Are you looking for one of the ultimate comfort foods but want to use a leaner protein? This recipe for Turkey Chili is just what you need! Ground turkey is the perfect substitute for ground beef if you are looking for a healthier option. This chili is packed with traditional flavors such as onion, garlic, tomatoes, and loads of beans to bring you a comforting and nourishing meal. I love to sprinkle my chili with some freshly grated cheddar cheese, green onion, and sour cream to take my chili up to another level. Enjoy!
Turkey Chili
Description
Nothing warms and fills you up quite like a nice bowl of chili. Often chili is made with ground beef, but sometimes we want a leaner option like ground turkey. My Turkey Chili is hearty and nutritious, you won’t even miss the ground beef in this recipe. This recipe starts by sauteing onions for a good flavor base. After your onions are translucent, it’s time to add your garlic and ground turkey. To cook the turkey, push the cooked onions off to the side and brown your turkey alongside your onions until it is mostly brown. Once your turkey is browned, you can mix it up with your onions and add the tomato paste and spices. From here it’s time to add all your canned ingredients and simmer your chili for about 45 minutes, it’s that easy! I love to serve my chili with a good dollop of sour cream, freshly grated cheddar cheese, green onions, and of course some spicy pickled jalapenos. There is nothing more satisfying and hearty than digging into a big bowl of chili with all the toppings. Another thing I love about this recipe is how budget friendly it is. This chili is made using mainly pantry staples that are typically very inexpensive and that are easy to keep on hand. There are several items I always keep in my freezer, and ground turkey is one of them, so between the availability of pantry items and keeping turkey on hand in the freezer, this meal is something you can always have the ingredients ready for a last minute pot of chili. Speaking of last minute, did you know about that time we nearly missed our cruise ship as it was departing? We were on an Alaskan cruise and it was one of our days for a port adventure, so we opted to take a private fishing expedition. We were having such a splendid day aboard the fishing boat. We were catching plenty of fish and soaking in the sun, we didn’t have a care in the world. The day was just melting away when we noticed that the ropes on our cruise ship were starting to get pulled up, and that’s when we realized the boat was getting ready to disembark and we were in trouble! Luckily we weren’t far from shore so we put the pedal to the metal and made our way back to our cruise ship as fast as humanly possible. We arrived at the doors just in time to catch someone who could help let us back on the ship. As they reopened the doors, we noticed that the ship was starting to get some distance from the dock, so we all gathered our courage and made a valiant leap from the dock back onto the ship. Thankfully we all made it just in time, but we were absolutely rattled from that close call. We were freezing from the icy Alaska air and our adrenaline had finally worn off, as hunger settled in we decided to order some room service. Thankfully they had a hearty bowl of Turkey Chili on the menu that warmed us right up.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Preheat your dutch oven to medium high heat and add your olive oil. Add your onions, salt, and pepper to your pan and cook your onions until they are starting to turn translucent. Add your garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.Â
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Push your onions an garlic to the side and add your ground turkey. Using your spoon, break up your turkey and cook until it is mostly brown.
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Once your turkey is mostly browned, add your chili powder, cumin, and tomato paste, mix together well. Cook your turkey an additional 3 minutes to allow your tomato paste to toast and your spices to bloom.Â
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Drain and rinse your black beans and add them to your pot as well as your chili beans and tomatoes along with their juices. Using your cans of chili beans and tomatoes, add enough water to cover your chili by about an inch.Â
Don't waste any flavor! Using the cans from your chili beans and tomatoes will add anything leftover in the can to your chili.
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Mix everything together well and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until your chili is thickened. Serve immediately with your desired toppings.Â
