30-Minute Turkey Chili

I made this yesterday.  (April 9, 2013) Next time I will double it.  I'm serving it again with brown rice from the baked brown rice recipe to fill out the servings and to enhance the protein combo the way rice does. We discussed the merits of this recipe in some detail since I'm putting it into the rotation.  The consensus was that while we would have said "this is not our usual chili recipe," we would not have said, "Wow, this recipe really suffers for lack of beefy red meat."  I'm inclined to try the standard recipe with turkey instead of beef, just to see.  Will report.  

30-Minute Turkey Chili

From Food Network Kitchens

Prep Time:10 min

Cook Time:30 min

Level:Easy

4 servings

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, chopped  (I believe I have the blessing of Cooks Illustrated for pressing rather than mincing or chopping.  I almost always press garlic.  And 5 cloves is over the edge for me.  3.  2 1/2.)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons chili powder  (I used Pensey's Hot and 9000--one teaspoon of each.) 

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 chipotle chile en adobo, coarsely chopped, with 1 tablespoon sauce (You can keep canned chiles in adobo in the pantry for years on end and eat it without dying.  Apparently.  At least not after 22 hours or so.)

1 pound ground turkey

1 (12-ounce) Mexican lager-style beer (Some reviewer used IPA.  So I did, too.  Easily swayed.) 

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juice.  (Here's a thing.  I used a 28 oz can because of an attention span problem.  Seemed to make no difference, but be aware.)

1 (15 1/2-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Sliced scallions, cilantro sprigs, avocado, sour cream, grated Monterey jack cheese, and/or tortilla chips, for garnish, optional

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, salt, chili powder, and oregano and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and the chipotle chile and sauce; cook 1 minute more. Add the turkey, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until the meat loses its raw color, about 3 minutes. Add the beer and simmer until reduced by about half, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes--crushing them through your fingers into the skillet--along with their juices and the beans; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 10 minutes.

Ladle the chili into bowls and serve with the garnishes of your choice.

Cook's Note: A skillet's larger surface area reduces sauces faster than simmering in a saucepan.