Not My Mom's Turkey Chili

Growing up, a favorite meal my mom would cook was her chili. It was a huge operation, with a spicy and mild batch prepared to feed 8 ravenous bellies for days on end. That's exactly what we would do, it was that good! Watching her prepare it over the years, I learned some of her techniques (she didn't cook scratch meals terribly often working full time and raising 6 kids!) Now I have a recipe of my own, after years of tweaking and adjusting the ingredients, and this recipe boasts 3 kinds of beans for extra protein and fiber and is packed with flavor too!

Not My Mom's Turkey Chili

You will need:
1 can (14.5oz) Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes (I love Muir Glen)
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (15 oz) black beans-drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans-retain liquid
1 can (15 oz) pinto beans-retain liquid
1 sweet onion, chopped or diced (per preference or if there a some who won't eat an onion if they see it 😂)
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 lbs lean turkey (I use 93% because it closely mimics ground beef, but feel free to use the lower fat options!)
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp Chinese 5 spice
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp cayenne powder or chili flakes (optional for spicy chili)
1-2 tbsp dark agave nectar (optional, for a slightly sweet flavor)

Toppings (recommended but totally optional):
Shredded cheddar cheese
Low fat sour cream
Diced green onion
Diced red onion (I like the sweet flavor of red onion in contrast to the tangy green onion)

​Putting it all together:
In a large saucepan, put oil, onions and garlic on medium heat and cook for about 1 minute. Add turkey meat and cook until brown; drain. Next add all the canned items (diced tomatoes, sauce, drained black beans, kidney and pinto beans with liquid) spices, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Stir well and cover; cook until just simmering, then reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally.
After about 20 minutes, I usually taste the batch and decide if I want to add a little sweet and/or spicy flair to it (I usually do, but keep the spice 🌶 out now so my son can enjoy it too!) Once you've added your optional spices, cover and allow the flavors to meld on low for another 20-30 minutes on low heat, giving chili a stir every few minutes.
*Bay leaves don't have to be picked out (I always leave them in, it seems to help make the leftover chili taste even more amazing the next day!) but make sure you don't have one on your spoon before taking a bite!
Lets eat! Spoon into a nice deep bowl and load with your favorite toppings as desired 🤗 This recipe makes about 10 servings, so it's perfect for family meals, meal prep, and freezes well too!

The groundhog lied to us, and we have about 2 inches of snow on the ground right now. So we will be enjoying this chili for dinner tonight! I hope you will have a chance to try it too, please let me know what you think!

Nutrition information for this recipe (without toppings) per 1 cup serving from MFP below! 👇