White turkey chili is an easy, yummy way to use up leftover roast turkey but it can also be made with ground turkey!
No turkey? No problem! Sub in sausage or chicken! This white bean turkey chili recipe is as simple as tossing your ingredients into the Crockpot and walking away.
This creamy stew-like soup is perfect with cornbread and a classic wedge salad.
Perfect for Leftovers
White Turkey Chili is the best way to use up leftovers! Got leftover turkey from the holidays? Toss it in! Leftover veggies from a stir fry? Go for it! Even beans from a salad in the fridge can be added to a white turkey chili. It really IS that versatile!
Turkey Chili Ingredients
MEAT
I add cooked turkey to this chili but you can add chicken, sausage, or ground turkey. Whatever leftover meat you want to add in will taste great!
VEGGIES
Bell peppers, corn, and zucchini are added to the slow cooker with turkey. Any veggies will taste great in this chili, so if you have extra mushrooms, celery or carrots, add them in!
SEASONINGS
A handful of pungent seasonings like garlic, fajita seasoning, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Yum! Jalapenos and chopped green chiles are added to this chili. If you prefer more spice, add more! Want a milder version? Add less!
How to Make White Turkey Chili
- Add onion, turkey, and remaining ingredients (per recipe below) into a 6qt slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or on high 4 to 5 hours.
- If desired, give the beans a squish with a potato masher to thicken the chili.
Tips & Tricks
Add cooked and mashed potatoes for an even thicker version.
Play with the seasonings a bit, why not use ranch seasoning instead of fajita, or fresh herbs like thyme and basil for a lighter, brighter taste?
To refrigerate, keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator and chili should last up to five days. To reheat, give it a stir on the stovetop and adjust the flavors with some salt, pepper, or even a few extra jalapenos!
To freeze white turkey chili, make sure it is chilled and then ladle it into zippered bags. Write the date on the bag and store it in the freezer and it will keep two months or more.
More Chili Recipes We Love
- Homemade Lentil Chili Recipe – with pantry staples
- Cincinnati Chili – served with pasta
- Texas Chili – perfect for a crowd
- Easy White Chicken Chili – quick prep
- The Best Chili Recipe – so easy to make
- Savory Pumpkin Chili – simmer & enjoy
Did your family love this White Turkey Chili? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
White Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 1 large onion diced, or two small
- 2 cups cooked chopped turkey leftover, or 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 jalapeño seeded and finely diced
- 19 ounces canned great northern beans 1 can, or white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ red bell pepper seeded and diced ½-inch
- 8 ounces canned mild green chiles 2 x 4 ounce cans
- 1 cup corn kernels frozen or canned, drained
- 1 cup diced zucchini
- 2 cups turkey broth or chicken broth
Seasonings
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fajita seasoning
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
For Serving
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- ⅔ cup sour cream
Instructions
- If using raw ground turkey, cook with onion until no pink remains. Drain any juices.If using leftover or cooked turkey, cook onion by itself in olive oil or butter until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add onions, remaining chili ingredients and seasonings to a 6qt slow cooker. Cook on low 8 hours or on high 4-5 hours.
- Once cooked mash the chili mixture a few times with a potato masher to thicken slightly.
- Top with cilantro and sour cream. Serve with your favorite toppings.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Entree, Main Course, Slow Cooker
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This was great for a snowed in day! I used leftover smoked turkey from Thanksgiving out of my freezer along with frozen red bell pepper and frozen zucchini. The green chiles were plentiful for my family that cannot handle to much spice so I didn’t add the Jalapeños. This was added to leftover turkey meal recipes. Thanks again
So glad you loved it! We love this recipe for leftovers too!
I knew you were the one who could tell me how best to use an uninspiring pound of ground turkey. Your chili recipe worked like magic! We ended up with a scrumptious dish. Thanks so much! Love your recipes! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So happy to hear that, Hettie! I am glad this recipe turned out so well for you.
I love all of them recipes I’ve tried. I now go to spend with pennies first for recipes! Thank you!
I am so glad you are enjoying the recipes Mary!
I’m not a fan of white bean chicken or turkey chilli, but this is a killer recipe—a keeper for sure! I couldn’t believe how delicious this was!
Added leftover Thanksgiving Turkey at the start.
Veggies I ended up using: preserves from my garden—tomatoes, Shishito peppers, corn, red and orange bell pepper; and then carrots and celery. I didn’t have fajita seasoning so used taco seasoning.
Waited until the last 45 minutes and added the canned beans and frozen garden corn.
And do the garlic go in whole?
The garlic is minced.
I have some smoked turkey so already cooked and do I want to cook it that long in a slow cooker or should I wait and add the meat in later?
We use cooked turkey for this recipe so you should be fine to add it in step 2 as directed. Hope that helps!
I used ground turkey, drained and rinsed the beans before adding to pot, and followed recipe as written. Recipe calls for 19 ounces of beans, but I could only find 15.8 ounce cans, so I used 1 and 1/4 cans. Next time I will use 2 full cans, since I felt it would’ve been fine with more beans. I served the chili over rice and the whole family loved it! The spices were perfect! I don’t like too much heat, but love a little kick and lots of flavor! Thanks!
You’re welcome Loretta! Sounds great! You’re right, more or less beans will work well for this recipe.
Hard to rate recipe yet since I have not tried it….yet!! Could you please indicate if those are 19 oz of canned great northern beans or dry beans?
Thank you! It looks and sounds wonderful!
Canned beans. Enjoy the chili!
Are the beans supposed to be drained?
Yes, the beans are drained and rinsed.
I can’t wait! We have snow coming!
I love to cook. I also love not having to spend a fortune on a recipe.
Us too Melodee! Happy Cooking!
Wow!
Thanks for those recipes!
Can’t wait to try them.