Two Great White Bean Turkey Chili

Hot and Spicy, that's right, I have been on a kick since I got back from the Holidays. I was out in New Mexico taking care of my beautiful Grandmother during the Christmas season. Unfortunately, I got sick!

If you've been a frequent visitor to my blog, you know I've been suffering with my health over the last quarter of 2016 and it's not normal for me. This is the third time in 2 full months that I've gotten sick. The last two times were over both major holidays. Hence my lack of posting.

While my Mom and Aunt slaved in the kitchen for Thanksgiving, I sat like a buoy on the couch unable to move without coughing and unable to breath when laying down. My senses were shot and food had lost flavor.

I thought all of my dreams had come true the next day. I got 10 hours of blissful sleep and I felt mostly human again. My Aunt had put the fixin's in for a thanksgiving turkey soup, as it had all of the left over bits, in the crockpot that morning. I dreamed of that soup all day long. When I sat down with it ... oh friends .... it was sweet. Sweet beyond words! An unnatural honeyed plague of sadness that just killed my heart. Oh, the drama! All I wanted was turkey soup that was supposed to be: warm, savory and spicy. Alas, that was shot to hell due to my failed senses.

Which brings me to this mother lovin' spicy Two Great White Bean Turkey Chili.

The idea for this chili came after two events. The first, I over heard a mother asking if her daughter wanted turkey chili that night. The second, I realized I have over done my share of kidney beans and wanted to try something different.

There is nothing easier than chili. It's really a lot of sitting and waiting. The hardest part of this fiery dish is knowing when enough chili powder is enough and cooking the meat.

First, start with warming your dutch oven or skillet on a medium setting and adding 1 Tbs of Olive Oil. Once warm, add turkey and heat til thoroughly cooked and then scoop out and set aside. Add onion and garlic to pan and allow to sauté til almost transparent, after add your chopped green pepper. Pro-tip: I finely chop my green pepper because I think it's a bit more colorful but also because I am not a huge fan of chunks of peppers in my chili.

Once the pepper as softened, open your cans of green chilis, cannellini beans, great northwest beans and tomatoes and mixed them in your pan. Lastly, add your broth and spices, turn on an episode of Jane the Virgin (anyone else binging?!) and allow to sit on simmer for the next hour!

End Notes: I've decided that, when I make this dish again (and I'll write a post), I will make it in a crockpot because I'm a firm believer that the longer chili sits and simmers, the better. So, in the future I will cook the turkey before hand, make sure to sauté the onions and garlic in it's juices and then transfer them over to a crockpot. I will add the remaining ingredients and then let it sit, on low, for 8 hours (i.e. a workday).

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Print Recipe

Two Great White Bean Turkey Chili

A fiery warm and hearty meal to enjoy after a long day of skiing, watching the snow fall or being sick. This filling meal is stocked with two white beans, green chilis, green peppers and the best spices. Combined with turkey, you'll be warm and toasty before you know it.

Recipe by: The Salad Trip

Ingredients: 

- 1 Tbs Olive Oil
- 1 lb Lean Ground Turkey
- 1 - 3 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped (depending on preference
- 1 Cup Onion, chopped
- 1 Medium Green Pepper, Chopped
- 2 tsps Chili Powder (extra fiery, make it 1 Tbs)
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1/4 tsp Paprika
- 1 7oz can Mild Diced Green Chilis
- 1 15oz can Cannellini Beans
- 1 15oz can Great Northwest Beans
- 1 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth

Instructions:

Prep dutch oven or sauté pan with 1 Tbs olive oil on medium low heat. Once warm, add turkey and heat til thoroughly cooked and then scoop out and set aside.

Leave turkey juices and add the garlic and onion. Stir about 2 minutes, mix in green peppers until lightly soft and onion is translucent.

Add turkey back to pan along with your spices (chili powder, oregano, cumin, paprika). Stir before adding green chilis, beans and broth.

Allow to sit on simmer for 45 mins to 1.5 hours. (I think the longer the longer the better)

Once done, sit down, scoop out a bowl, take a picture, post to instagram, #thesaladtrip and enjoy!

Details:

Prep time: 10 min  Cook time: 60 - 90 mins  Total time: 70 mins  Yield: 4 Hearty Servings