White Turkey Chili is thick, hearty, and filled with good-for-you ingredients like lean ground turkey, tender white beans, crisp corn, and fire-roasted green chiles.
Try our original and wildly popular turkey chili or the crockpot chili that has won dozens of chili cook-off contests!
White Turkey Chili
Few soups get inhaled quicker than White Chicken Chili — it’s a favorite at my home. It also happens to be a favorite in so many of your homes as well! Since it’s been such a popular recipe, we are frequently asked how to make it without dairy or how to make it a bit more nutritious.
Not one to shy away from a challenge, we’ve been testing and tweaking this chili before weather was even appropriate to be eating it — ha!
And finally, it’s our kind of perfect — it’s packed with protein and, without toppings, is naturally dairy-free. It’s loaded with veggies, lean ground turkey, and is broth based. With a few tricks up our sleeves we add plenty of flavor and creaminess without loads of cream or cheese.
What are the “tricks”? First off we thicken the chili by blending some of the beans. This yields a thick, hearty soup, but in a more nutritious way — no dairy needed. And while most chicken chilis use only chicken broth/stock as the base, we add in green enchilada sauce. The enchilada sauce gives this chili a nuance of flavor and richness with no extra effort on your part (beyond opening another can)! Not to mention, green enchilada sauce is low in calories and filled with veggies like green chiles, jalapeños, and onion.
Let’s Chat Ingredients
Below are notes on some of the ingredients in this White Turkey Chili:
- Green enchilada sauce: We like Old El Paso® mild sauce best! Use a hotter sauce if you’d like some heat. And if you’re feeling ambitious, try making your own enchilada sauce! (Recipe for that on this green chile chicken enchiladas post.)
- Chicken stock. A high-quality, flavorful stock adds loads of flavor and allows us to cut down on spices or other additions. We highly recommend Swanson ® chicken stock — it’s our favorite!
- For ground turkey, use turkey sold in a carton, rather than in a chub. Chub-style ground turkey is the kind that comes in the plastic tube and it tends to be less flavorful and more watered down, so you’ll likely need to drain off the meat after browning (not a big deal, but it takes more time!).
Shortcuts
- We recommend fire-roasted diced green chiles — this adds layers of flavor (fire-roasting) without any additional work on your end!
- Use pre-minced garlic from the jar to save more time.
- Pre-diced onions. A lot of grocery stores sell diced yellow onions in the produce section of the store. Alternatively, frozen diced onions are often found by the other frozen veggies and can be used in this White Turkey Chili.
White Turkey Chili Spiciness
You can make this chili very mild or fairly spicy, depending on the ingredients used. As written with mild enchilada sauce and green chiles, I’d say this chili has a kick, but nothing too intense (my kids ate and enjoyed it!).
- For milder chili, use a mild green enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso® brand), mild green chiles, and mild chili powder (such as McCormick®).
- For a spicier chili, use medium or hot green enchilada sauce and hotter green chiles. You can also add in 1-2 tablespoons diced jalapeños and/or 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper to boost the heat.
- Also note that if you add in cheese and/or sour cream, this tames down the spice quite a bit.
Quick Tip
Be sure to use chili powder — not to be confused with chilli powder which is very hot. We’re using American chili powder (I use McCormick which is mild).
Optional Finishing Touches
These two finishing ingredients are optional, but add freshness and liveliness to the White Turkey Chili:
- Fresh cilantro: If you’re a cilantro fan, you’ll love what this herb does to the soup with its freshness and citrusy flavor. And if you’re in the anti-cilantro crowd, substitute a bit of chopped fresh parsley or oregano.
- Fresh lime juice: The lime heightens all the flavors in this chili and adds a burst of brightness.
If some like cilantro and lime and others don’t, feel free to add these two additions to individual bowls instead of to the soup pot.
Toppings
While White Turkey Chili is great as is, the toppings truly seal the deal! Below are some of our favorite toppings: (If I could only pick two toppings for this chili, they would be cheese and sour cream.)
- Cheese: We like to freshly grate the cheese right on top of each bowl and let it melt for a minute before stirring it throughout the chili. Our favorites are pepper-Jack cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, or sharp Cheddar cheese.
- Sour cream: My personal favorite in this soup is lite or fat-free sour cream, which keeps things light while also adding in some nice creaminess. A small scoop goes a long way!
- Chips: Crushed chips or tortilla strips (seasoned or plain) add a nice contrasting crunch to the creaminess of the soup.
- Ripe avocado or guacamole: For an additional element of creaminess, we love a ripe avocado sliced on top.
If you’re dairy-free, add an avocado for creaminess and a squeeze of fresh lime.
Trying to keep things as light as possible? Add a small scoop of fat-free sour cream and some extra fresh lime juice.
Storage
White Turkey Chili Storage
Leftover chili will keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave (covered so it doesn’t splatter) or in a pot over low heat, stirring frequently, until heated through. Don’t boil the chili or reheat it at a high temperature.
Freezing: Allow White Turkey Chili to fully cool to room temperature first. Fill up heavy-duty freezer bags 3/4ths full and then seal without air in them. Flatten the bag so it can stack and store nicely. Place filled bag(s) on a sheet pan, freeze for about 2-3 hours or until frozen solid; remove from baking sheet and stack in the freezer. Label and freeze for 2-3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently in a pot until heated through.
More hearty soup recipes
- White Bean Soup with fresh pesto
- Taco Chili made in the slow cooker, pressure cooker, or stovetop
- Creamy Vegetable Soup with potatoes
- Carrot Soup made with coconut milk
- Turkey Chili with loads of veggies
White Turkey Chili
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1-1/2 cups finely diced yellow onion
- 1 pound ground turkey (93/7), see note 1
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper
- 1 (4-ounce) can mild fire-roasted diced green chiles
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 (10-ounce) can mild green enchilada sauce see note 2
- 3 cups chicken stock divided; I love Swanson
- 3 (15.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans rinsed and drained, divided
- 1-1/2 cups frozen corn
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice optional
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro optional
- Toppings as desired see note 3
Instructions
- Place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil and once hot, add in onion. Sauté until becoming golden, about 5–7 minutes. Add ground turkey and season with salt and pepper (I add 1/4 teaspoon each). Crumble ground turkey with a wooden spoon, breaking it down as you cook.
- Once mostly cooked through (about 5–7 minutes), drain off any excess liquid and add in the seasonings, additional salt and pepper (I add another 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper), diced green chiles (undrained), and minced garlic. Cook until very fragrant, 2–3 more minutes.
- Add green enchilada sauce, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Then add in 2 cups (450g) chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Meanwhile, add 1 can (drained and rinsed) cannellini beans and remaining 1 cup (225g) chicken stock to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, then scrape this mixture into the pot. Stir well and add remaining 2 cans (drained and rinsed) cannellini beans and frozen corn. Stir through. Simmer about 10 minutes or until warmed through.
- Add lime juice and optional cilantro. Stir through. Ladle into bowls and serve with whatever toppings you like best (see note 3)—I love it with cheese and sour cream!
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
As your sister I have to say, wow. This white turkey chili is next level! I haven’t had this successful of a dinner in a long time! The whole family loved it and are already requesting it for future dinners! Your recipes never fail! Thanks for your hard work!
Awe thank you so much! 🙂