Here's a flavor-packed white bean turkey chili verde recipe, made easy. This no-fuss recipe uses ground turkey, canned white beans and store-bought salsa verde, which means you can cook up a delicious pot of turkey chili verde easily - even on a busy weeknight.
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.
Here's what I love about this 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!
How to Make White Bean Turkey Chili Verde - step by step
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.
Look for a salsa verde that lists 'tomatillos' as the first or second ingredient. If you can't find a suitable salsa verde, you can substitute canned tomatillos. See the notes, below, for more details.
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 delicious healthy shredded kale salad.
If you make this turkey chili recipe, I hope you'll come back to leave a star rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think!
PrintRecipe
Easy White Bean Turkey Chili Verde
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Description
This recipe makes it easy to cook up a big delicious pot of turkey chili verde using canned white beans, ground turkey and store-bought salsa verde. The recipe is easy enough for a busy weeknight and it's a big crowd-pleaser. Add grated cheese, sour cream, avocado or chopped cilantro to make it even more tasty and festive.
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
This post was originally published on August 27, 2022. It has been refreshed and republished on April 14, 2023 with clarifying details in the written post and recipe description. The same delicious recipe!
Chris
Yoooooo! I made this recipe almost to a tee and it is unbelievable! I used 4 Jalapeños and added a couple Pablanos. New favorite!
Sher
This is my go-to recipe for an easy dinner to serve a crowd. It's always a hit. I love how quickly I can whip it up - and how the flavors come together for a delicious filling meal that I'm proud to serve company. Would love to see more recipes like these on your amazing blog 🙂
Lisa Goldfinger
I'm glad you're enjoying this recipe! Thank you so much for your kind words about my blog and you're right that I need more quick, easy, delicious, crowd-pleasing recipes. I'm working on it! There are a few others here that might fit the bill. Happy to suggest some if you email me. Email is on my contact page. 😊
John
Made a double batch…lots of tasty, healthy chili for next week!
Lisa Goldfinger
I'm a big fan of the double batch! Enjoy and thanks for coming back to leave a rating and a comment!!
Zoe
Best white chili I’ve ever had! Super easy recipe. I’ll be following the suggestions from other reviews and flexing this meal with holiday turkey leftovers next time. Many thanks!
Bernie
Made this again with ground turkey. It was good but not nearly as good as when made from Turkey and stock from a roast turkey. No surprise there I guess but this will be a once or twice a year treat when we have turkey leftovers. No leftover turkey burnout with this in the rotation!
Still need to try your My Favorite Vegetarian Chili.
Lisa Goldfinger
Wow, I bet it was over the top amazing with homemade turkey stock - what a treat. I hope you enjoy the vegetarian chili - keep me posted!
Bernie
OMG! This is the first recipe I've made from your site. It was a huge hit with the family. I had 3# of turkey meat pick off the bone from a baked turkey dinner that I think put this over the top (left over after slow cooking the carcass for 18 hours in veggie borth and removing enough meat to make 1-1/2 gallons of turkey soup). It could be good with ground turkey but I think it would also work with shredded chicken or shredded pork.
I omitted the additional salt since the Knorr chicken broth I make from powder is already through the roof with sodium. At the end I added a 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt to make it more "creamy".
I look forward to making your My Favorite Vegetarian Chili. It sounds delish. I have a red lentil meatless chili that goes over well with the carnivorous in the household. I think this will be another hit. Obviously I'm not against eating meat but really trying to dial it back for both health reasons, enjoying tasty things that aren't tied to a long standing bias and trying to help the big blue marble we are stuck on.
Jason K.
Won a chili cook-off twice with this recipe! Added a few 4oz cans of hot diced green chiles to add a little heat.
Lisa Goldfinger
Congratulations on your wins Jason! Thanks so much for circling back to let us know.
Adam Trotter
This is a keeper! Made it yesterday, and it was delicious. Only made a few minor adjustments: added an extra diced serrano pepper, used a 16 oz jar of salsa + a few diced fresh tomatillos, and seasoned the turkey with some Adobo. I cooked it on low simmer for about 2 hours and so added another cup or so of broth near the end. Thanks for the recipe!
Kealani Schmitt
This was delicious!! My family loved it! I will definitely be making this again. It’s a nice change up from our usual red chili. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Christine
Love this recipe, I’ve made it about 4 times previously and my fiancée loves it! Definitely in the rotation now! Thank you!
Paul
Great dish! It’s the perfect level of spicy, not overpowering at all. The salsa verde really gives it great flavor. The high protein content is a great bonus for looking for a healthy meal.
Bernie
Have to agree with the perfect level of spice. It's got some kick but not too much for anyone I feed it to. Anyone that wants more heat can reach out and grab the hot sauce that's on the table. Interesting that this recipe calls for zero "chili powder".
Pauline Castonguay
I have made this recipe for the white chili several times and it’s absolutely delicious!! And easy!
Judith
This white turkey Chile recipe is outstanding. Since I didn’t have ground turkey, I substituted 2+ lbs. of breast meat turkey, left from a 20 lb bird I had cooked a few days earlier. Sliced, chopped, it worked well as a substitute.
It was a 5-star hit with my family!
Thanks, Lisa. This recipe is a keeper!
Lisa Goldfinger
Hi Judith - I'm so glad the recipe worked out so well for you. Thanks for the details about using cooked turkey - I will definitely keep that in mind next time I have leftover chicken or turkey.
Jorgensen Dacia
This was outstanding! Planning to cook it for my MIL, who is very picky, when she comes to town!
Lisa
That's wonderful news! I'm so glad you enjoyed the chili.
Carol
Just made this tonight. So good! It will definitely be on our rotation!
Lisa
I'm so glad you enjoyed the chili!
Brian
So delicious I love this recipe
Lisa
I'm so glad you love it! Thanks for the rating and comment 🙂