My dinner inspiration comes from different places. Sometimes it is something I saw on television. Sometimes it is something someone said. It can come from something I read. At times it also comes from a craving of one thing that leads to another.
My grandmother passed away last week, so she has been on my mind a lot. Don’t worry, this isn’t a sad post! In thinking about her, I was thinking about all the time I spent at her house after school and on weekends. I loved being with my grandparents and sometimes my mom would have to drag me home after she got off work. I think at a young age, I realized how special my grandparents were.
My Nana wasn’t a great cook. In fact, far from it. She used to tell us that when the smoke alarm went off, dinner was ready. She liked everything with a bit of char, it was her own special seasoning. I confess I didn’t always love everything my grandma would serve–honestly, a lot of it was not even memorable–but I did love her cornbread! My goodness. That woman could make cornbread. She used to say the secret was her decades old cast iron pan.
Of course thinking about my grandmother started a craving for cornbread. However, unless you are my grandmother (who loved hers soaked in milk as a complete meal), one doesn’t live on cornbread alone. And what better to go with cornbread than chili!
I don’t remember my grandmother ever eating chili. Maybe she did, but I certainly don’t remember it. However, we ate a LOT of chili at home (when my mom successfully got us to leave my grandparents!). My dad made Frito Pie weekly and it was a family favorite!
I can’t say I have ever found a chili I didn’t like. Whether you make it with beans, without beans, Southwestern, Midwestern, I tend to like it all. Oh, and the heartier the better. I like my chili to eat like a meal! I prefer when it is fork friendly.
I have a couple go-to chili recipes. One I have made for years and it is super beefy with no beans. It is delicious, but also not the leanest, healthiest chili ever made. It is good though!
The second one is a more recent recipe that I’ve put together and the more I make it, the more I enjoy it. My Turkey Chili is big on flavor, but light on calories and fat. It relies on ground turkey as a base and packs a flavor punch thanks to simple spices, tomatoes and time.
As you are making this recipe, one thing you will notice is that I don’t put any kind of chili pepper–chipotle, jalapeño, cayenne or otherwise–in the recipe. While my husband and I don’t mind a little heat, my kiddo can’t handle it. So to keep it family friendly, I choose to let everyone kick up the spice to their desired level using their favorite hot sauce.
This turkey chili is super easy, very hearty and even healthy. I know it looks like a lot of ingredients, but don’t let that fool you. Each one subtly contributes to the flavor profile.
I cook this recipe on the stove top, but you could just as easily toss everything in a slow cooker after step three. Just cook it on low for 4-5 hours in a Crock Pot.
Whether you are a fan of turkey chili or not, give it a try. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised how beefy it tastes. Oh! And don’t forget the cornbread!
Healthy & Hearty Turkey Chili
Course: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings10
minutes2
hours288
kcalChili is as American as apple pie. It is synonymous with fall, football and big family gatherings. It also can get pretty unhealthy very fast. Thanks to the use of turkey and lots of spices, this version is as healthy as it is hearty. If you keep the ingredients a secret, nobody will miss all the fat! Turkey Chili is great as a weekend dinner or perfect for the next game day celebration. You can even double or triple it for a crowd it is so versatile.
Ingredients
2 slices white sandwich bread, crumbed
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1 pound 85/15 ground turkey
1 1/2 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tbs chili powder
2 tbs tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tbs ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp Better than Bouillon Chicken Base
3/4 cup water
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 15oz can red kidney beans, rinsed
1 14oz can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Hot sauce, such as Cholula or Tabasco
Salt and Pepper
Directions
- Mash bread and soy sauce into paste in large bowl using fork. Add ground turkey and knead with hands until well combined.
- Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and bell pepper and cook until softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in chili powder, tomato paste, garlic, cumin, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken base and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add turkey mixture and cook, breaking up turkey with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in water, scraping up any browned bits.
- Stir in Worcestershire sauce, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover, leaving lid about 1/2-inch ajar. Cook 90 minutes to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in vinegar. Adjust consistency with extra hot water as needed. Season with hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Add your favorite chili toppings prior to serving. Enjoy!
