Easy Turkey Chili (thick and hearty)
A thick, meat-forward turkey chili built on a minced vegetable base and one can of hand-crushed whole tomatoes. Twenty minutes of simmering on the stovetop, and it tastes better the next day.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 2 red bell peppers, minced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 ½ lb lean ground turkey
- ¼ cup mild chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper, more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes, optional if you want more spice
- 28 ounce can whole tomatoes, see notes
- 15 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, add the onion, and cook for 6-7 minutes, until it starts to brown.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium onion
- While the onion cooks, mince the peppers, celery, and garlic. Add them to the pot and cook for 5 minutes.2 red bell peppers, 2 stalks celery, 4 cloves garlic
- Push the vegetables to the side of the pot, add the ground turkey, and cook for about 10 minutes, until it is no longer pink, crumbling it as it cooks. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and (if using) the chili flakes.1 ½ lb lean ground turkey, ¼ cup mild chili powder, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon chili flakes, 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
- Add the tomatoes to the pot, crushing them by hand before adding them, then bring the pot to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer gently for 20 minutes.28 ounce can whole tomatoes
- Stir in the beans and let them warm through. Add the brown sugar, then season to taste with extra salt and pepper.15 ounce can kidney beans, 1 teaspoon brown sugar
Notes
Whole tomatoes: I love the rough edges of hand-crushed tomatoes. They are less uniform than diced tomatoes, which I think creates a better texture. If you don't want to squeeze juicy canned tomatoes, go ahead and use diced.
Serving: 1 serving = ¼ of the recipe, Calories: 457kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 51g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 94mg, Sodium: 1489mg, Potassium: 1695mg, Fiber: 15g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 6634IU, Vitamin C: 99mg, Calcium: 189mg, Iron: 8mg