It’s chili season! Well….at least it was, and then it climbed to 60 degrees here in Lancaster. However, I will eat chili any time, anywhere, so here is a flexible, forgiving, easy weeknight recipe that will please every chili fan!
Turkey Chili
Serves 4
olive oil, for sautéing
1 lb. ground turkey (white and dark meat, not the super lean kind)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
Half of a can/bottle of lager beer (do NOT use a fancy IPA here, as much as you may want to)
Salt and pepper
1 15-oz can beans of choice, drained and rinsed (pinto, kidney, black, etc)
1 15-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 10-oz can Rotel, mild variation if you do not like spice OR substitute another 15-oz can of crushed tomatoes (the extra amount of tomatoes will not make a huge difference to the final product)
Brown the meat and veggies. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground turkey, breaking it up with a spoon, then add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook until the turkey is no longer pink and the vegetables have softened a bit.
Add the seasonings and beer. Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, brown sugar, and beer and stir to combine. Let cook and bubble for 5-10 minutes to let the beer reduce a bit.
A note about seasoning: Seasoning is everything when it comes to chili. A bland chili is very sad indeed. Please don’t be shy with the salt here! We are adding a lot of un-salty things like beer and canned tomatoes, and the chili needs a lot of salt to bring out all of the other yummy flavors.
Finish the chili. Add the beans and canned tomatoes and stir to combine. Simmer the chili for 10-15 minutes, then give it one final taste to check for seasoning. Serve with grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips or Fritos!
Note: If you are like Dan and don’t appreciate beans in your chili, you can substitute 1 cup frozen corn, which is equally delicious!
As I mentioned at the start of this post, this recipe is incredibly flexible and forgiving. I like a thick, chunky chili, but if that’s not your jam, add more crushed tomatoes or beer. Try other veggies like diced carrot, jalapeño, or another chile pepper. Experiment with other seasonings- chipotle powder or oregano are lovely additions.
Also, we mostly cook with ground turkey instead of beef these days in an attempt to make up for all the baked goods we eat, but this also makes a fantastic beef chili, too. Just drain some of the fat if it’s excessive after browning the beef.
Enjoy!
