I made this Sunday night in preparation for our snow day! It was DELICIOUS, but better than that, it's actually semi-healthy! I used turkey instead of ground beef, and I added finely chopped carrots and butternut squash (just had it in the fridge) for an extra veggie dose. The original recipe calls for chopped zucchini, but I didn't have it and I'm not sure if I would like that, but feel free to use that if you like!
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp. ancho chili powder (if you don't have ancho, just double up on regular)
1 tsp. regular chili powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 (7 ounce) can salsa
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or coarsely chopped tomatoes packed in puree
1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Crumble turkey into the pot, stirring with a wooden spoon to break apart as much as possible. Season with taco seasoning mix, oregano, chili powder, and tomato paste, and mix until meat is evenly coated with seasonings. Continue cooking, reducing heat if necessary, until turkey is well browned.
Pour in beef broth, and simmer to reduce liquid slightly, about 5 minutes. Add salsa, tomatoes, and green chilies, and continue cooking at a moderate simmer for ten minutes. Adjust the thickness at any time you feel necessary by adding water.
While chili is still cooking, heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion and green bell pepper, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent and bell pepper is lightly browned. This is where I added the carrots and squash. Add veggie mix to the chili, and continue cooking at a very low simmer.
Ladle chili into serving bowls. Top with sour cream, green onion, and cheddar cheese, and serve.
This was the best chili we've ever made and it had just the right amount of spice.
Enjoy!!!
