RECIPE
Hearty turkey chili
By Anthea Dawson
One of my favourite lunches on a big ski day is a big bowl of chili with all the fixings (sour cream, shredded cheese, hot peppers, slices of lime, the works!) The longer this stews, the more flavourful it becomes and sometimes I find it tastes even better the next day, once all the flavours have melded together.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 15 - 30 MIN
COOKING TIME: 1 HR
TOTAL: 1 1/2 HRS
SERVES 6 to 8
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs ground turkey
- 2 white onions, chopped
- 1 red pepper, cored and seeded, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, cored and seeded, chopped (optional)
- 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes, chopped, juices reserved
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 can (15 oz) dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15 oz) light-red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- Kosher salt and pepper
- Toppings: sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, lime wedges, pickled jalapeños, chopped cilantro.
Preparation
Prep time: 15 - 30 minutes
In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and cook until it’s lightly browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. After a few minutes, add the onions, pepper, garlic and jalapeño (if using), stirring well to incorporate the turkey with the vegetables.
After about 5 minutes, stir in the chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, dried oregano and bay leaves and cook for one minute. Add the canned tomatoes and their juices, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, the beans and salt and pepper. Bring the chili up to the boil and then reduce the heat to a low simmer, for about one hour.
Taste and adjust the seasoning to your preference (I find it needs a fair bit of salt and pepper to bring out all the flavours). Spoon the chili into your serving bowls and garnish with all the toppings of your choice.