For some reason, I haven’t made this black bean & turkey chili for ages. But I stumbled across the recipe last weekend, and decided it was just the thing to make Monday after the end of a long day of writing. It’s the perfect sort of dish for when you are feeling brain tired and uninspired…it’s simple, tasty, hard to mess up, and doesn’t require too much chopping!
This recipe makes a ton…but it freezes well, which is great for creating some future in-a-pinch meals. Or, save yourself some labor if you are having a Labor Day get-together. Since the weather is easing toward fall, a comforting chili may feel just right!
Black Bean & Turkey Chili
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2-3 cups yellow onion, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (use more, if you like)
- 1-1/2 pounds ground turkey
- 2 bell peppers (red, orange or yellow), finely chopped
- 2 cups diced celery
- 16 ounces salsa
- 1 4-ounce can diced jalepeno chilis
- 2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 2 14.4-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 14.5-ounce can corn, drained, or about 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 1 teaspoon chili powder (or adjust to taste…there is a lot of variation in the heat and intensity chili powders, since they are generally spice blends unless the name specifically says the name of one type of chili)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: Grated cheese, diced avocado or dollops of sour cream for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a 5 1/2 quart Dutch oven or other heavy pot. Cook onion for 5 minutes.
- Add ground turkey and brown lightly, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.
- Add bell peppers, celery and garlic and stir together. Then, add the salsa and chilis and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes with sauce, black beans, corn, chili powder and cumin.
- Stir well and let simmer until heated through (can be left to simmer longer if you need it to).
- Season with salt and pepper, if needed.
