Turkey Chili

chili

I had no intention of putting this recipe into the blog. I tolerate chili – but I certainly don’t crave it. Every once in a while though, I read a recipe that has a “special” ingredient in it – so different, that I just have to make the recipe to see what it tastes like – even if I am not a big fan of the overall concept. This is one of those recipes.

This recipe is adapted from the Cincinnati Turkey Chili recipe printed in Cooking Light. The “special” ingredient was chocolate. The thought of chocolate and turkey with beans is not at all apealing to me – but sounds very much like a mole sauce. I had to see what it was all about – and let me tell you, it is genius. It added a richness that paired beautifully with the other flavors – the sweet green peppers, walla walla onions, cinnamon – every bite was delicious. Try it for yourself.

Ingredients

Cooking spray
8 ounces lean ground turkey
1 1/2 cups sweet onion, divided
1 cup chopped green bell pepper or mild sweet pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 1/2 tablespoons chopped semisweet chocolate
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preparation

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add turkey; cook 3 minutes, stirring to crumble. Add 1 cup onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in chili powder and next 5 ingredients (through allspice); cook 1 minute. Add broth, beans, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat; stir in chocolate and salt. Top with remaining 1/2 cup onion and cheese.

Serves 4

For a printer friendly recipe, click here: Turkey Chili