Classic Turkey Chili

I know you’re not cold today, but it’s going to be cold again before it’s perma-warm, and when it is, you’re going to want some of this turkey chili.  As much as I hate me some winter, I do appreciate having a good reason to make a giant pot of hot and satisfying turkey chili, one of my go-to winter recipes.  So, even if it has been in the 60’s this week, I’m making it anyways, and not to be bossy, but so should you.  Gather your ingredients, folks.

(Yes, I made this picture tiny on purpose because sadly, I didn’t realize until just this moment that I only have blurry ones.  And after all that careful mise en place too… Sigh.)  Nevertheless, we press on.  We begin by heating some olive oil in a Dutch oven.  Then toss in a diced red onion.

Let it get a little soft (maybe 3-4 minutes), then add a diced red bell pepper and a diced jalapeno pepper (I keep the seeds, but that’s up to you), and after those get a bit soft as well, throw in about 6-8 minced garlic cloves.

Good job.  It’s almost painful how easy this is.  We can barely call this cooking, am I right?  Now add approximately a pound of ground turkey meat and break it up until it browns.

Perfect.  We’re ready for the good stuff.  We’re adding tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper.  We’re stirring it around to coat everything evenly.  This one’s so beautiful.  Let’s look at a giant picture of it.  I love this stage.  You can just tell it’s gonna taste good.

Alright, now it’s time to turn it into a soup.  We add crushed tomatoes, beer, kidney beans, and a couple bay leaves.

Simmer that puppy for about half an hour on low with the lid.  Then take the lid off and keep it simmering for another half an hour.

Now you’re ready to top it with whatever goodies you want and snuggle up on the couch, preferably with a glass of wine and a good movie.  Yeah, you can do this on a weeknight, but if you want to let it simmer really well, it’s great to plan for a weekend.  Let it take its time.  Let yourself enjoy it!   Maybe you can make some cornbread while you’re letting that soup simmer away.  Maybe you’re folding the laundry?  Maybe you’re cleaning up the dishes you just got dirty so that when you’re done with your delicious bowl of soup, you don’t have any chores left to do!  And then you’ll wake up in the morning to a clean kitchen!  This weekend, we enjoyed our chili while watching the M. Night Shyamalan movie, The Visit.  Another super creepy win for M. Night!

Ok, I got distracted.  Let’s talk about toppings, and then I’ll set you free to go make your chili.  You can, of course, use sour cream, but I like a nice full fat Greek yogurt.  Why?  Because I always have it in the fridge and it tastes exactly like sour cream. That’s why.  I also insist on a shredded sharp cheddar cheese.  I phoned it in on this one and got the pre-shredded kind, but I think we all know that when you hand-shred it, it tastes better.  And last but not least, sliced green onions give it the last little kick it needs for chili perfection.

[lt_recipe name=”Classic Turkey Chili ” servings=”6-8″ prep_time=”20M” cook_time=”75M” total_time=”1H 35M” difficulty=”Easy” summary=”The perfect weekend meal for a cold winter night and for refueling tired muscles!” print=”yes” image=”http://www.eighteenalmonds.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/IMG_9656-150×150.jpg” ingredients=”Olive oil;1 large red onion, diced;1 red bell pepper, diced;1 jalapeno pepper, diced;6-8 garlic cloves, minced;1 lb. ground turkey;2 tbsp chili powder;1 tbsp cumin;1 tsp dried oregano;1/2 tsp cayenne pepper;3 tbsp tomato paste;2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes;2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed;1 can of dark beer or IPA;2 bay leaves;Greek yogurt or sour cream for serving;Shredded cheddar cheese for serving;Sliced green onions for serving” ]In a Dutch oven, heat 2-3 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until slightly softened, 3-4 minutes. Add bell pepper and jalapeno, and saute another 2-3 minutes until all vegetables are softened. Add garlic and stir for a minute. ;Add ground turkey and stir to brown. Mix in the next five ingredients until everything is evenly coated in the spices. ;Add crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, beer, and bay leaves to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and let simmer for half an hour. Uncover and allow to simmer for another half hour. ;To serve, top with Greek yogurt or sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and green onions. Serve alongside cornbread if you’d like. And pour yourself a drink because you obviously deserve it.[/lt_recipe]