Ruth Reichl’s Turkey Chili
Updated Nov. 26, 2024
- Total Time
- 2 hours 50 minutes
- Prep Time
- 20 minutes
- Cook Time
- 2½ hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1(12-ounce) bottle dark beer
- 2pounds tomatillos (husked, rinsed and quartered)
- 3canned whole chipotle chilies in adobo
- 2tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3large onions, chopped
- ½cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2teaspoons finely minced fresh oregano
- 2jalapeños, diced (if you don’t like heat, remove the seeds first)
- 3½pounds ground turkey
- 1½cups chicken broth, homemade or store-bought
- 8large garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
- Salt
- 1bay leaf
- 2cups cooked white beans, from 2 (15-ounce) cans
- 1(4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- Cream sherry
- Balsamic vinegar (or soy or fish sauce)
- Sour cream
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
517 calories; 21 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 34 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 47 grams protein; 1332 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Toast the cumin seeds in a dry skillet until they’re fragrant. Allow to cool, then grind to powder.
- Step 2
Pour the beer into a medium pot, add the tomatillos, bring to a boil then turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the tomatillos are soft.
- Step 3
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatillos to a blender or food processor (reserving liquid in pot). Add chipotles and their adobo sauce to the blender and purée until smooth. Pour mixture back into the pot with the beer and reserve.
- Step 4
Slick the bottom of a large heavy-bottomed pot with the oil, and sauté the onions until they’re translucent. Add the cilantro, oregano, jalapeños and toasted cumin and stir for a couple of minutes. Break the turkey into the mixture and stir until it just starts to lose its raw color.
- Step 5
Add the tomatillo and beer mixture, the chicken broth and the garlic, along with a couple of teaspoons of salt and the bay leaf. Simmer, partially covered, for about an hour and a half.
- Step 6
With a large spoon, smash the now-soft cloves of garlic against the side of the pot and stir them into the chili. Add the white beans and diced green chiles and taste for salt. At this point I like to start playing with the flavors, adding a few splashes of cream sherry, a bit of balsamic vinegar, or perhaps some soy or fish sauce. Heat for another 10 minutes. Serve with sour cream.
Private Notes
Comments
Just a clarification. The recipe calls for 3 chipotle chiles in adobo. The typical can has about 7. So less than half of the chiles in a single small can. Three cans’ worth would set my eyebrows on fire!
I think it’s 3 chiles from a can not 3 cans. It’s not well written.
My initial impression after reading this recipe was that it would be too hot for my liking. I used 1/2 jalapeños instead of 2 whole and 2 whole chipotle chiles instead of 3. I'm glad I did, as the chili came out mild enough, yet still a bit spicy. At the end, I added 3 Tbsp. of sherry (not cream sherry) and 2 Tbsp. fish sauce. I used low-sodium chicken broth. The dish is a fun take on traditional chili and was delicious. I'would definitely make it again.
Made this today as it was a cold and rainy day. It was superb! Really fantastic.
This does not make sense: "2cups cooked white beans, from 2 (15-ounce) cans" Do they really mean 2 cups cooked or 2 cups dry beans which is almost the equivalent of 2 15 ounce cans?
Made this yesterday. I skipped the beer because I didn’t have any, and used a few jars of tomatillo salsa to cut down on time. Despite all that cheating, it was delicious!