It’s January! Meaning as pretty as it may look on a sunny winter day here in Northern California, as soon as I step outside I want to turn around and head back in, where it is still toasty warm.
Days like these are perfect for cooking a big pot of chili beans, don’t you think?
The basis for this turkey chili recipe comes from my friend Kelsey’s mom Janeen. It’s one of their family favorites.
It uses naturally lean ground turkey, plenty of black beans, onions, carrots, and red bell peppers, and can be made in one big pot.
I’ve dressed the original up a little with a bit more seasonings. It’s great over rice, or with tortillas, and tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had more time to blend. Enjoy!
Black Bean Turkey Chili Recipe
This recipe produces a mildly spicy chili. You can easily add more chili powder or some cayenne to intensify the spice level if you wish. You can also add chipotle chili powder or chipotle Tabasco to give a smoky note to the chili.
As for the red bell peppers, Trader Joe's has frozen sliced bell peppers that work well for this dish.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 carrot, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 to 3 red bell peppers, chopped (about 2 cups)
- Salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- 2 Tbsp chili powder (more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 pound ground turkey (I use ground turkey thighs for more flavor)
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp cider or white vinegar
- 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained
- Freshly ground black pepper
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