Skip to main content

Tex-Mex Turkey and Bean Chili

Chili powder, chocolate, and cumin are often combined in Tex-Mex cooking, and this turkey chili stays true to those roots. The recipe makes a large yield, so you can serve some chili right away, then freeze the rest to enjoy later.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 8

Ingredients

4 slices bacon (4 ounces), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick strips
3 pounds ground dark-meat (at least 7% fat) turkey
4 onions, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 jalapeño chiles, minced (ribs and seeds removed for less heat, if desired)
3 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
2 cans (28 ounces each) whole peeled tomatoes in puree
2 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
1 cup water
Coarse salt
3 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Assorted toppings, such as cheddar cheese, sour cream, pickled jalapeño slices, and fresh cilantro, for serving

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat a Dutch oven or heavy 5-quart pot over medium. Add bacon; cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Raise heat to high; add turkey. Cook, stirring and breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes.

    Step 2

    Add onions, garlic, and jalapeños; cook until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cocoa, and cumin; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

    Step 3

    Break up tomatoes with kitchen shears (see page 361) or your hands, and add them to the pot along with the puree. Add molasses, the water, and 4 teaspoons salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; cook, partially covered, 30 minutes.

    Step 4

    Add beans; continue cooking (uncovered) until turkey is very tender and liquid has thickened, about 30 minutes more. Serve hot, with assorted toppings, as desired.

  2. Making Ahead

    Step 5

    Chili can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 3 months; let cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Defrost in the refrigerator, and reheat over medium-low before serving.

Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast by Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Copyright © 2010 by Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Published by the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. Martha Stewart Living magazine was first published in 1990. Over the years, more than two dozen books have been published by the magazine’s editors. Martha Stewart is the author of dozens of best-selling books on cooking, entertaining, gardening, weddings, and decorating. She is the host of The Martha Stewart Show, the successful daily syndicated television show.
Read More
Khao niaow ma muang, or steamed coconut sticky rice with ripe mango, is a classic in Thai cuisine—and you can make it at home.
With just a handful of ingredients, this old-fashioned egg custard is the little black dress of dinner party desserts—simple and effortlessly chic.
With rich chocolate flavor and easy customization, this hot cocoa recipe is just the one you want to get you through winter.
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
Crunchy and crowd-pleasing, this salad can be prepared in advance and customized to your heart’s content.
Baking meatballs and green beans on two sides of the same sheet pan streamlines the cooking process for this saucy, savory dinner.
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
A garlicky pistachio topping takes this sunny summer pasta from good to great.