White Bean Leftover Turkey Chili
This cozy and toasty White Bean Leftover Turkey Chili has quickly become our new favorite leftover turkey meal! It's tasty, creamy (without cream), and ready to eat in a little over 30 minutes!
Yield: 6
Materials
- 2 cups leftover turkey shredded
- 1 1/2 cups corn fresh frozen, or canned
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 white onion diced approx 1 cup
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 oz green chilis
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups chicken or turkey stock
- 3 cups great northern beans cooked or 2 cans
- 1/2 cup cream cheese approx 4 oz
- 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro plus more for garnish
- 1/4 wedge fresh lime approximately 1 teaspoon juice
Optional Garnishes
- avocado
- sliced jalapenos
- tortilla strips
- hot sauce
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Increase the heat to medium-high to high and cook the corn for two to three minutes, or until it starts to brown slightly. Cook for a further two minutes while stirring. Take out the corn and place it aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and melt the remaining butter. Remove any remaining corn kernels from the pan's bottom by scraping it up (taste!). Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for 4 minutes, or until tender.
- Mix in the green chilies. Mix in the spices and heat for one minute. Return the heat to medium-high and gradually add the stock, heating it until it boils.
- In the meantime, place 1 1/2 cups of great northern beans in a small dish and mash the beans using a fork or potato masher.
- After the beans are mashed (it's okay if you do this before the stock boils), add the mashed beans, whole beans, corn, and turkey to the pot along with some cream cheese and pepper jack cheese.
- After bringing everything to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low or medium once again to simmer the soup. Mix in cheeses well. Simmer for ten to fifteen minutes, or until the cream cheese is completely melted and has a creamy texture.
- Add 1/4 of a fresh lime wedge's juice along with some fresh cilantro.
- Arrange in bowls and top with fresh avocado, tortilla chip strips, or spicy sauce.
Notes
Storage: Refrigerator: Keep in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Store in the freezer for up to three months.
Freezer tip: Simmer the soup for only five minutes and then freeze it before adding the cheeses if you're making it ahead of time especially for the freezer. Before serving, defrost, simmer, and add cheese. When warmed, this will result in the optimum consistency.
Increase the Temperature:
Green chilis: Instead of using mild green chilis, use hot ones. Add half of a jalapeño, diced, while the garlic and onion are sautéing.
Add one-fourth to one-half teaspoon of cayenne.
Add some of your favorite spicy sauce and garnish. HAB Sauce spicy sauces are our favorite. You may use any type of white bean as a substitute for the beans in this soup. Corn: tinned, frozen, or fresh off the cob. If using frozen, just give it a brief rinse in a colander before using; there's no need to defrost. Drain and rinse if using canned food (1 1/2 cups is roughly one can). Onion and Garlic: Yellow or white onions work well. One tablespoon of finely chopped fresh garlic equals three cloves. One teaspoon of garlic powder is an additional option. Use Monterey Jack, cheddar, or Mexican blend cheese instead of pepper jack. Making Use of Dried Beans
You will need one cup of dry beans to utilize dried white beans. Rinse them, put them in a pot, and add enough water to cover by at least three inches. After bringing the saucepan to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook the beans until they are soft, 45 to 60 minutes. The age of the beans will affect how long they need to cook.
Store in the freezer for up to three months.
Freezer tip: Simmer the soup for only five minutes and then freeze it before adding the cheeses if you're making it ahead of time especially for the freezer. Before serving, defrost, simmer, and add cheese. When warmed, this will result in the optimum consistency.
Increase the Temperature:
Green chilis: Instead of using mild green chilis, use hot ones. Add half of a jalapeño, diced, while the garlic and onion are sautéing.
Add one-fourth to one-half teaspoon of cayenne.
Add some of your favorite spicy sauce and garnish. HAB Sauce spicy sauces are our favorite. You may use any type of white bean as a substitute for the beans in this soup. Corn: tinned, frozen, or fresh off the cob. If using frozen, just give it a brief rinse in a colander before using; there's no need to defrost. Drain and rinse if using canned food (1 1/2 cups is roughly one can). Onion and Garlic: Yellow or white onions work well. One tablespoon of finely chopped fresh garlic equals three cloves. One teaspoon of garlic powder is an additional option. Use Monterey Jack, cheddar, or Mexican blend cheese instead of pepper jack. Making Use of Dried Beans
You will need one cup of dry beans to utilize dried white beans. Rinse them, put them in a pot, and add enough water to cover by at least three inches. After bringing the saucepan to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook the beans until they are soft, 45 to 60 minutes. The age of the beans will affect how long they need to cook.