A hearty turkey chili loaded with vegetables, tomatoes, beans and plenty of warm spices. Ground turkey keeps it lighter than traditional beef chili, while cheddar, sour cream and fresh lime make the perfect finishing touches.
Servings: About 8
Prep Time: About 20 minutes
Cook Time: About 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds ground turkey
- 2 cups coarsely chopped onions
- 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 1 large sweet red bell pepper, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 jalapeño, cored, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh or dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3 cups canned diced tomatoes*
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 (15-ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained*
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
- 1 cup sour cream, for serving
- Lime wedges, for garnish
Instructions:
- Heat the olive oil over high heat in a large, heavy pot. Add the ground turkey and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, breaking the meat into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
- Add the onions, garlic, red bell pepper, celery, jalapeño, oregano, bay leaves, chili powder and cumin. Stir well and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
- Add the drained beans and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves. Ladle the chili into bowls and serve topped with shredded cheddar and sour cream. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.
Tip: The original notes indicate that 2 cans of drained diced tomatoes can be used for the tomatoes and Costco mixed beans can be substituted for the kidney beans. Chili is also excellent made a day ahead—the flavors become even better after an overnight rest in the refrigerator.
Source: NY Times Pierre Franey