beans
• Great for feeding a crowd - easy to double or triple the recipe
• Great for entertaining - can be made ahead, always a big crowd-pleaser!
• Freezer friendly - reheats beautifully! 

White Bean Turkey Chili Verde

Flavored with the bright tang of salsa verde and the subtle heat of green chilies and jalapeño, this simple healthy chili bursts with exciting flavor. It will take you about 20 minutes to prep and sauté the ground turkey and veggies and get the pot simmering on the stove. An hour of gentle simmering, uncovered, thickens the chili and melds all the flavors.

• Start by browning the ground turkey over high heat in a heavy pot. Use a wooden spoon to break up any clumps.

• Transfer the turkey to a bowl and sauté the vegetables - onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapeño. When the veggies are tender and just starting to brown, add the spices - cumin, coriander, oregano and salt - and cook them, while stirring, for 30 seconds.

• Return the turkey to the pot and add the salsa verde, canned chopped green chilies, chicken broth and a bay leaf. Simmer the chili gently for 45 minutes. 

Finally, add the white beans (Great Northern or Cannellini) and simmer gently for 20 minutes more. Done!

Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish with your favorite toppings or serve the toppings on the side. My favorite chili toppers are shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack, sour cream or yogurt, chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, and chopped red onion or scallions. A wedge of lime is always nice too.

I hope this turkey chili gives you as much comfort and satisfaction as it gives me and my family. It’s absolutely wonderful paired with this shredded kale salad. 

If you make this recipe, I hope you'll come back to leave a star rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think!

Easy White Bean Turkey Chili Verde

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★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Lisa
• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: 6-8 servings 1x

Print Recipe

Description

A fantastic easy turkey chili recipe with white beans, ground turkey, salsa verde, two kinds of chilies, and a perfect balance of flavor and heat.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 pounds ground turkey, (dark or white meat or a combination)
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped (2 cups)
• 3-4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped (2 tablespoons)
• 1 yellow, red or green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 24 ounces of store-bought salsa verde (see notes)
• 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles (mild or hot, depending on your taste)
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 15-ounce cans of white beans (Great Northern or cannellini), drained

Optional Toppings

• Chopped cilantro
• Chopped red onions or sliced scallions
• Grated cheese (cheddar or Monterey Jack)
• Sour cream or plain yogurt
• Sliced avocado
• Lime wedges

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Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add turkey, season with a pinch or two of salt, and cook, using a heavy wooden spoon to stir and break up any lumps, until turkey loses its pink color, about 5 minutes. Transfer turkey and any juices to a bowl and return pot to heat.
2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat and sauté onion, garlic, bell pepper and jalapeño, stirring often, until tender and starting to brown, 4-5 minutes. Add spices - coriander, cumin, oregano and salt - and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
3. Return turkey to pot and add the bay leaf, salsa verde, canned chiles and broth, reduce heat to a low simmer and cook gently, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Stir in beans and simmer gently for 20 minutes more.
4. Serve chili in bowls and top with cilantro, onions, cheese, avocado and/or sour cream. Or serve toppings on the side.

Notes

What type of salsa verde is best? Look for one that has tomatillos listed as the first or second ingredient. Choose mild, medium or hot depending on your taste.

What to use if you can't find salsa verde: If you have time, you can order salsa verde on Amazon. Alternatively, you can use a 28-ounce can of tomatillos, drained and chopped. Since tomatillos are mild, you may want to add a second chopped jalapeño or an additional can of spicy chopped green chilies.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Chili
• Method: simmer
• Cuisine: Mexican

Keywords: ground turkey chili with white beans and tomatillos