Smoky and spicy, this Chipotle White Bean Turkey Chili is cozy comfort in a bowl. Sautéed onions, garlic and ground turkey is cooked with spices, white beans and tomato sauce for a quick and hearty meal. Serves 6 in under an hour.
The weather has been all over the place.
Once day it’s sunny and warm and then the next it’s cold, cloudy and rainy. It’s been unpredictable and yet, totally predictable because, hello it’s Michigan.
However, no matter what crazy fall or winter weather is happening outside, I’m always game for a bowl of chili. Because there’s nothing better than a bowl of chili to warm up with. This chipotle chili is leaner with ground turkey instead of beef, and a little meaner with a ground chipotle chili powder for that deliciously smoky, back-of-the-throat heat.
In under an hour you will enjoy a bowlful of hearty, smoky, soul warming chipotle white bean turkey chili. It’s the perfect thing after a day of yard work and raking up leaves.
To Make This Chipotle White Bean Turkey Chili You Will Need:
- olive oil – Helps to soften the onion when sautéing.
- yellow onion – Adds a subtle sweet onion flavor.
- garlic – Adds distinct punchy flavor.
- lean ground turkey – Or substitute with ground chicken or lean ground beef.
- chili powder – Adds distinct flavor and can be mild to moderately spicy.
- chipotle powder – Lends a smoky and earthy flavor.
- ground cumin – Lends earthiness and warmth, with an edge of citrus.
- dried oregano – I use mexican oregano, however regular will work just fine. Lends earthy and slightly bitter flavor.
- white beans – Use navy or great northern beans.
- tomato sauce – Adds a rich and tangy tomato flavor with a little acidity.
Add 2 teaspoons live oil into a deep-sided pan or dutch oven and heat over medium. Next, add in 1 cup of diced yellow onion, 3 cloves minced fresh garlic and a pinch of kosher salt.
Sauté until softened, stirring occasionally for about 8 to 10 minutes.
Then add in the 2 pounds of extra lean ground turkey.
Using a wooden spatula, break the ground turkey into small crumbles and cook until no longer pink.
Measure and add 2 teaspoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons ground chipotle powder, 1¼ teaspoons ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.
Stir and cook for 1 more minute to open up those spices.
Add in the 3 cans of rinsed and drain white beans. Navy beans or great northern will work here.
If soaking your own beans, here’s my fool-proof method for soaking and cooking dried beans.
Lastly, add 2 (15 ounce) cans of tomato sauce along with a 1/2 cup of water, this will thin the chili out a smidge. I like to add the water to the empty can and swirl it around to pick up any leftover sauce.
Stir…
…until combined.
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
YUM!
Spoon chili into bowls.
As we all know, chili is all about the toppings because they add texture and add flavor, making chili that much more delicious. So I highly suggest, topping your bowl of chili with sour cream or plain greek yogurt, shredded sharp white cheddar, sliced green onions, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
Lastly, and more importantly serve this chili with corn tortilla chips.
Get your spoons ready!
How To Freeze Chili And Reheat Later:
- COOL: make sure the chili is completely cool before freezing. Never place hot or very warm items in the freezer (or fridge!) as it can thaw and negatively affect the nearby food.
- PORTION: when cool, divide chili into portions. Whether it’s a single serving, two or four, portion the cooled chili into either freezer safe bags or air-tight containers. I prefer using freezer safe bags and removing as much air as possible, this helps with storing.
- FLATTEN: once portioned, lay flat on a rimmed baking sheet and freeze for a few hours. Like in this post.
- STORE: stack the flat frozen chili portions vertically or horizontally saving so much freezer space. Store chili in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- REHEAT: I prefer to thaw frozen chili overnight in the fridge. However you can soak in a sink of lukewarm water for 20 to 30 minutes – flip every so often and change out the water at least once or twice. You can also defrost in the microwave until thawed. Lastly, add thawed chili to saucepan or dutch oven and heat until thoroughly heated throughout.
For more delicious chili recipes click HERE!
Enjoy! And if you give this Chipotle White Bean Turkey Chili recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Chipotle White Bean Turkey Chili
Ingredients
FOR THE CHILI:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 2 pounds lean ground turkey, or sub with ground chicken or lean ground beef
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground chipotle powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, more or less to taste
- 1¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 (15 ounce) cans great northern beans or navy beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
FOR SERVING (optional):
- cilantro, chopped
- plain nonfat greek yogurt or sour cream
- grated extra sharp white cheddar cheese
- lime wedges
- tortilla chips
Instructions
- Add oil to a deep sided pan or Dutch oven and preheat over medium heat.
- Add in onion, garlic and a pinch of salt, and sauté for 8-10 minutes or until soft.
- Next add the ground turkey, use a wooden spatula to break up into small crumbles. Cook until no longer pink.
- Measure and add in chili powder, chipotle powder, salt, cumin and oregano. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Add in the beans, tomato sauce and roughly 1/2 cup of water.Note: I like to add the water to the empty cans and swirl it around to catch and pick up any leftover sauce.
- Stir, cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.
- Spoon chili into bowls and top with desired toppings.
Notes
This recipe was originally posted on October 15th, 2014 and has been updated with clear and concise instructions, new photography and helpful information.
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Looks delicious! I will have to try this once it cools down a bit in Texas 🙂
Our weather has been just crazytown, too! But even if it was 100 degrees outside, I’m game for chili — especially one that sounds and looks as yummy as this one.
Chili is totally my favorite season. Nothing better in my opinion!!!
Wish I had this recipe for our localized chili cook off a few days ago!
I really appreciate your soaking your own beans and taking me through the process, though i confess, I’m a canned beaned at heart!
However, I love how you used turkey instead of ground beef. Nothing against ground beef, I love it but I find I have to cook it first before adding to the garlic/onions or I end up with “slimy” chili. With turkey, I won’t have this fear. Yay.
This bowl of chili is so meaty and hearty. My hubs would love this recipe.
I am a fan of chili too. I usually make it with can beans. I have done it the other way lots of times, but I find often I don’t plan ahead enough to soak the beans. Anyway I can’t say I notice any flavor difference between the two. Normally can food is not as good, but there is so much other flavors in chili, maybe one doesn’t notice it? Anyway looks like a wonderful recipe. Nice set of pictures.
Yum! Always looking for variations on my favorite chili recipes and this one looks great!
xx,
Elizabeth
http://www.adrian-james.com
This was SOOO good!! I am so excited to add this to my recipes for the family! My girls loved it as well (made a separate nonspicy pot of chili for them). I topped with lime, sour cream, cheese and cilantro! So much flavor! Thank you!!