Turkey Vegetable Chili
This recipe and photos were provided by Sally Roeckell of Table and Dish and were originally published at 365Barrington.com.
This turkey chili is outrageously good! What makes it so good? Chili is chili right? Nope, keep reading.
The beauty of chili is that anything goes. It’s a blank canvas that allows you to be creative and adapt to your preferences. The basic recipe starts with meat, tomatoes, beans and chili pepper.
At this point, you can customize with protein and flavorful add-ins. This recipe calls for lean ground turkey over ground beef and also features onions, corn, garbanzo beans, black beans and red pepper, among other ingredients. If you’re still looking for more flavor and color, you can also add zucchini, carrots and/or sweet potatoes. Get crazy and make this recipe your way!
Many turkey chili recipes call for chicken broth, but I decided to replace the chicken broth with Tawny Port. Truth is, it was sitting on the kitchen counter and I decided to add it impulsively. That’s usually how I roll when I’m cooking. It worked wonderfully. The port added a sweetness and complexity to the overall flavor. Don’t worry, the alcohol will cook off, so it’s safe to feed your little ones.
Turkey Vegetable Chili
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients
- 1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 lb. extra lean ground turkey or chicken
- 4 Tbsp. Heinen's chili powder, or to taste
- 2 tsp. Heinen's ground cumin
- 1 tsp. Heinen's dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp. Heinen's cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp. Heinen's chipotle pepper
- 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
- 2 28-oz. cans Heinen's diced tomatoes
- 1 cup tawny port
- 1 small can of mild enchilada sauce
- 1/2 brick (4 oz.) Philadelphia cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 1 15 oz. can Heinen's dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15 oz. can Heinen's sweet corn, rinsed and drained
- 1 15 oz. can Heinen's black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15 oz. can Heinen's garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- Cheese, for topping
- Avocado, for topping
- Lime, for topping
- Tortilla chips, for topping
- Cilantro, for topping
- Sour cream, for topping
Instructions
- Add oil to a large pot and place over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and red pepper and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the ground turkey and break up the meat. Cook until no longer pink.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, chipotle pepper and salt. Stir for about 20 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes, port, enchilada sauce, beans and corn. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until the chili thickens and the flavors come together.
- Just before serving, whisk the the softened cream cheese into the chili. Stir to fully incorporate. Taste and adjust seasonings and salt as necessary. Garnish as desired.
Note: To make this recipe in the slow cooker, brown the turkey and onions before adding to the slow cooker. This is a great tailgating or football party recipe. Enjoy!
