Confetti Turkey Chili

Hi there! How’s it going?

How was your weekend?

My weekend was super fun because I actually got to do Girls Weekend with my mom and sister in E’s new town (while my poor dad was cleaning out my grandma’s apartment…). It was so nice to have quiet time with just the three of us and play tourist in my sister’s new stomping grounds.

E has a pretty rigorous and time-consuming job, so she gets home pretty late at night and doesn’t want to cook (totally get it). So when we go see her, or when E comes home, we usually bring/send back easy meals that are easy to freeze and reheat. Simple suppers are always at hand and we know that she’s eating a nutritious meal at the end of a crazy long day.

Last week, my mom stocked up on ground turkey meat with the intent of making meatballs to bring up to my sister’s place for the weekend. But after a little discussion, we decided that chili would be a better (and more summer-y!) option.

Confetti Turkey Chili starts out with the “confetti” – the bright bits of color that give this chili a solid veggie foundation.

Bell peppers, celery, onions, and garlic. Simple, but so tasty. Plus, this is also a great way to sneak in some veggie goodness into your family’s meal (always an added bonus).

When the vegetables get soft, toss in two pounds of ground turkey and use a spatula to break up the meat into smaller chunks.

You want to cook ground meat (especially turkey) very well, so be patient – this step can take 5-10 minutes.

When the meat has been completely browned, add in a large can of whole tomatoes that you have broken down slightly (more confetti for the chili!).

My mom actually uses kitchen shears to cut up the whole tomatoes in the can, but you can cut them up in the can with a knife or crush them with your hands. Your choice!

All that’s left is to add in herbs and spices that make it chili!

Chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. (sorry for the steamy photo!)

All that’s left is to let the chili simmer a little bit, stir in a can of black beans, and let it simmer some more.

Yum! And I love that you can still see all the beautiful bits of vegetable! I love pretty food, don’t you?

All that’s left is to dish it up, garnish it, and devour.

I added some thick wedges of avocado and a couple of tortilla chips, but you can add whatever fixins’ float your boat! A dollop of fat-free sour cream or Greek yogurt, some shredded low fat cheese, some pico de gallo, guacamole, diced onions, jalapeños, cilantro, etc. The options are endless.

I hope you enjoy this easy, quick (and healthy) chili recipe.

Happy Tuesday, kiddos!

C

Confetti Turkey Chili

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Simply A (RD) Fact: Want to sneak some extra veggies into your family's diet? This chili is loaded with vegetables as its base, which means that you are getting all the beneficial vitamins and minerals of all that veggie goodness.

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium-sized bell peppers, diced (preferably red, orange, or yellow)
• 2 medium-sized onions, diced
• 4 stalks of celery, cut into half-moons
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 pounds lean ground turkey
• 1-28oz can whole San Marzano tomatoes, cut with kitchen shears/knife/crushed with hands
• 3 tablespoons + ½ teaspoon dark chili powder
• 1½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne powder – if you are sensitive to heat, use half the amount of cayenne
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1-15oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• Hot sauce to taste

Instructions

1. In a large, high-sided skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the bell peppers, onions, celery, and garlic. Cook until vegetables become soft and tender, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Move the veggies to the outside of the skillet and add in the ground turkey. Using your spoon/spatula, break the ground turkey into small pieces. Cook until completely browned – this can take a while, about 5-10 minutes (so be patient… it’s all worth it!).
3. When the turkey is browned, add in the tomatoes and the herbs and spices. NOTE – this recipe yields a spicy chili… if you are sensitive to heat, halve the amount of cayenne pepper (you can always add more heat with hot sauce later!). Stir to combine and then simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Add in the black beans and stir to combine. Taste chili to assess seasoning and spiciness and adjust per your tastes – if you want a spicier chili, add in some hot sauce. Simmer the chili for another 15 minutes to let the flavors meld and the beans to heat through.
5. Serve with the traditional chili fixins’ like avocado, taco chips, and shredded cheese.
6. Enjoy!

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