So this recipe comes with a bit of a life update. Most of you know me as a vegetarian. Well about a month and a half ago I decided to go back to eating meat. It was a hard choice and one I thought a lot about but in the end I thought it was best for my health. Since going back to eating meat, I haven't had too many issues adjusting but it's just that - an adjustment. I still enjoy eating veggie burgers and meals with veggies but I've added meat back in as well. With that being said, I've been careful of what meats I eat - I try not to eat red meat and I don't eat bacon. I try to stick with leaner meats and chicken if I can!
Anyways, today it's rainy and gloomy in Findlay. I like to do my meal prep on Sunday afternoons because most of the time I can throw things in the crock pot and relax. This is one of those recipes! I looked all over Pinterest for turkey chili recipes before deciding to try this one. I tried to find one without corn since I have been counting my macros and corn has a lot of carbs. This one has turkey, veggies, and beans. I also liked this recipe because it calls for low sodium things. So without any further ado, here is how you make this turkey chili.
**I just taste tested this recipe and it does have some heat to it so if you aren't a spicy person, I'll let you know what to cut out or limit.
Here's what you'll need:
2 lbs ground turkey, extra lean
3 garlic cloves, minced or 1.5 tsp of minced garlic in a jar
2 large onions, finely chopped
4 large celery stalks, sliced thinly
3 large bell peppers, chopped
14 oz can red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
14 oz can any white beans, drained & rinsed
28 oz can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes, low sodium
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, low sodium
1 tbsp chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced **Limit or eliminate this is you aren't a heat person
1 tbsp chili powder ** You can also limit this, I wouldn't completely remove it, maybe just do 1/2 a tbsp
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
oil, for frying - I used extra virgin olive oil since that's what I had on hand
The first step in to brown your ground turkey in a sauté pan or a large pot.
Once your turkey is done, remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl. In your hot pan/pot, add a little oil, garlic, and onion and sauté for 5 minutes.
Next, add in your celery and sauté for 5 minutes as well.
After 10 minutes, add in your bell peppers and let those sauté for another 5 minutes.
Next, add your turkey back in the pot along with the rest of your ingredients.
Stir everything together and let it come to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce to low heat and simmer for and 1 hour +. I let mine go as long as possible so my veggies were soft and to let all the flavors mix.
After an hour has passed (or longer if you like) you're done! You can serve this with sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips, or cornbread! Whatever your favorite chili toppings/ side dishes are. Again, this is a spicier recipe so be mindful of your spices. Another great thing about this recipe is you can easily throw this in your crock pot. You'll brown the turkey and sauté your veggies but after that, you can toss everything in your crock pot and let it cook 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. This is great for a cold rainy day like today, for a quick family dinner, or for meal prep, which is what I'm using it for. It's great because this recipe is also healthy and mindful of macros. The nutrition facts are below.
Here is the link for the FULL recipe.
