Three-bean, six-spice turkey chili

This is my not-so-famous chili recipe. I use ground turkey instead of ground beef. It feels a little bit lighter, and has a more subtle flavor than beef, yet it’s still hearty. Plus ground turkey is a little lower in fat and calories.

Great for cold days, Super Bowl parties and Frito pie. Enjoy with the beer of your choice.

I actually kept track of what I put in for a change, so these are the exact measurements. I tend to like my chili on the cumin-y side. Feel free to adjust all of the spices as you wish.

Ingredients

2 bell peppers, diced
2 medium onions, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 pounds ground turkey
A 28 ounce can and a 15 ounce can of unseasoned tomato sauce or tomato puree
4 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons ground cumin
4 tablespoons dried cilantro
3 tablespoons dried oregano
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground chipotle pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 cups water
1 15 ounce can of red kidney beans
1 15 ounce can of black beans
1 15 ounce can of pinto beans
Salt to taste

What to do

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven. Add the bell peppers and onions. Sauté until the onions are translucent.

Add the garlic, and saute for 2-3 minutes more, being careful not to burn the garlic, onions or bell pepper.

Add the ground turkey. Stir continuously to break it up into small-ish bits. Cook until the turkey browns and the liquid is almost completely gone.

Add the tomato sauce and the water. Let simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes or until the mixture starts to thicken.

Stir in the spices and simmer for 5-10 minutes more. You should start to see a 1-inch ring of cooked tomato gunk around inside the pot.

Stir in the beans and cook long enough to heat the beans through. That should take no more than 15 minutes. Be careful not to the chili come a boil, otherwise the beans will turn to mush.