Turkey and White Bean Chili with Dried Chiles

Instructions

1. Warm the broth in a large Dutch oven until steaming. Meanwhile, stem the ancho, guajillo, and pasilla chiles, tear the flesh into pieces, and discard the seeds. Steep the chile pieces in the hot broth until softened, 25-30 minutes.
2. Add the soaked chiles, broth, and chipotles to a blender; blend until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Set the purée aside.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in the same pot over medium-high. Season the turkey with salt, add half of it, and press it flat against the pot to brown — cook undisturbed until deeply browned on the bottom, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with 2 tbsp more oil and the remaining turkey.
4. Heat the last tbsp of oil over medium; add the onions and garlic with a pinch of salt, cover, and cook until translucent and lightly browned at the edges, 10-12 minutes.
5. Stir in the cumin and oregano until fragrant, about 1 minute, then the tomato paste until darkened, about 1 minute more. Pour in the cider (or extra broth), scraping up the brown bits, and simmer until mostly reduced, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the chile purée, beans, maple syrup, and 4 cups water (swirl the blender with it to catch every bit of purée). Boil, then simmer partially covered, stirring occasionally, until thick and deeply flavored, about 1 hour.
7. Return the turkey and any juices and simmer until the flavors meld, about 30 minutes longer.
8. While the chili finishes, stir the yogurt with the lime juice and cilantro; season with salt.
9. Season the chili with salt and pepper, then remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Serve in bowls with a dollop of the yogurt sauce and broken tostadas.

Notes & Substitutions

• Lighter swap: this version uses 5 tbsp oil instead of 6, and you can drop it to 4 — the browning still works at medium-high heat.
• Dairy-free: skip the yogurt sauce and serve with avocado and lime.
• Dried-chile shortcut: replace the soaked chiles and blending step with 3 tbsp ancho chili powder whisked into the broth.
• Dark-meat turkey keeps it juicy; 85/15 ground beef works too (less lean).
• No cider or beer? Use 1 cup extra broth — add it with the purée in step 6.

Storage & Make-Ahead

• Refrigerate up to 3 days (without toppings); freezes up to 3 months.
• The flavor genuinely improves overnight — a prime batch-cook candidate.
• Reheat gently on the stovetop, loosening with a splash of broth; make the yogurt sauce fresh.