Turkey and Black Bean Chili

A cold, dreary day in Charlotte.

When the weather is cold and gray, there is nothing more satisfying than a little comfort food to warm the body and soul! Instead of venturing out into the night on New Years Eve, I decided to stay in and reflect on the past year over a pot of Turkey and Black Bean Chili. One of the best things about chili is that if you have the base ingredients, you can really make the dish into whatever flavors you are feeling. When I cook, I generally have an idea of the dish I want to make and add to it based on what I already have at home.

After brunch on NYE, I took a trip to Trader Joe's with my neighbor, George, who swears up and down he once made the "best chili ever". (He may have - I don't know, I wasn't there.) My recipes usually come together after seeing what Alton Brown, Ree Drummond and Martha Stewart came up with via the internets (see Google). While I already had a little bit of an idea of what I had in mind while walking into Trader Joe's, it turns out their wifi is not the best so I was grocery listless.

I had a few things at home, like veggies, spices, and Birdsong Jalapeño Pale Ale (this chili's muse).Things I knew I needed: ground turkey and tomato paste. Solid list, right? So having George, the master of chili, with me really came in hand. He offered his twelve cents, which led to me picking up a pineapple-mango salsa, and even offered me some potent chili powder he already had at home! Friend goals, folks.

After a successful shopping trip, I came home and looked around my kitchen to see what else this chili would involve. Some great additions ended up being black beans, tortilla chips (thickening trick - thanks, Alton!), and an amazing salt blend made by my friend's family (hopefully in a store near you in the next 2-3 years ;).  I was ready to go!

Below is the recipe I concocted. it's full of great flavor, fairly healthy (before adding toppings), and absolutely perfect for the cold winter vibe that January is currently cranking out. Get to cookin'!


Turkey and Black Bean Chili
Serves 8-10 people

2 lbs ground turkey
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup yellow onion
1 bell pepper (color of your choice)
1 - 4 oz. can roasted green chiles
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2-3 tablespoons chili powder (use with caution)
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon oregano
Kosher salt, to taste
1 - 16 oz. Pale Ale Beer (I used CLT-local Birdsong Jalapeño Pale Ale)
1 - 28 oz. can plum tomatoes (preferably diced)
1 jar fruit salsa
1 - 15 oz. can low sodium black beans
20 tortilla chips


To begin, grab a large pot and turn your heat to medium-high. Once the pot is nice and hot, toss the ground turkey in and cook by itself for 2 minutes. Add butter and onion to the pot and toss with the ground turkey. Once the onions start to become transparent, add the pepper, chiles, red pepper flakes, chili powder, cumin, oregano salt, and garlic. Cook for 3-5 minutes.

Next, pour beer into the pot. Not only will this add flavor to your chili, but it also loosens the fond (flavor bits) from the bottom of the pot. Using a flat ended spoon or spatula will get those flavor bits up from the bottom of the pot in no time! At this point, add your can of tomatoes, salsa and black beans. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, covered for 45 minutes.

Your chili may look a little watery or loose at this stage. The final step to change all that is to add the tortilla chips to the pot. Stir the chips in and cover for 10-15 minutes. The tortilla chips are used to thicken the chili mixture. Taste and add what you feel the chili needs and you're all set to enjoy!

Toppings Ideas: avocado, sour cream, Mexican crema (FTW), green onion, chili powder, hot sauce