Fire Roasted Chili, plus Turkey

Fire-Roasted Chili with Turkey is an easy weeknight meal that features lean ground turkey, fire-roasted vegetables, spices, and beans. It's packed with a little heat, a unique smoky flavor, and a secret ingredient you won't want to miss.

We have been making this turkey chili for the last 28 years! It sounds insane, but it's one of the first things we learned to cook. We never followed a recipe, but we recently put it all down on paper to hopefully nudge our husband to cook for us for a change (wink-wink), while immortalizing one of the easiest meals to prepare.

The one change we made over the years was switching to fire-roasted veggies (tomatoes, green chiles, and corn). Don't worry, this is a true pantry-lovers chili, with easy-to-find ingredients. Using fire-roasted vegetables adds a little smokiness to the dish. Oh and keep reading to reveal the secret ingredient!

Did we also mention that this is a one-pot Mexican-inspired chili that is as versatile as it is good? You can adjust any of the ingredients to suit your tastes. We like it moderately spicy but sometimes we're heavy-handed on the heat. Make it with beans, corn, or without, or swap the turkey for ground beef, sausage, or meatless variety.

Fire-roasted chili ingredients

No fussy ingredients here! Stock on extra pantry ingredients so you can make this turkey chili anytime.

• Onions we like to use Spanish or yellow onions for the best taste. White or red onion will also work.
• Bell pepper we usually use green bell peppers for a balance of color, but red bell peppers have a slightly sweeter taste. Use whatever you have on hand.
• Turkey Ground turkey (not ground breast). We like 93% lean.
• Fire-roasted tomatoes These are tomatoes that have been charred on an open flame, giving them a smoky kick. They are found in the canned tomato aisle. You can also use plain diced tomatoes.
• Green chiles Look for diced green chiles, or fire-roasted chiles in a can. Usually found in the international section of the grocery store. You could also use fresh jalapeno, seeded and diced (this will make it quite spicy though).
• Chili powder For heat. Use more or less to taste.
• Cumin For a little smoky flavor.
• Cocoa powder You found it! The secret ingredient. And nope, it won't make your chili taste like chocolate (although we're not hating that idea). Rather it enhances the chili flavors and other spices, making them stand out more. It also adds a rich umami flavor that helps when using mostly pantry ingredients (which can sometimes be bland). You can leave it out if you prefer.
• Salt and pepper To taste.
• Beans we use kidney beans, but black, white, or pinto beans work great.
• Corn To add to the smoky flavor, look for fire-roasted corn, but any canned or frozen corn will do. Do not use creamed corn.
• Toppings shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, jalapenos, cilantro, lime, or tortilla chips, optional.

Step-by-step instructions

Here is a quick overview of how to make this turkey chili with fire-roasted veggies. We make everything in one large pot or Dutch oven for easy cleanup.

Step 1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, saute the oil, onions, and peppers until soft, about 5 minutes.

Step 2. Add the ground turkey, break it up with a wooden spoon or spatula, and saute until it is no longer pink.

Step 3. Add the tomatoes, chiles, spices, cocoa powder, and stock. Cover the pot, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, (covered) for 15 minutes.

Step 4. After 15 minutes, remove the cover, add the beans and corn, and continue to cook on low (uncovered), for another 5-10 minutes.

Taste for seasoning, and adjust as needed. Serve garnished with your favorites- crushed tortillas, shredded cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, avocado, lime, cilantro, or our popular pickled red onions.

Expert tip

Adding the beans near the cooking time's end helps preserve their shape and texture.

Substitutions and variations

Don't have an ingredient? Check out these variations.

• Meat or meatless Use any ground meat you like, such as ground beef, sausage, or chorizo. Sub in your favorite plant-based meat if you prefer.
• Fire-roasted veggies Can't find fire-roasted tomatoes or corn? No worries! Use diced tomatoes or plain old canned or frozen corn. If you want to add smoky flavor, add ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika or liquid smoke to the chili.
• Chiles Add fresh chilis to kick up the heat.
• Beans You can use any bean for this chili. Black or white beans are good choices or use a combination of beans. You can also omit them if you don't like them.
• Herbs Fresh herbs, such as rosemary, sage, or thyme go well with turkey.

Storage and prep

Turkey chili can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make it in advance to save time. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Kitchen questions

What if we can't find fire-roasted vegetables?

No worries, use regular diced tomatoes, corn, and chiles. There will still be plenty of smoky flavor in the chili to enjoy.

We don't like turkey, what else can we use?

You can use any meat you like. Ground beef, sausage, chorizo, and kielbasa are all great choices. You can also make this meatless by using your favorite meat substitute.

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Ingredients

Makes 6

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 large bell pepper, chopped (about 1.5 cups) (any color)
• 16 ounces (1 pound) ground lean turkey (not ground turkey breast) (93% lean, 7% fat)
• ½ tsp Kosher or fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 can (4.5 ounces) fire-roasted or regular diced green chiles, mild
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 can (15-15.5 ounces) beans (kidney, black, pinto) (rinsed and drained)
• 1 can (14.5 ounces or 1½ cups frozen) fire-roasted or regular corn
• shredded cheese, sour cream, lime wedges, cilantro, tortilla chips, avocado or hot sauce for serving

Equipment

• large pot or Dutch oven

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers, and saute unitl softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the turkey and salt, breaking up the meat. Cook until the turkey is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes, chiles, spices, cocoa powder, and stock. Cover the pot, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, (covered) for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the cover, add the beans and corn, and continue to cook on low (uncovered), for another 5-10 minutes.

4. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Serve hot with tortilla chips, cilantro, shredded cheese, avocado, jalepenos, and/or sour cream.

Kitchen notes

Fire-roasted veggies: Fire-roasted tomatoes can be found in the canned tomato section of the grocery store. Can't find fire-roasted tomatoes or corn? No worries! Use diced tomatoes or plain old canned or frozen corn. If you want to add smoky flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika or liquid smoke to the chili.

Storage: Turkey chili can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make it in advance to save time. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.