Spicy White Turkey Chili

This spicy white turkey chili is loaded with white beans, jalapeños, and chili peppers and can heat up any cool night.                   

Recipe Overview:

For starters, I’m not a fan of canned anything, but this recipe is an exception because I don’t feel like soaking dried beans all day. I also have to stress, that the canned products you will use in this chili will make a huge difference.  You want the beans to hold their shape and texture during the long cooking time in the crockpot. The same holds true for the canned chiles you’ll be using. You don’t want to be left with bland flavors or little heat in this dish. Here are some of my favorite choices for the canned goods we need.

I really enjoy cooking with http://Bushbeans.com. For this chili I use both the Great Northern beans and the Cannellini beans. They both stay firm during the cooking process and use no additional additives. The La Preferida chiles are packed with flavor and they’re the real deal when selecting canned chiles. Keep in mind, they’re surprisingly hot even though marked as mild. http://www.lapreferida.com  Another more common brand of good quality chili peppers would be the brand Old Elpaso  https://www.oldelpaso.com

 My go-to brand for all turkey products for this recipe is http://www.jennieo.com

You can use ground white turkey breast, dark meat (the packaging is marked simply as ground turkey) or a combination of the two. Ground turkey is always my choice to use as it’s more flavorful. We’ll also be using spicy turkey sausage. Unless you can find the spicy turkey sausage already ground, we’re going to remove the meat from the casing ourselves. To prepare the sausage links you’ll need a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Cut the casing down the length of the sausage. Using your thumb and forefinger, grab a corner of the casing and peel it off exposing the meat. Discard the casing, and set aside the meat. You just won the sausage war!

Makes 4 quarts:

Ingredients:

• 3 (15 ounce) cans Northern white beans
• 2 (15 ounce) cans Cannelleni beans
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion chopped (about one cup)
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 fresh jalapeño pepper seeds removed, chopped
• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 1 pound spicy turkey sausage, casing removed
• 1 tablespoons cumin powder
• 1 tablespoon dry oregano
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoon chili powder
• 3 (4 ounce) cans of diced chiles
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
• 3 cups chicken broth

Method:

Set the crockpot on high for 4 hours. Open all cans of beans and empty them in a colander and gently rinse under cool running water. Strain the beans of water and place directly into crockpot.

Heat the olive oil in an oversized skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt, and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes.  Add the garlic, fresh jalapeño, and stir occasionally with a wooden for another minute.

Add both the ground turkey and sausage to the onion mixture. Use the back of the wooden spoon, separate the turkey into clumps while cooking it through until there is no pink about 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in the cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and chili powder until nicely mixed, then fold in the canned chiles.

Add 2 cups of chicken broth to the mixture and gently stir everything one last time.  

Using oven mitts to prevent you from getting burned, empty the entire skillet with the turkey mixture into the crockpot. Add the chopped cilantro, and pour in the last cup of chicken broth. Gently fold the mixture from the bottom of the crockpot incorporating the beans and meat together. Cover and cook for 4 hours.

Optional: If you like chili a bit more thick, ass this quick roux before serving. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk continuously for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/4 chicken broth and continuously whisk again for another minute. It is extremely important to keep stirring the flour so it does not stick to the bottom of the pot, where it can burn. If you burn your roux, do not use it. Mixture will be ready when it appears smooth and silky and easily coats the back of a spoon. Once ready, gently stir the roux into the chili in small increments until you achieve the consistency you like.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream, or a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese. You can freeze any extra chili in single sized portions for lunches or in freezer bags for a quick and easy weeknight meal.

Print

Spicy White Bean Turkey Chili

Prep 20 mins

Cook 4 hours

Total 4 hours, 20 mins

Author Catherine Varitek

Yield 4 quarts

A healthy and hearty chili loaded with ground turkey meat, spicy chiles, and protein packed beans. 

Ingredients

• 3 (15 ounce) cans Northern white beans
• 2 (15ounce) cans Cannelleni beans
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion chopped (about one cup)
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 fresh jalapeño pepper seeds removed, chopped
• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 1 pound spicy turkey sausage
• 1 tablespoons cumin powder
• 1 tablespoon dry oregano
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 3 (4 ounce) cans of diced chiles
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
• 3 cups chicken broth

Instructions

1. Rinse beans under cool running water, drain and place into crockpot set on High for 4 hours.
2. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Once warm, add the onions and sprinkle with salt. Cook until translucent, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the minced garlic, chopped jalapeño and cook for another minute.
4. Add ground turkey and sausage to the onion mixture. Use a wooden spoon to help separate the turkey into clumps while cooking it through until there is no pink 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Stir in the cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and chili powder.
6. Fold in the canned chiles.
7. Add 2 cups of chicken broth to the skillet, stir. 
8. Pour the cooked turkey mixture in the crockpot over the beans.
9. Add the remaining cup of broth and cilantro to the crockpot.
10. Fold everything in, from bottom of the crockpot up, to gently mix the turkey and beans together.
11. Cover and heat for 4 hours.

Courses Dinner