Smoky bean chili: A cozy one-pot supper
Chili is one of my family’s stand-bys. I love how easy it is to make, how you can throw in whatever veggies you have in the crisper, and how it’s a one-pot meal. So I was looking forward to giving Chatelaine’s smoky white-bean chili a turn in my chili pot.
One of the best things about this recipe is its versatility: you can use ground beef, pork, or turkey; add in chopped red or green peppers, or zucchini; and opt for navy beans or white kidney beans. Based on what was already in my fridge and pantry, I went with ground turkey (also being mindful of the gigantic beef recall going on right now), zucchini, and white kidney beans. I cooked the ground turkey in a lightly oiled pot along with the minced garlic, chili powder, and oregano. Once the meat was almost cooked through, I added in the chopped zucchini, onion, and chipotle peppers (these did add some delicious smoky heat, but you may want to reduce the number of peppers for a milder chili), plus the can of tomatoes and tablespoon of tomato paste. Now there is no salt called for in this recipe, but I did add a pinch towards the end of cooking.
After letting the pot of chili simmer on the stove for a couple of hours, we were ready to eat. The recipe suggests letting it simmer for about 45 minutes, but from my experience the longer the flavours have to intermingle, the better. We also grated some sharp cheddar cheese on top, and because we’re spice fans, a few shakes of crushed chilies went into our bowls as well. Now the mini didn’t eat this meal with us, mostly because she’s anti-tomato, but if you have chili fans in your house this is a great alternative to a heavier beef chili. I didn’t serve anything else with the meal, but a warm loaf of crusty bread or some cheddar and chive tea biscuits would have been a nice addition.
Both chef in training and I enjoyed the lighter taste of the ground turkey and white kidney beans, and agreed this recipe is a keeper – especially now that chili season is upon us!
Try this recipe: Smoky white-bean chili
