This past season marks the last season the Minnesota Vikings will be playing in the Metrodome. In the next few months, they’re tearing it down and will be building a brand spankin’ new stadium in downtown Minneapolis. I sure hope the new stadium has better food than the Metrodome! So for the next few seasons, die-hard Vikings fans will have to brave the elements and the freezing temperatures if they want to watch their beloved Vikings play. No thank you – I’ll only watch football outdoors if it’s above 50 degrees. If it’s below 50, then I’d rather sit in the comfort of my own home in my PJs watching the game where the commentators tell me what’s going on, there are lines drawn on the screen to tell me where the yard lines are at, and I don’t have to wait in line just to use the bathroom.
This chili recipe is a perfect game day food! It’s perfect for that football party you’re hosting this playoff season or for tailgating outside (you know, if you’re into standing outside in the sub-freezing temperatures thawing out your beer by holding it over a fire).
This is the only chili recipe I have ever used. I don’t know if I would ever consider trying out a new recipe, simply because this one is already perfect (in my opinion)… so why fix something if it ain’t broke? If you’re like me and already have a tried and true chili recipe, I won’t blame you if you’re not up to changing things up. Kudos to you if you’re all for trying new things, though. However, if you’re still out there searching for a good chili recipe, you should totally give this a try!
- 2 tablespoons EVOO
- 1.25 pounds ground turkey
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- Two 15-oz reduced sodium red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- One 28-oz can petite diced tomatoes
- One 15-oz can reduced sodium tomato sauce
- One 10-oz bag frozen corn
- Salt and pepper
- Toppings such as sour cream, shredded cheese, if desired
- Heat the EVOO in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the turkey, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spatula until cooked through. Then add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic into the pot. Cook until onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the chili powder, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Stir and cook for another minute.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, corn, 1.5 cups of water, and 2 more teaspoons of salt. Simmer over low heat for 30-45 minutes, or until beans are cooked through. Add more chili powder if needed.
- Ladle the chili into serving bowls. Top with toppings, if desired
- Serves 6
I used ground turkey instead of ground beef to make it a little healthier. I like to use products that claim “reduced sodium” or “no salt added” on the package to keep things on the healthier side. If you can’t find reduced sodium products, no worries either – the final product will taste just as good! I also added a few cans of red kidney beans because 1. chili just has to have beans in it, and 2. it’s cheap and filling and is a good source of protein and fiber. If you have a bean-hater in the house, simply omit it… or you can divide the chili into two pots prior to simmering everything and add just one can of beans (instead of two) in one of the pots. That way you’ll get two pots of chili – one with beans and one without beans :)
If you’re making this for hosting a football party, you can keep it warm by throwing it in a Crockpot and setting it on “warm”. Toppings are completely optional too – oyster crackers, shredded cheese, green onions, sour cream…. you can have a little “make your own chili” station for your guests to completely customize their bowl of chili.
Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine
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