White Bean Turkey Chili
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Oct. 15, 2025
This 30-Minute White Bean Turkey Chili is ultra satisfying, quick, and perfect for busy weeknights. I love how comforting this healthy chili is all fall and winter long.
White Bean Turkey Chili
Dare I say it out loud? After a stunning and beautiful fall, we’re about to get it [s.n.o.w.]
I only whispered it, so maybe it won’t actually come true. But my weather app doesn’t lie…like, 90% of the time it’s for real. In one teensy little day, we’re transitioning to 3 inches of powder and up to 40mph gusts. 😁
Now that that’s out of the way. (Minnesotans need to vent over our weather like every day between November and May in order to preserve sanity.)
Moving onto the happy stuff. And this is fist-pumping happy stuff. This 30-minute white bean turkey chili couldn’t walk in at a better time…
Healthy and Easy
Go ahead and get the big stock pot out; not the medium or little ones. The big one. Your people will thank you as they slurp their big bowls of savory, hearty, warming chili.
We use lean ground turkey for this white bean turkey chili, since it’s budget friendly and easily accessible anytime. However, you can absolutely use up your leftover Thanksgiving turkey for this yummy stew.
This scrumptious chili gets kicked up with green chilies. It gets delicious tang from lime, and plenty of healthy protein from white beans and turkey. The flavors of this chili are fantastic, while keeping waist-friendly.
Here’s to serving up big bowls of warmth all winter long.
Video: Watch Us Make This Recipe
White Bean Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pounds ground turkey, 90-95% lean
- 1 whole onion, chopped
- 2 whole green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 20 ounces diced tomatoes with chilies, with juices
- 3 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 31 ounces white beans, from can, with juices
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, freshly shredded, or Monterey jack cheese
Optional Garnishes
- lime wedges, to serve
- cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 3 TB oil over medium high heat until hot.
- Add turkey and 1/8 tsp kosher salt, stirring and breaking up the ground meat until cooked through. Do not drain.
- Add onion, bell peppers, garlic, diced tomatoes with chilies and all the juices, cumin, and oregano. Stir often over medium high heat until onions are tender, 3-4 min.
- Stir in the white beans with juices and chicken broth; bring to a boil.
- Immediately reduce to medium heat and continue cooking and stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Taste and add salt/pepper as desired.
- Stir in cheese and serve with your choices of garnish.
Notes
- If you’d like a milder chili, use 1 can of tomatoes with chilies and 1 can of tomatoes without chilies.
- Use a large Dutch oven or heavy pot so the ingredients have room to cook evenly and develop flavor.
- Don’t drain the turkey after browning. The juices add richness and help build the base of the chili.
- Stir the vegetables frequently while they cook to keep them from sticking and to bring out their natural sweetness.
- Keep the bean liquid when adding to the pot. It helps thicken the chili naturally without extra starch or cream.
- For a thicker chili, simmer a few minutes longer uncovered to let some of the liquid reduce.
- Taste as you go and adjust the salt and spices near the end. The flavors deepen as it simmers.
- Add the cheese right before serving so it melts smoothly into the chili without clumping.
- A squeeze of fresh lime at the end brightens the flavors and balances the spice.
- Make it ahead for even better flavor. The chili thickens and tastes richer the next day.
- This recipe is part of our Healthy 30-Minute Dinner Recipes.
- Serve with toppings like chopped cilantro, diced avocado, or crushed tortilla chips for extra texture and freshness.
Nutrition (per serving)
3 Cheers for Chili…
