Creamy White Turkey Chili
- PREP 10min
- COOK 30min
- TOTAL 40min
This white turkey chili is happy food. It’s incredibly tasty thanks to our spice mix and deliciously creamy thanks to cream cheese. We were surprised by how much we loved the cream cheese the first time we tried it in this chili, but it melts nicely into the broth, making it creamy without being gloopy or too heavy. We love a big bowl served with tortilla chips, sliced jalapeños, and cilantro, but feel free to add your favorite chili toppings!
You Will Need
2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste to make it spicy
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound ground turkey, 92% lean (450g)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium bell peppers, red or orange
2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken stock (945ml)
1 bay leaf
1 bunch lacinato kale, stemmed and thinly sliced
6 ounces block full-fat cream cheese, see tips (170g)
Directions
1Make spice mix: In a small bowl, stir together the cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
2Brown the turkey: In a large pot, like a Dutch oven, over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the ground turkey, season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and about half of the spice mix (saving the rest for later). Brown the turkey, using a wooden spoon to break it into crumbles as it cooks. When browned, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3Cook the veggies: To the pot used for the turkey, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, along with onion, celery, garlic, and bell peppers. Scatter the remaining spice mix over them, then cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they start to soften.
4Build the chili: Stir in the cream cheese and let it warm, stirring it with the vegetables until it softens into a smoother sauce. Add the bay leaf, then pour in the chicken stock. Stir and bring to a simmer. Then add the rinsed and drained beans, the browned turkey, and the chopped kale. Simmer for about 15 more minutes, or until the kale is tender, but still a bright green.
5Serve: Taste, then season with salt. Let cool off the heat for about 10 minutes (it thickens slightly as it cools). Serve in bowls with your favorite chili toppings.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat over medium-low heat in a saucepan.
- Cream cheese: The cream cheese makes this chili creamy while keeping it light. If you’d like to reduce the cream cheese, we’ve made this recipe with 4 ounces (113g) and are still very happy with the results.
- Kale: We love lacinato kale (the flat-leaf variety), but curly kale is fine too. Remove the leaves from the stems, then chop the leaves for the chili. You can save the stems for making broth another day.
- The nutrition facts provided are estimates.