I wish I was making chili years ago… it tastes too good, is too simple, and is cheap as dirt to make. There are literally no downsides to this when you use ground turkey (aside: I can’t type literally without saying it in my head like Rob Lowe).
If you want a vat of awesomeness to snack on over the weekend, read on!
So, I wanted to cook something that I could eat late at night for the next 4-5 days… I’ve been snacking late night and figure a small meal would be better than crackers, cereal, chips, or whatever else is readily available. Chili seemed like it would fit the bill and if you make it with ground turkey (instead of beef), loads of veggies, and tomato sauce… it isn’t too bad for you either.
I did my research, went to the store, then came home and started chopping vegetables.
I chopped up the onions, peppers, and garlic and saute’d them. I simultaneously browned the ground turkey in another pan AND prepared the seasoning for later (holy multitasking). Once they were both cooked, I added the turkey to the pot with the veggies and mixed it up. I added the seasoning then added the liquid ingredients, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce.
Now comes the fun part! Go do something else for an hour while you’re being tortured with the scent of spicy goodness. I chose to waste my time watching Misfits on Hulu, which was surprisingly decent… who knew British TV was worth watching?
After an hour of stirring and waiting I could finally devour it. Oh, and so much for having something to eat for days… my family decided to have chili for dinner… I’ll make more next week.
This turkey chili is easy to make, doesn’t cost a lot, produces a ton, and has a nice spicy kick. Omit some heat if you don’t like the burn.
Ingredients
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Chop 1 onion, 1 large green pepper, 1 habanero, and 6 cloves garlic then add to saucepan. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes.
While the vegetables are cooking, cook the ground turkey in a skillet over medium heat. Break into small chunks and mix around occasionally until meat is no longer pink.
Add meat to the saucepan with the vegetables, mix well.
Season with chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, red pepper powder, salt, black pepper, and the secret ingredient: chocolate. Stir in beer, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, 2 cans of drained diced tomatoes, and one can of tomato sauce. Partially cover and simmer for about an hour.
Stir every 10-20 minutes.
Add hot sauce to taste and continue cooking for 5 - 10 minutes longer.
Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with desired toppings (cheese, sour cream, crackers).
Note: Add what you wish to make it your own... people seem to like their chili with kidney beans, corn, and refried beans (I do not).
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