Healthy Turkey Chili
My husband is allergic to beef (YES, crazy... I KNOW), and I am constantly looking for beef alternative recipes. Beef chili is a classic that is hard to substitute. But I created a turkey chili that tastes even better than beef chili!
Cooking a new recipe can be exciting and nerve wracking. But remember, it’s pretty hard to mess up chili and it is not very time consuming. Have fun with it!
A few notes to consider before starting:
I personally love cooking soup and chili in a dutch oven. Dutch ovens can be used on any surface, they are easy to clean, and you can even put them in the refrigerator! This is a W I N! I recently got a Lodge 6quart dutch oven from Target as a gift, and I am really enjoying it. Others that I have used are extremely heavy, and while this one is of course heavy, I do not feel like I am going to drop it like I have with others.
I like to use lean ground turkey that is 85% lean, 15% fat. Since ground turkey does not produce much grease, the 15% fat gives the meat a very small amount of grease that helps thicken the chili. Extra lean ground turkey will of course be fine to use and tastes good as well! If I do not have 85% lean, then I use extra lean.
When adding in the chicken broth, be sure the broth covers the mixture but do not add in too much that it makes it too liquidy. You want the broth to be on the edge of covering the mixture, unless you like more of a soupy chili! By using 2 1/2 cups of broth, it should get you at the right consistency.
You need:
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1.25 lbs lean ground turkey, 85% lean
7 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt & pepper to taste
1 (28oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
2 (16oz.) cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 package (10 oz.) frozen corn
What to do:
Begin by heating the olive oil in a large pot on medium high heat. Add in the onions and bell pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently so the onions do not burn.
Next, add in the ground turkey. Continue stirring and breaking up the meat. After 6-7 minutes, as the meat starts to brown add in the garlic. Do not burn the garlic! Once the meat is cooked all the way through (no longer pink), add in your spices: chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Stir until the spices are thoroughly mixed in.
Then, add in canned tomatoes, kidney beans, chicken broth, and frozen corn. Stir together and bring to a boil. Cover and turn on low heat, stirring frequently. Simmer for about 30 minutes or longer. The longer it simmers, the tastier it will become!
When time to serve, top with your choice of cheese and avocado for extra flavor and creaminess. Best paired with homemade cornbread on the side. Enjoy!
