Leftover Turkey White Chili – Enjoy the same flavor of Southwest-inspired white chicken chili, but use the leftover turkey sitting in your fridge; the meal is ready and on the table in 40 minutes!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Onion: The onions infuse with the shredded turkey for maximum flavor
- Garlic: I suggest using three cloves, but don’t let my recipe tell you how much garlic to use– measure with your heart.
- Chicken Better Than Bouillon: I use Better Than Bouillon and water in place of stock for this recipe. It’s flavorful, easy, and something I always keep in my pantry. You can use store-bought chicken stock if you prefer. Or use leftover drippings from making the turkey and prepare your own.
- Green Chilies: I am from the Southwest, so Hatch green chilies are king; I love that you can control the spice level by choosing mild or hot green chilies; two cans of green chilies make a mild-tasting soup, but if you’re sensitive to spice, use only one.
- Spices: Season the soup with cumin, smoked paprika, coriander powder, cayenne, salt, and white pepper.
- Turkey: Use leftover turkey from Thanksgiving to make this soup, but you can also make it with boneless, skinless chicken breast.
- Cream Cheese: Thicken the broth with full-fat cream cheese.
- Corn: Use canned, frozen, fresh, or leftovers from corn on the cob to make this recipe.
- White Beans: Cannellini, navy, or Northern beans work well in this soup, and for some Southwestern flare, try pinto or black beans.
HOW TO MAKE LEFTOVER TURKEY WHITE CHILI
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Warm oil in a stock pot, add onions and cook until they become translucent and soften for about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
Stir in the leftover pulled turkey, water, Better than Bouillon, green chilies, cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes.
Add cream cheese; stir until the cheese melts. Then, add the corn and beans, and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Finish the soup with lime juice and serve with the toppings of your choice.
COOKING TIPS
- Leave the cream cheese at room temperature before adding it to the soup.
- Stir in the dairy after the other ingredients pressure-cook since the dairy scorches under pressure and separates.
SEARCHING FOR MORE LIKE THIS?
If you love this recipe, try one of our other chili and stew favorites!
CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE IN THE INSTANT POT?
- Warm oil in an Instant Pot in saute mode, then add chicken. Cook until the chicken turns white.
- Add onions and cook until they become translucent and soften for about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Stir in the chicken broth, green chilies, cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- Bring the mixture to a boil in saute mode. Then, secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 7 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.
- Remove the lid and add cream cheese; stir until the cheese melts.
- Add corn and beans and simmer in saute mode for another 10 minutes.
- Finish the soup with lime juice and serve with the toppings of your choice.
HOW TO SERVE WHITE CHICKEN CHILI
- Cilantro
- Cheddar Cheese
- Tortilla Strips
- Jalapeños
- Avocado
- Lime Wedges
- Sour Cream
- Cotija Cheese
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Cornbread
- Corn Salsa, Chunky Salsa with Cilantro and Avocado
- Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Flour Tortillas
- Tortilla Chips, Corn Chips
- Baked Potatoes
- Quesadillas
- Vegan Mexican Rice, Rice
The moral of the story is – get creative and adjust it to your preference!
WHAT TO DO WITH THE LEFTOVERS
- Refrigerate – Store leftovers in an airtight container; it will keep for 3-4 days.
- Freeze – Allow the dish to cool, then add it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Turkey chili will freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw – When you’re ready to eat, defrost it in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat – Warm leftovers on the stovetop, and enjoy!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I use dry beans?
Of course! Before making the soup, add 1 cup of dry beans and 4 cups of water to a Dutch oven. Cook for 1 hour. When the beans finish cooking, set them aside and follow the recipe accordingly.
YOU SHOULD ALSO TRY:
Leftover Turkey White Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound leftover turkey, shredded
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons Chicken Better Than Bouillon
- 1-2 cans green chilies
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- 1 package cream cheese, room temperature
- 1½ cup corn
- 2 cans white beans
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Warm oil in a stock pot, add onions, and cook until they become translucent and soften for 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Stir in the leftover pulled turkey, water, Better than Bouillon, green chilies, cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes.
- Add cream cheese; stir until the cheese melts. Then, add the corn and beans and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Finish the soup with lime juice and serve with the toppings of your choice.
Notes
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.