Slow Cooker White Bean and Turkey Chili

Name: Slow Cooker White Bean and Turkey Chili
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 6 h 32 min
Total time: 6 h 52 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil; 1½ pounds (680 g) ground turkey, 93% lean, raw, broken into a few chunks; 1 large (about 1½ cups) (225 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced; 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin; 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground coriander; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) cayenne pepper (optional); 1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste at the end; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 3 cans (15 oz each) (1275 g) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (about 4½ cups drained); 2 cans (4 oz each) (226 g) canned diced green chiles, undrained; 3 cups (710 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 1 cup (140 g) frozen corn kernels, no need to thaw; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 1 large lime; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A mild, hearty white chili with browned ground turkey, creamy cannellini beans, and green chiles, simmered all day in chicken broth with cumin and oregano. Mashing a few beans at the end thickens it naturally, and fresh lime brightens every spoonful.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 6 hr 32 min
Total: 6 hr 52 min
Makes: About 9 cups (6 generous servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1½ pounds (680 g) ground turkey, 93% lean, raw, broken into a few chunks
1 large (about 1½ cups) (225 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground coriander
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste at the end
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
3 cans (15 oz each) (1275 g) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (about 4½ cups drained)
2 cans (4 oz each) (226 g) canned diced green chiles, undrained
3 cups (710 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup (140 g) frozen corn kernels, no need to thaw
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 1 large lime
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

Equipment (6)

6-quart (5.7 L) slow cooker
12-inch (30 cm) large skillet
Wooden spoon or spatula
Colander
Potato masher
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Plan for about 7 hours total on the LOW setting: 12 minutes browning, 6 hours slow cooking, and 20 minutes finishing on HIGH. For a faster version, cook on HIGH for 3 hours instead of LOW for 6, then finish exactly the same way (about 4 hours total).
Open and drain the canned beans in a colander and rinse them well. This removes the starchy canning liquid and extra salt.
Use low-sodium chicken broth so you control the salt. Season at the end, because flavors concentrate as the chili cooks.
The turkey is fully cooked when you brown it in the skillet. The slow cooker only needs to bring everything to a gentle simmer and blend the flavors.

1
Prep the vegetables
- Dice the onion into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces and mince the garlic.
- Drain the cannellini beans in a colander and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds, then let them drain well.
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Ready when: Onion pieces are roughly uniform and beans are rinsed until the water runs clear.
Tip: Uniform dice means the onion softens evenly.
2
Brown turkey and onion
- Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Add the turkey and onion, sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and break the turkey into small crumbles with a wooden spoon.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Turkey is no longer pink anywhere, lightly golden in places, and the onion looks translucent.
Tip: Don't crowd or stir constantly; letting the meat sit a minute between stirs helps it brown rather than steam.
3
Toast garlic and spices
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Stir in the garlic, cumin, coriander, oregano, and cayenne (if using).
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
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Ready when: The mixture smells strongly fragrant and spices coat the turkey; garlic is not browned.
Tip: Watch the garlic closely. Burnt garlic turns bitter in a mild chili.
4
Fill the slow cooker
- Scrape the turkey mixture into a 6-quart (5.7 L) slow cooker, including any browned bits and juices.
- Add the drained beans and the green chiles with their liquid.
- Pour in the chicken broth and stir well to combine.
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Ready when: Everything is submerged or nearly submerged in the broth.
5
Slow cook the chili
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours (or on HIGH for 3 hours).
- The turkey is already cooked, so this time simply melds the flavors and softens the onion.
- Keep the lid on until the time is up, since each peek adds 15 to 20 minutes; you will lift it only once, in the next step.
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Ready when: The chili is gently bubbling at the edges and steaming hot. As a safety check, an instant-read thermometer in the center reads at least 165°F (74°C).
Tip: Slow cooker temperatures vary, so use the thermometer check if the chili isn't bubbling at the edges.
6
Mash beans, add corn
- Lift the lid and scoop about 1 cup of beans and broth against the side of the slow cooker.
- Mash with a potato masher until mostly smooth, then stir it into the chili.
- Stir in the frozen corn.
- Turn the slow cooker to HIGH, cover, and cook 20 more minutes.
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Ready when: The chili looks thick and creamy, coating the back of a spoon, and the corn is hot and tender.
Tip: For a thicker chili, mash a second ½ cup of beans.
7
Finish and season
- Stir in the lime juice and cilantro.
- Taste and add more salt, a pinch at a time, until the flavors are bright and well seasoned.
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Ready when: The chili tastes balanced: savory, slightly tangy, with no flat or dull taste.
Tip: Add lime at the end; long cooking dulls its brightness.
8
Serve
- Ladle into bowls and serve hot, with extra cilantro or lime wedges if you like.
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Ready when: Chili is steaming hot throughout.

Good to know

Tips

Rinse canned beans well; the thick canning liquid can make the chili taste dull and gluey.
Don't skip browning the turkey. Raw turkey in a slow cooker can turn pale and spongy.
Serve with toppings such as sour cream, shredded Monterey Jack, sliced avocado, or crushed tortilla chips.
For more heat, add a diced jalapeño with the onion or increase the cayenne to ½ teaspoon.

Make ahead

Brown the turkey, onion, and spices up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container. Rinse the beans, then assemble in the slow cooker the next morning and add 30 minutes to the LOW cooking time (or 15 minutes on HIGH), since the turkey starts cold. The finished chili also tastes even better the next day.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers, leaving ½ inch (1 cm) of headspace. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming hot (165°F/74°C), adding a splash of broth or water if too thick.

Substitutions

ground turkey, 93% lean → ground chicken. Same amount and method; ground chicken is similarly lean, so don't skip the oil.
cannellini beans → Great Northern or navy beans. Use the same quantity; Great Northern beans are slightly firmer and navy beans slightly smaller.
canned diced green chiles → 1 diced poblano pepper plus 1 tablespoon water. Sauté the poblano with the onion for a fresher, slightly spicier flavor.
low-sodium chicken broth → vegetable broth. Works the same, though the chili will taste slightly less savory.