Sometimes, you just need a good bowl of chili…especially on a cold snowy day like today. A chili that’s easy, healthy and most importantly…satisfying.
I had to laugh a little when I was making this. Looking down at my kitchen counter covered with a spread of fresh and high quality ingredients, I don’t know how I ever considered those cans of brown sludge from the grocery store to be “chili”. Who knows what was really in there, and it certainly never looked anything like what was cooking up on the stove. But in my defense, those were my college days…when I was clueless, but kind of thought I knew everything.
But this chili goes leaps and bounds beyond the ones in the can. For one, anything homemade is automatically 10 times better. AND you don’t have to wonder if what you’re really eating is what you’re supposed to be eating. Have you ever looked on the back of one of those cans? I remember my disappointment and overall confusion the first time I actually bothered to check the ingredients list. I thought, “What the heck is ‘caramel color’? And why is it in my chili?!! Are these beans even brown? Wait…are these even real beans?” Yes…a million thoughts like that crossed my mind. Call me crazy, but ‘caramel color’ chili just doesn’t sound that appetizing. And after looking into some of those “ingredients”…let’s just say I’ll be sticking to the homemade version, thanks.
With my regular taste tester out of commission with a nasty cold (you just can’t trust the tastebuds of a sick person) I was so lucky to have my Mom here to step in. For one, I’ve missed her a ton! It’s been over a year since I’ve seen her. And two, if this chili could get her stamp of approval, that’s really saying something. She’s a true meat eater, and a little picky…okay a lot picky. So I think we were both surprised by how well she liked it.
I hope you’ll give it a try too, but before you jump in…
Just a Few Things…
- You might be tempted…but don’t skimp on the simmer time! Simmering = flavor; and this gives the flavors an opportunity to meld together and intensify.
- In step 4, careful not to over salt the chili at this point! Again, the flavors will become more intense after simmering; if necessary, you can always adjust seasonings at the end.
- If you’ve got a food processor, pull it out! This recipe involves a lot of chopping, so it’ll save you a ton of time on prep.
- 4 tbsp avocado oil
- 1½ large yellow onions, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 large jalapeños, diced, seeds left in
- 2 lbs lean ground turkey
- 2-15 oz. cans no salt added black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2-15 oz. cans no salt added diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp fire roasted chile & garlic powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- sea salt (to taste)
- Heat oil over medium heat in a dutch oven.
- Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, jalapeños; sauté for 3-5 minutes until onions are softened and translucent.
- Add turkey and cook until browned, about 7 minutes.
- Add beans, tomatoes (with liquid), chile & garlic powder, paprika, and oregano, combining well. Add salt to taste.
- Lower the heat, cover, and let chili simmer for about 45 minutes, allowing flavors to develop.
- Serve with toppings such as pepper jack cheese, cilantro, etc.
I am very jealous of the snow you are having right now.. and that you could tuck into a hearty bowl of this chili too. It’s summer here in Australia (and definitely too hot for chili) but I will be saving this recipe for the winter months!
We are in full blown blizzard weather now! The city has completely shut down, but the good thing is, this is true chili weather. But since we just had this I’ll settle for some hot tea, a good movie, and comfy sofa. Enjoy your summer!
It’s a snowy day here too and this chili is looking perfect! I love using turkey instead of beef, especially in chili! I love the addition of black beans!
Thanks Caroline! Turkey is just an all around better option if you want to make it healthier. Stay warm!
That’s one beautiful chili! It just shows how easy and simple good cooking can be!
Thanks Mimi! That’s so true, sometimes you just need a few good ingredients to make a stellar dish.
Wow! It looks really cold. Where are you Christine? It is 62 degrees in Las Cruces today. Our weather has been all over the map. This chili looks delicious – I love ground turkey! I’m working on an E Book on salad dressings, and caramel color is one of the nasty ingredients I mentioned as well. There are even studies showing a possible link to cancer. One of the best ways to encourage our readers to walk past the processed foods is with fabulous, flavorful recipes like this one. Thanks!
I’m in NYC Tamara. 62 degrees sounds fabulous right about now, but I must admit…I LOVE winter. I think it’s great that you’ll be addressing artificial ingredients in your ebook. A lot of people have no idea what they’re eating when they’re picking up food that’s supposed to be “healthy”. You’ll have to let me know when you release your ebook!
Turkey chili is one of my favourite dishes, Christine, and this recipe of yours looks fantastic. I’m pretty sure I could eat chili 3 times a week in the winter months! Your photography is beautiful!
Hope you’re keeping warm during this frigid weather! Have a great week 🙂
Thanks so much Robyn! Trying to keep warm, but with this crazy weather, it has been nearly impossible. I can imagine you’ve got some pretty frigid weather as well. But yeah, chili is a regular for us too. Spring’s just around the corner, so I’m gonna enjoy while I can!
Gorgeous pics, delicious recipe. And really nice you got to share it with mom. xo
Thanks Libby! Yeah, it was a treat getting in some time with my Mom. She hasn’t visited since I started the blog, so it was cool to share the process with her.
I’m stealing this for my Weekly Menu Plan this week, ha! Thank you 🙂
Any time 😉 By the way, that’s probably one of my most favorite recipes. We have it A LOT. lol Thanks for including it! 🙂