^{This Ohio State Buckeye shares a state staple that will warm you up even in the coolest seasons. There is NOTHING that can kick off a football season better than a cold bee}^{r and hot bowl of chili!}

As the sun goes down and weather gets a little chillier, throw on your favorite football team sweatshirt (Go Buckeyes!) and prepare a large slow cooker full of this fan favorite. Being from Ohio, this is a dish we take seriously but we all have our opinions (and for the record – beans MUST be added). Ask any Ohio native and you’ll get 50 different answers. Ohioans will agree, it’s a staple, but may not be able to settle on the most perfect combination.

Just between me and my dad, we’ve had a minor clash of chili styles and recipes over the years. It finally became time for me to venture out and start from scratch. Plus, in addition to making chili taste like the chili I would want, I had to find a way to lighten it up…a little bit. Don’t forget there’s still an argument of what to serve with chili. I’m just sticking with cornbread because that’s my favorite!

The best tip I think everyone can agree on is chili always tastes best after the first day. That waiting period for the flavors to develop overnight is the absolute key. Once it thickens and reduces down just a little, it officially becomes chili and not just a heavy soup.

This is a very simple recipe but a flavor overload. It has taken some time to master. Once at 3am I woke up and recreated it after making a double batch – because it’s that important. I also HAVE to make it perfect each time and each time I find myself adjusting it slightly. Again, I take this recipe seriously.

Here are some ways to troubleshoot the recipe if you find that yours isn’t hitting the mark:

If your chili is too salty…add sweetness. Brown sugar, BBQ sauce, granulated sugar, honey or agave nectar are all fantastic options for this.
If the chili is too acidic…you need to add more sweet and salty to it. That balance should do the trick but something more creamy and fatty in flavor like refried beans or a tiny bit of sour cream (at the end) can help.
If your chili is too sweet…add a little more salt and go from there. Bitter flavors help as well. Beer, black coffee, cocoa powder also tone down sweetness with a little salt if added appropriately.
If your chili is too spicy…as if that is a thing…then fatty ingredients and dairy ingredients help balance this out.

Remember to add everything in small, test amounts and sample from there. You can always add but cannot take away.

True chili that simmers and has well-developed flavors consists of seasoning and cooking all the layers. Whether you are cooking this in a slow cooker or stove top, you need to season and cook the meats, peppers and onions well before moving onto the next steps. Adding all ingredients and not properly seasoning the layers to this recipe will result in bland chili.

Here are all ideas for the base:

Rice
Cornbread
Mashed Potatoes
Fries
Chips (for nachos)
Noodles (that’s a Cincinnati thing and a whole other debate)
Mac and cheese

Here are the best toppings to chili:

Shredded cheese
Diced raw onions, preferably red
Jalapeños, pickled or thinly sliced raw
Tortilla chips
Cilantro
Hot Sauce
Sour Cream or Plain Greek Yogurt (my favorite)

This version of chili is not only leaner with turkey and vegetables, it’s flavorful and thick. It should be thick, it’s not soup. I get very opinionated when it comes to making this. I’ll stop ranting about it and just show you what I do. So blast some Saturday College Football, crack open a beer and let’s get started.

This version of chili is not only leaner with turkey and vegetables, it’s flavorful and thick. It should be thick, its not soup. I get very opinionated when it comes to making this. I’ll stop ranting about it and just show you what I do. So blast some Saturday College Football, crack open a beer and let’s get started.

No ratings yet

Game Day Turkey Chili

Print Recipe

This Ohio State Buckeye shares a state staple that will warm you up even in the coolest seasons. There is NOTHING that can kick off a football season better than a cold beer and hot bowl of chili!

Prep Time:20

Cook Time:6

Ingredients

Meat seasoning, divided

1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon cumin

Chili

1 pound ground turkey lean
1 pound ground turkey sausage
1 medium bell pepper seeded, diced, divided
1 medium yellow onion diced, divided
½ jalapeno pepper seeded, deveined, finely diced, divided
1 tablespoon garlic minced, divided
3 chicken stock reduced sodium
1 (15 oz.) can black beans in seasoning
1 (15 oz.) can pinto or kidney beans drained
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes fire roasted
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce finely chopped
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (optional)
½ cup refried beans or 1/2 can pureed beans
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 ½ tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon brown sugar packed
1 tablespoon chili powder
½ tablespoon smoked paprika
½ tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)

Instructions

Chili

For meat seasoning, in a small bowl combine salt, garlic powder, paprika, cumin and set aside.
Heat a large frying pan on medium-high heat and spray with non stick cooking spray or a drizzle of olive oil. Add 1/2 the chopped onion, pepper, jalapeño, garlic, salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion starts to become translucent. Add regular ground turkey and 1/2 of the meat seasoning to the pan and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes until turkey is browned. Add everything to a large slow cooker (about 6 qt. or larger).
Repeat process with the remaining onion, pepper, jalapeño, garlic, salt and pepper and add this time add the turkey sausage and the rest of the meat seasoning and cook the same way. Once the meat is browned, add contents to the slow cooker.
Add black beans, kidney/pinto beans, chipotles, adobo sauce, tomatoes, broth, refried beans, tomato paste, liquid smoke, cocoa, cumin, brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
Cover and cook for 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on medium-low. (Best if start on high for 3-4 hours covered and then 2 hours uncovered). At the end, add lime juice and stir.
Top with cheese, sour cream/plain Greek yogurt, onions, jalapeños, hot sauce and chips!

Notes

How long does in last and where?

This lasts for 4-5 days in the fridge. It’s better the next day and the day after that. After the first day of baking the cornbread, I choose to put it in the fridge.

Can you freeze it?

Absolutely! I don’t think there is a time, especially in the fall and winter, that this is not in my freezer. It’s so easy to make and can be used in other recipes. I use the 32 oz. takeout tubs. I have also portioned it off in smaller freezer safe plastic zipper bags and that’s perfect for a quick lunch or dinner if just feeding one to two people.

Substitutions?

I know there are beef and pork lovers who will skip right over this recipe because it’s made with turkey. I promise that if you cook your ground meat properly and add it to the slow cooker, it will stay juicy and you won’t have to worry about a dried crumble. It’s so decadent as it is, the turkey just makes you feel like you’re doing something good for your body.

Trading out the beans is absolutely ok. I have used pinto beans, red beans, kidney beans, black beans and even white beans in this and they are all great. Kidney beans are typically in Ohio chill, but I love the combination of black and pinto the most.

I just added different flavors and cuts of canned tomatoes – but any diced canned tomato works with this. Feel free to use tomatoes with garlic, tomatoes with chiles, or my all time favorite – fire roasted diced tomatoes.

If you’re not into the spice, omit anything that boosts the heat. I also know that there are some uncommon ingredients in here so I encourage you to try it with all the ingredients but if you can’t, it will also be ok. It’s chili!

Tips and tricks

I learned that the slow cooker is my best friend, especially with this recipe. I precook the meat first and then just add everything. Set and forget for a few hours. Since I like a thicker chili I remove the lid for the last 2-3 hours of cooking time so the liquid starts to evaporate and the chili becomes thick. There’s no need to add flour or starch if you remove the lid. I also like to add refried beans or puréed beans as a thickener but more because I like that starchy bean flavor. It makes it creamy!

Use a combination of plain ground turkey and turkey sausage (Italian flavored if possible.) Sausage in anything is a winner.

Stir once an hour if you are around. Why? I don’t know…I just like to watch it. No, it really helps to test and adjust while incorporating the ingredients. Not required but I get attached once I start making it.

***Calorie count calculated below is for chili (1 1/2 cup servings per person)***