Art Smith’s Turkey & Pinto Bean Chili

This simple and flavorful chili is a lighter version of a classic beef chili. It is wonderful healthy option. It was included on a list of Food and Wine magazine’s best chilis.

The recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Art Smith. In the article he said, “(this) turkey chili is a big favorite of Oprah’s.” I modified the proportions and added additional toppings. We ate it with corn muffins and green salad on the side- it was still “healthy-ish!” 🙂

Yield: 6 to 8 

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 pounds ground turkey
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 6 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 1 large or 2 small carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
• three 15-ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup beer (such as lager)( I used Negra Modelo)
• 1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• sliced scallions or chopped chives, for garnish
• sour cream, for serving, optional
• shredded cheese, for serving, optional

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until shimmering. Add half of the turkey and cook over medium-high heat, undisturbed, until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes.
2. Stir the turkey, season with salt and pepper, and cook until no pink remains, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer the cooked turkey to a bowl.
3. Repeat with 1 more tablespoon of oil and the remaining turkey.
4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the onion to the pot. Cook over moderate heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the garlic, chile powder, cumin, oregano and chipotle powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
6. Return the turkey to the pot.
7. Stir in the carrot, bell pepper, tomato puree, beans and lager and bring to a boil.
8. Stir in the stock and vinegar, cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes.
9. Add the thyme, season with salt and pepper and serve, garnished with scallions or chives.

One-Pot Turkey Chili with Cornmeal Buttermilk Biscuits

We ate this wonderful one-pot dish during the Super Bowl this year. The chili and biscuit dough can be made in advance, even several hours in advance, so it was perfect for the occasion. It also complemented our mandatory game day guacamole.

The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I modified the proportions to serve 8 people- so that we would have leftovers! 😉 I reheated the chili, topped it with the biscuit dough and placed it in the oven just before serving. Great.

Yield: Serves 8

For the Cornmeal Biscuits:

• 1 cup/120 grams all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup/92 grams fine yellow cornmeal
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 8 T/113 grams cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup/177 ml buttermilk or plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced, plus more for serving
• milk, more buttermilk, or yogurt, for finishing
• 3+ tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino-Romano, for finishing

For the Turkey Chili:

• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds ground turkey
• 1 very large or 2 medium yellow onions, diced
• 1-2 jalapeños, seeded (if desired) and diced (I used 1 1/2 jalapeños)
• 6 garlic cloves, finely grated, passed through a press or minced
• 1 1/2 T chili powder
• 2 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more to taste, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes with juices (I used San Marzano)
• 3 (15-ounce) cans pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish
• sour cream or Greek yogurt, for serving, optional
• sliced or pickled jalapeños, for serving, optional

To Prepare the Biscuit Dough:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda.
2. Using a pastry cutter (or your hands), cut (or rub) in the butter until mixture resembles rolled oats.
3. Fold in the buttermilk and scallion slices.
4. Gently stir mixture until it comes together in a moist, sticky mass. Cover bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. (This can be done a day in advance.)
5. Heat oven to 425 degrees, preferably on convection.

To Prepare the Turkey Chili:

1. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until it thins. (I used an enameled cast iron pan. A cast iron skillet would also be great.)
2. Stir in turkey and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until it’s no longer pink with some browned bits, about 7 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium, and add onion and jalapeño, and cook until translucent and tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in garlic, chili powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, oregano, cumin, and pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer.
5. Using kitchen shears (or your hands), break up tomatoes and add them, along with the juices, to the pan. (I cut the tomatoes while they are still in the can.)
6. Add beans and remaining 3/4 teaspoons salt, and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. If the mixture seems very dry, add a few tablespoons water. It should be juicy-looking but not wet.
7. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Taste and add more salt, if needed.

To Finish the Dish:

1. Divide biscuit dough into 8 equal balls. Use your palm to flatten each ball into a 3/4-inch-thick disk. Arrange on top of turkey chili.
2. Brush biscuits lightly with buttermilk, and sprinkle grated cheese on top.
3. Transfer skillet to oven and cook until biscuits are golden at the edges, 20 to 30 minutes. (I cooked mine for 22 minutes on convection.)
4. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional cilantro and scallions, if desired. Serve with sour cream and sliced or pickled jalapeños.

