White Chili with Leftover Turkey and Poblanos

White Chili with Leftover Turkey and Roasted Poblanos

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My favorite recipes always seem to start with some leftover ingredient I’m trying to get rid of. In this case it was the plethora of Thanksgiving turkey taking up way too much space in my freezer and it tends to dry out fast, so bye bye turkey.

I don’t know too many people who don’t like a good chili or at the very least a hearty stew, and this dish feels like both. It’s perfect for this frigid cold January weather, healthy, and filling. I almost turned this into a chowder instead but went for the chili because it’s been a while for me. I’m glad I went with this. It was extremely satisfying.

My white chili with leftover turkey also has a bunch of medicinal ingredients that you know I love to use if you’ve been following me. I’ll take any excuse for garlic, onions and bone broth! If you need hot peppers to clear your sinuses, go to town with the jalapeños or other chili peppers. Check out my previous article to learn more about foods to eat when you’re sick with a cold or flu.

This recipe can easily be made in the slower cooker, pressure cooker, or stove top. I used the pressure cooker this time because I was in a hurry but it’s honestly easier on the stove top because you have to add some of the ingredients toward the end.

Ingredients for White Chili with Turkey

• Turkey obviously, as the name implies. If you don’t have leftover turkey that is perfectly fine. You could also substitute some rotisserie chicken or just cook a turkey breast or leg. Ground turkey is easy too. This recipe is very adaptable.
• Roasted poblano peppers, again as the name implies. These are easy to roast in your toaster oven or broiler, if you are short on time you can skip the roasting and just sautee them with the rest of the stuff.
• Bone broth is preferable if you have it. Try my bone broth recipe, it imparts a ton of flavor and it’s easy to condense and store in the freezer. Otherwise you can use cans or cartons of broth.
• White wine but feel free to skip it. A tiny bit of vinegar also works instead.
• Beans of choice. I went for great northern beans this time. Cannellini and pinto beans also work well.
• Garlic, onions, corn, and jalapenos for vegetables. Skip the jalapenos if they are too spicy for you or your family.
• Spices like cumin and chili powder. I wouldn’t skip these.
• Herbs like oregano and bay leaf. I’ve also used sage and thyme in the past but I didn’t for this particular one.
• Hot sauce of choice. I used this green dragon sauce from Trader Joes. Green sauce fits best but really any hot sauce you like will work.
• Chia seeds…yes chia seeds. I’ll explain more in a minute but this is one of my favorite tricks for thickening soups in a healthier way than cornstarch or flour.
• Optional garnishes include avocado slices, fresh jalapeno slices, lime wedges, scallion, cilantro, sour cream, and cheese.

White Chili Cooking Instructions

1. Roast the poblanos under a broiler or in the toaster oven, keeping an eye on them until evenly blistered and charred. Let them cool, remove skins and seeds. Rough chop into pieces.
2. While the poblanos roast, chop onion, mince garlic, and jalapeños.
3. Drain and rinse canned beans.
4. Heat a soup pot on medium heat or put your pressure cooker on sauté mode.
5. Add a tablespoon or two of oil, and add onions, cook stirring frequently until translucent.
6. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
7. Keep stirring. Add all the spices, herbs, roasted poblanos if using, and wine. Cook for another minute or so to evaporate the alcohol.
8. Add the turkey, bone broth, and half of the beans. Cover and cook for approximately 25 minutes on the stovetop (low heat) or 10 minutes in the pressure cooker.
9. Add the rest of the beans, corn, and chia seeds if using. Cover and simmer another 10 minutes on the stove or 3 minutes in the pressure cooker. Alternatively you can just put the pressure cooker on simmer at this point and stir frequently until it starts to boil. Be careful of the bottom burning though.
10. Taste for seasoning and check for broth thickness. If it needs more chia seeds add some now, or if it’s too thick add a little water. Add salt and more spices if needed.
11. Serve bowls with a dash of hot sauce, spoonful of sour cream, and other optional garnishes sprinkled on top.

Cooking Notes

For the slow cooker you can just dump everything else in at step 7 and cook on low for about 4 hours. Add a couple of hours if using turkey or chicken breasts or thighs. If using ground meat no change is needed. I like to add in some of the beans toward the end so they aren’t all mushy.

If you don’t have time to roast your poblano peppers just chop them up raw and cook them at the same time as your onions.

As mentioned before I really like to use chia seeds to thicken my soups and stews. If you’ve ever made chia pudding then you know the texture when you soak them in water. They are perfect for this reason. And trust me no one, not even your kids, or eyeball rolling husband is going to notice. They pretty much disintegrate into the broth. This is a great way to sneak some fiber into any soup or stew.

If you want to omit the chia seeds you can use one or two tablespoons of flour or cornstarch to thicken your chili instead, or leave as is. Some of the beans will mash up and help thicken it overall.

If you like my white chili with leftover turkey, leave me a comment and rating below!