Cool weather, football season, toasty fireplaces, altogether signal chili season for us. So upgrade that vintage package of chili powder seasoning lurking in the back of your cabinet with something that takes a little more effort, but provides a welcome depth of flavor. Let this hearty turkey chili recipe guide you. To make it, you’ll blend a robust purée of dried chiles and canned chipotles to serve as the soup’s base.
Building a custom chile blend allows you to create the chili of your dreams, which is to say: don’t worry too much if you can’t find the exact chiles that are recommend. Dark ancho chiles are smoky and have a raisiny sweetness; skinny, wrinkly pasillas a rich jamminess; and smooth-skinned guajillos bring bright red color and acidity. If you need to swap one out, aim for something around the same heat level. Feel free to make a double batch and stick half in the freezer (for up to 6 months) to make satisfying your next weeknight chili craving even easier. Of course, you’d need two large pots to pull that off.
Dark meat turkey is preferred for its richer flavor and fat content, but if all you have in the fridge is lean ground turkey or ground chicken, it’ll work. Brown it in batches to get a really good sear—the crusty fond that forms on the bottom of the pot is big-time flavor. When you sauté the onion, use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those bits (the steam from the veggies will help release them) and stir them into the mix. The flavor a bottle of hard cider or beer added to chili is preferred, but if you’d rather cook without alcohol, substitute fresh apple cider, a can of crushed tomatoes or tomato juice, or add a cup more water instead.
Round out the soup with creamy white beans, but any canned bean will be a good substitute such as red kidney beans, pinto beans, or black beans. Like many comfort foods, chili is personal: put out bowls of shredded cheddar cheese, thinly sliced green onion, or pickled jalapeños, if you like. Serve with broken tostadas or tortilla chips for scooping or cornbread for dunking.
With any leftovers, create another meal by filling sweet baked potatoes topped with shredded cheese of your choice, or how about a platter of nachos to go with that football game? While we’ve made (and posted) many a chili recipe, this one has now taken the top spot overall!
A Fabulous Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
- 3 large or 6 medium ancho chiles (we used dried)
- 2 dried guajillo chiles
- 2 dried pasilla chiles
- 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo
- 4 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
- 3 lb. ground turkey, preferably dark meat
- Kosher salt
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
- 2 tsp. dried oregano
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 12-oz. bottle hard cider or lager-style beer
- 1 3” cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 15.5-oz. cans cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
- 2 15-oz. cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
- 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (from 1–2 limes), optional
- Handful of cilantro leaves and stems, finely chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Tostadas (for serving)
Directions
- Bring 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth to a simmer on stovetop in a large Dutch oven or other heavy large pot. Meanwhile, remove and discard stems from 3 large or 6 medium ancho chiles, 2 dried guajillo chiles, and 2 dried pasilla chiles. Tear flesh into a few pieces, letting seeds fall out. Transfer to a blender. Add hot broth and cover blender; let sit until chiles are softened, 25–30 minutes. Add 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo and blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute; set aside.
- Warm 2 tablespoons oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Season turkey all over with salt. Add half of turkey to pot and smash down with a wooden spoon to flatten against surface of pot and break into smaller clumps. Cook, undisturbed, until underside is browned, top side is no longer pink, and most of the liquid is cooked off, 8–10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining turkey, another 8-10 minutes.
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in same pot over medium. Add 2 white or yellow onions, finely chopped and 5 garlic cloves, smashed; season with kosher salt and stir to combine. Cover pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, very soft, and starting to brown around the edges, 10–12 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon ground cumin and 2 tsp. dried oregano and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and sizzling, about 1 minute.
- Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook, stirring to coat vegetables, until paste darkens slightly, about 1 minute. Add one 12-oz. bottle hard cider or lager-style beer, one 3” cinnamon stick, and 2 bay leaves and scrape up any brown bits stuck to bottom of pot. Bring to a lively simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is mostly reduced, about 5 minutes.
- Add reserved chile purée, two 15.5-oz. cans cannellini beans, drained, rinsed, cans of diced tomatoes with their juices, and 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup to pot. Add 1 cup water to blender, swish around to loosen any remaining purée, then pour into pot; season with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and gently simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until liquid is thickened and very flavorful, about 1 hour. Add turkey and simmer until flavors have melded, about 30 minutes longer.
- If desired, add 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1–2 limes), and a handful of cilantro leaves and stems, finely chopped as a garnish. Season to taste with salt.
- Taste chili and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper if needed. Remove from heat and fish out cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Divide chili among bowls. Top with cilantro and lime juice, and some broken tostadas.
Do ahead: Chili (without toppings) can be made 3 days ahead and tastes even better the next day. Transfer to an airtight container and chill. Reheat over medium-low.
Adapted from a recipe by Carla Lalli Music
Accounting for Taste 