Monday, June 13, 2011

Secret Recipe Club: Turkey Black Bean Chili

Time for another installment of the Secret Recipe Club!  This is a fun blogging group in which each month members get a "secret assignment" to cook something from the blog of another member of the group.  This month, I cooked a fantastic chili from Jeanette's Healthy Living.  I made this chili for a friend from church who asked for help with meals, and it was a great choice! I wanted to find a soup recipe, since it seemed like it would be easy to transport and reheat, and Jeanette had lots of tasty options.  I eventually chose this turkey chili since it seemed like it would be hearty and full of delicious, warm spices - the perfect thing to take off the chill from this weather we've been having lately in the Bay Area!


Turkey Black Bean Chili (adapted from Jeanette's Healthy Living, original recipe here)
Serves 4-6

Olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 pound ground turkey
1-1/2 tsp dried oregano
1-1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 T chili powder
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1-1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Two 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
14-ounce can whole tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat (use enough to just coat the bottom of the pan).   Add the onions and cook until tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for one minute more. Add more oil as you go if the pan seems dry.
2. Add the turkey and cook until browned and cook through, stirring  to break up the meat.  Add the spices and cocoa powder, stir well, and the cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the beans.  Using a pair of kitchen scissors, snip the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces over the pot, and pour in any additional liquid from the can. Stir in the chicken broth. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
3. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for at least one hour to develop the flavors.


32 comments:

  1. Hi Sara,
    What a fun event - thanks for trying my turkey black bean chili recipe and glad it turned out for your friend in need. I enjoy cooking for others too, and just made a meal for a friend at church this past week.

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  2. How wonderful of you to have helped out your friend. I bet this hearty, scrumptious chili was a big hit!

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  3. Wow! Looks like a great group and a great chili dish!

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  4. Looks awesome. I have yet to add bacon to my chili. I know I'm missing out!

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  5. I *adore* turkey chili, and I'm loving this Secret Recipe Club. Chili is a great choice for sharing with a friend because it's so versatile. Around here, we eat it as 'soup' one night, on grilled sausages or hot dogs the next, as Frito Pie another night, and as Cowboy Spaghetti to finish it off. (Cowboy spaghetti is spag noodles covered in chili, cheese, and sour cream.)

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  6. Hi Sara! I made your Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies this month. The first time EVER, I have tasted Nutella and I am now a convert.
    It was so much fun to look thru your blog (and I really am going to make that pie soon) and see all your great recipes.
    This was a fun event...I can't wait till next month.
    Have a good day. Oh...and yes, I love turkey and I love black beans! Your chili looks great.

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  7. I'm a fairly recent convert to using turkey instead of ground beef and chili is one of my favorites for that use. This sounds great...cocoa AND cumin? Heck yeah I'll try it!

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  8. Yum! My husband love chili, but usally can't eat it because of the onions. But It looks like I can obmit the onions in this one :) Going through The Secret Recipe Club blog hop :)

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  9. How nice of you to make this for someone! It looks great. Nice and thick the way chili should be :)

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  10. Yum! I love chili. Such a great choice :)

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  11. I like using turkey. Looks like a hearty meal that we would enjoy.

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  12. I like that you made your Secret Recipe Club pick to share with someone else. Great minds think alike. I know the weather is scorching here in Houston but I would really love a big bowl of this right now. Yummy!

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  13. Ok, I LOVE chili in the summer! I know a lot of people shun chili and soup when it gets warm- but the right chili in the summer? Perfection! This looks great. <3 Secret recipe club!

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  14. That chili sounds tasty. I am intrigued by the addition of the cocoa powder. I'd love to try some (of the chili not the cocoa powder)
    Katie
    PS- I host a recipe swap every Wednesday and I'd love to have you if you get a chance.

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  15. Yum, such a hearty meal! I'm a big fan of Jeannette's blog and so glad SRC led me to you

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  16. Yum!! I make a chili very similar to this one so I know how good it is.

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  17. Yum! This looks right up my alley! If only I could convince hubby to eat the BEANS!! !:) Great choice and thanks for sharing!

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  18. Sara, that is so sweet of you to help your friend out. The black bean chilli sounds great. I would love to give it a try but hubby doesn't eat any other meat besides chicken and occasionally lamb- might substitute the turkey with chicken or go completely vegetarian. Love the addition of cocoa powder to it. Anything chocolate has my attention!

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  19. This bowl of chili sounds perfect! I love using ground turkey in my chilis and this will be going on my to-do list very soon =)

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  20. I love black bean chili! Turkey is delicious in chili, isn't it? I need to remember this one for this winter. A little too warm for chili here!

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  21. Ooooh this looks good Sara. I'm with you, our weather has been chili and this sounds yum! Good choice...thanks.

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  22. I love trying different chili recipes. This one looks like a winner!

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  23. Oooh I love turkey black bean chili, it's one of my favorites! I'll have to try this. This was my first month participating in the secret recipe club and it's been fun!

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  24. This looks delicious and I will take healthy & delicious any day!

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  25. Mmmmmm, what an excellent meal to provide for a friend...great, and yummy selection :)

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  26. I never made this Sara. Sounds delicious!

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  27. Wow, look at all the recipes!! I have chili today too from Rocco di Spirito's book, although I grind my own chicken breasts - I can never seem to find ground chicken breast or turkey breast at my stores - its always got dark meat mixed in.

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  28. Turkey Chili is an all time fav in my house! Yours looks delish!

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  29. There is COCOA in there???? Wow! Chili sounds delicious on this rainy day.

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  30. That chili sounds perfect. I love the addition of the cocoa. YUM!

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  31. Chili is one of my favorite cold day foods. Even better with a little coca! Sounds like a must try!

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  32. Oooh, that looks like a deliciously thick bowl of chili! Just how I like it! YUM! I love that the recipe calls for chipotle chili powder and cocoa - I bet they balance each other perfectly.

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