Rich Turkey Chili with Bacon, Dark Beer & Chocolate

My daughter and I really enjoy watching Queer Eye on Netflix together. It is so positive and full of love. She is particularly a fan of Antoni, the chef. We were excited to check out his cookbook! 🙂

This fabulous chili recipe was adapted from Antoni in the Kitchen by Antoni Porowski. I modified the proportions. It was rich, full-flavored, and hearty. We ate it with lots of toppings, cornbread muffins and green salad. I’m planning to make it again to serve on a really chilly evening. Everyone loved it.

Super Bowl 2021 Update: This chili was absolutely delicious served with beer bread.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

For the Chili:

• 1/3 to 1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips (4-5 slices)
• 1 3/4 to 2 pounds ground turkey, preferably dark meat
• Kosher salt
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 medium or 1 1/2 large onions, coarsely chopped (about 3 cups)
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into small cubes
• 3 T tomato paste
• 5 to 8 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, seeded (if desired), finely chopped, plus 1 to 2 T adobo sauce (I didn’t seed the chile)
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 (15-oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14-oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (12-oz) bottle dark beer (such as Guiness or Negra Modelo)
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (scant 1/2 cup) (I used 72% cacao)
• 2 T apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp molasses or dark brown sugar

For the Toppings:

• sliced avocado
• chopped fresh cilantro
• grated cheddar
• diced red or white onion
• pickled jalapeños
• sour cream or Greek yogurt
• lime wedges

1. In a large Dutch oven or other wide heavy pot with a lid, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. (I used a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a large bowl.
2. Cook the turkey in the remaining bacon fat over high heat, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat into small bits with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
3. Season turkey with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, then transfer and any juices to the bowl with the bacon.
4. Heat the oil in the same pot over medium to medium-high heat.
5. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onions are golden, about 8 minutes.
6. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, then stir in the chipotle and adobo sauce, oregano, cumin, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
7. Add the beans, crushed tomatoes, beer, stock, chocolate, and turkey-bacon mixture. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the chili is deeply flavorful, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
8. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vinegar and molasses or brown sugar.
9. Adjust the seasoning, to taste. Serve hot with toppings, as desired.

Turkey Corn Chowder with Bacon

This chowder was the best use of leftover turkey I’ve found so far. It was so wonderful, it may have to become the traditional recipe for leftover Thanksgiving turkey in my house. It was loaded with flavor and topped with bacon. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

This recipe was adapted from Epicurious.com, contributed by Rhoda Boone. It would also be wonderful with shredded rotisserie chicken.

Yield: Serves 8

• 6 slices bacon (4 ounces)
• 1 medium or large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds (halved lengthwise if large)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 medium jalapeño, finely chopped, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 6 cups (48 ounces) homemade or store-bought chicken or turkey stock
• 1 medium sweet potato (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• Two 4-ounce cans mild diced green chiles, drained
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 4 cups shredded turkey or rotisserie chicken
• 10 ounces frozen corn, thawed
• 3/4 cup half-and-half, plus more to taste
• sliced scallions, for serving
• chopped parsley, for serving

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Drain on a paper towel and crumble into small pieces and set aside, reserving the fat in the pot. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat, and save for another use.
3. Return the pot to medium heat, and add onion, carrot, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes more.
5. Add jalapeño and cumin and cook, stirring, 1 minute more.
6. Add stock, sweet potato, chiles, oregano, and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Cook until sweet potato is tender, about 10 minutes.
7. Stir in the turkey or chicken and corn and cook until warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes.
8. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and half-and-half. Continue to cook until just warmed through.
9. Taste and adjust seasoning, thinning the chowder with another 1/4 cup half-and-half, if desired.
10. Serve chowder topped with crumbled bacon, scallions, and parsley.

Turkey à la King

Is it okay to make a comfort food dish using leftovers from a comfort food meal? Hope so! 😉

This dish reminds me of a chicken dish that I used to make –long ago– for my husband served over waffles. No wonder he loved this upgraded version! It was a wonderful way to use the rest of our leftover Thanksgiving turkey. It would also be fabulous with rotisserie chicken meat.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Sam Sifton. I doubled the recipe to accommodate all of my leftover turkey. We ate this creamy concoction with my favorite Sweet Potato Biscuits, but it would also be amazing served over waffles, as a crepe filling, or with noodles. My son ate some over toast. Great.

• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 2-3 T olive oil
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 to 3 1/2 cups turkey or chicken stock, low-sodium if store-bought
• 1 pound sliced mushrooms, ideally wild (I used cremini mushrooms)
• 3 cups shredded cooked turkey or rotisserie chicken
• 1 cup heavy cream or half & half
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 4 tablespoons dry sherry
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• finely chopped parsley, for garnish

1. Make a roux. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. When it begins to foam, sprinkle the flour over it, and whisk to combine, then continue whisking until it begins to turn the color of straw, approximately 7-10 minutes.
2. Slowly add 1 cup of the stock to this mixture, and stir to combine. Add more stock to thin the sauce. Keep warm.
3. Set a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil.
4. Add the mushrooms, and cook, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and begun to get glossy and soft, approximately 7-10 minutes.
5. Add the turkey (or chicken), then the warm sauce and cream, and stir to combine.
6. Add the peas, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is hot and has thickened slightly, approximately 7-10 minutes.
7. Stir in the sherry, adjust seasonings and serve over biscuits or toast, rice or buttered noodles, or as a crepe filling or waffle topping, garnished with the parsley.

One Year Ago:

• Fancy Chicken Tetrazzini

Two Years Ago:

• Turkey & Spinach Curry
• Whole-Grain Stuffing with Spinach, Mushrooms, & Fontina

Three Years Ago:

• Butternut Squash & Cornbread Stuffing Muffins
• Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Four Years Ago:

• Spice-Rubbed Roast Turkey
• Aleppo Pepper Gravy

Five Years Ago:

• Cornbread Stuffing with Bacon & Greens

Turkey & Spinach Curry

This is a great dish to make with leftover holiday turkey. It has such a different flavor profile and it is quick and easy to make. I adapted the recipe from The New York Times, contributed by Mark Bittman. I increased the amount of turkey, spinach, tomatoes, garlic, and onion in addition to adding fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavor.

Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 large yellow or sweet onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
• 28 oz can whole tomatoes with juice, chopped (or diced tomatoes with juice)
• 1 cup coconut milk
• coarse salt, to taste
• freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 pound fresh organic baby spinach, washed and trimmed of thick stems
• 3 cups leftover turkey, white or dark meat or a combination, roughly chopped or shredded
• juice of 1/2 a lemon, or more to taste
• Freshly chopped cilantro, for garnish

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; add onion, garlic and ginger and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Add cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne and cook, stirring, until spices are fragrant, about another minute.
3. Add tomatoes and their juices and coconut milk and sprinkle with salt and pepper; bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until tomatoes break down.
4. Add spinach and turkey to pan and continue to cook until spinach wilts and turkey is warmed through, another 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Add fresh lemon juice, adjust seasoning, garnish with cilantro and serve.

One Year Ago:

• Dark Meat Chicken Chili

Two Years Ago:

• Spice-Rubbed Roast Turkey
• Aleppo Pepper Gravy

Basic Turkey Stock

Using homemade stock to make soup has amazing results- the difference from store-bought is unreal!  This stock has a rich and beautiful color- after cooking for 8 hours. I look forward to making it and using in my winter soups every year after Thanksgiving. This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart Living.

Yield:  Makes 9 to 10 quarts

• 5 pounds leftover Thanksgiving turkey bones (with some meat still attached), broken into large sections if necessary (I break them down after they have been cooking for a while)
• 2 large yellow onions, peeled, roots intact, halved or quartered depending on size
• 1/2 pound carrots, cut into 4-inch lengths
• 1/2 pound celery stalks, cut into 4-inch lengths
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, or to taste
• coarse salt, to taste
• 8 sprigs parsley and 2-3 sprigs of other fresh herbs such as thyme
• parmesan rind, optional
• water, to cover

1. In a large stock pot (I use an enormous pasta pot), combine all ingredients and fill with enough cold water to cover everything by 3 inches when submerged. (The turkey bones always reach the top of my pot until I am able to break them down.) If you don’t have a large stockpot, use two smaller pots.
2. Bring to a rapid simmer over high (do not boil); reduce heat until bubbles barely break the surface. Simmer until flavorful, about 6 to 8 hours, skimming stock with a ladle every hour. Keep the stock at a bare simmer; a hard boil would evaporate too much liquid and make the stock cloudy. Any fat that remains after skimming can be easily removed once the stock is chilled.
3. Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard vegetables. Remove meat from bones and save for another use, if desired; discard bones. Let stock cool completely before refrigerating.
4. After refrigerating, skim the solidified fat off of the surface. Decant into storage containers. (I use quart-sized take-out containers.) To store, refrigerate, up to 1 week, or freeze, up to 6 months.