Spicy Turkey Chili Soup

Turkey Chili is my favorite cold weather food.  I'm pretty sure I could eat it every week if Dustin would let me.  Especially because of all the different ways you can eat it; I like having it served with pasta, over a baked potato, with nachos, in a bowl with lots of cheese. 

I love my chili spicy but you can totaly adjust the spice level without losing any of the flavors.  Because of the combinations and layers of spices this chili is flavorful and delicious--and it sure can be spicy.  

First I like to gather all my ingredients.  It makes it much easier to put the chili together quickly when I don't have to dig for spices in the middle of cooking.  

Dice your onion, mince the garlic, and finely dice the jalapeno.  If you would like less heat make sure to remove the seeds and white membrane out of the inside of the jalapeno.  But don't leave the jalapeno out; it adds a fresh bright flavor to the chili, and once it's cooked the spiciness is distributed throughout the chili. 

Heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions and cook until softened--about five minutes.  Add garlic and jalapeno and cook for two more minutes.  

Increase heat to medium-high.  Add ground turkey and use a wooden spoon to bash it into crumbles. Cook the turkey until it's browned.  

Add the chili powder, salt, and pepper.  Mix in spices and stir for 30 seconds on the heat to toast the chili powder. 

Add tomatoes, juice, beans, and remaining spices.  If you want thicker chili omit the tomato juice--your chili will be more of a chili sauce and less of a chili soup.  Stir everything together.  Cover and bring chili to a simmer.  Allow chili to simmer for at least a half hour.  Taste and add more salt or pepper if necessary.  Serve your chili with cooked pasta noodles, with a baked potato, or in a big bowl with cheese. 

Spicy Turkey Chili Soup

serves eight

4 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon oregano

1/4  teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 large onion

1 garlic clove

1 jalapeno

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound ground turkey

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes

2 cups tomato juice

1 bay leaf

1 15 ounce can hot chili beans

1. Heat oil in dutch oven over medium low heat. 
2. Combine the spices except the bay leaf in a small bowl.
3. Dice onions, garlic, and jalapeno.
4. Add onions and cook until soft--about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and jalapeno and cook for 2 minutes more.
5. Add in turkey, one tablespoon of the seasoning mix from the bowl, and lots of salt and pepper. Use the ground meat spatula to break it down into crumbles. Cook until just barely cooked. It’s honestly better to stop a little early than over cook.
6.  Add the rest of the spices from the bowl. Toast the spices for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
7. Add the whole tomatoes; use the ground meat spatula to break them down into tiny pieces. Use caution—they can squirt!
8. Add in the tomato juice and beans. Stir all together and bring pot to a simmer.  Cook for at least 30 minutes—the longer it summers, the more the flavors will meld.

What's your favorite way of eating chili?  My dad always fills his with crackers and one of my friends swears by peanut butter sandwiches.  I'm more of a pasta with lots of cheese kinda girl!