Hearty and delicious with just enough spice to warm you from the inside.
Winter brings out a different attitude to my cooking. The air is cold and crisp, the days are shorter, and we all spend so much time inside that it can be hard to motivate myself to do all the prep and cooking. It does not mean I stop cooking in the winter. It just means my mode of cooking changes. When the cold air blows in so do all my single pot recipes. A single pot recipe is fantastic for those less-than-motivated days because if you lack the motivation to cook, you definitely lack the motivation to do the dishes.
The other change to my cooking in the colder months is the prevalence of soups, stews, and chilis. That’s where this recipe for turkey chili comes into play. It’s leaner and just as delicious as traditional beef chili. Also, this recipe is so simple that even on the coldest and least motivated days, I can cook up a pot and suddenly find my happy place in less than an hour.
This chili has a unique flavor, part of which comes from the light gaminess of the meat. This recipe is also full of rich spices like garlic, cumin, chili pepper, oregano, and cayenne, with some lightly caramelized onions. It has a blend of black beans and kidney beans that lend some authenticity to the dish and crushed tomatoes to cut the spice with a bit of acidity. Turkey chili is so hearty and delicious that it warms you with each bite.
Is Turkey Chili Healthy?
Turkey chili is undoubtedly a healthier alternative to traditional beef chili. Ground turkey is lower in saturated fats and calories, making it a more heart healthy choice. Also, the beans in this recipe contain a lot of fiber, vitamins and minerals. So, while you never want to overindulge on anything, this turkey chili is a certainly a healthy alternative to other chilis.
Want to make the chili vegan? Simply substitute the ground turkey with either tofu or, my personal favorite, portobello mushrooms. And don’t forget to trade the chicken broth for a vegetable broth!
Why do I use ground turkey instead of pulled turkey?
While chili can be made using pulled turkey, ground turkey has a lot of advantages when cooking chili. Ground turkey is generally a mixture of dark and light turkey meat with some skin and visible fat. This allows all the nutrients from both parts of meat and the skin; when you use pulled turkey, you will generally have either breast meat or dark thigh meat, but it does not blend the same. The fat content in ground turkey also gives you natural oils when heated to continue your cooking processes. The ground turkey also soaks in all those delicious spices better than pulled turkey ever could.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
INSTRUCTIONS
Sauté
Cook onions and garlic until soft.
Brown
Cook ground turkey until no pink remains.
Season
Add spices and tomato paste for rich flavor.
Simmer
Combine with tomatoes and beans, then simmer.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
To store leftover turkey chili, let it cool to room temperature and transfer to an airtight container. Store sealed in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can also freeze for up to three months. To reheat your turkey chili from frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. From refrigeration, transfer your turkey chili back to a pot and reheat on the stovetop at low heat, stirring until heated through.
Absolutely! Follow the above storage method, but portion out your turkey chili into individual containers, each one a single serving. Freeze some and keep the portions you plan on eating that week in the refrigerator.
If you want a more natural heat, I recommend slicing some jalapeño or serrano peppers and adding them to your chili with your onions to allow them to release their oils.
Serving Suggestions
Traditionally, turkey chili is portioned into a bowl. I suggest adding optional toppings like sour cream, shredded cheese, or cilantro. I also highly recommend serving your turkey chili with a side of cornbread. The sweetness of the cornbread will nicely counterbalance the chili’s spices.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, sautéing until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add ground turkey to the pot, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook until browned and no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to low and let the chili simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
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