Harissa Turkey Chili
sandravalvassori.com
Packed with bold, smoky flavors, this Harissa Turkey Chili will be your go-to for cozy, cold-weather comfort in a single pot. Made with lean ground turkey, hearty beans and vegetables, it's a healthy, flavorful option that's easy to whip up and perfect for feeding a crowd.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds ground turkey
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2-3 Tablespoons harissa paste (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 28- ounce fire roasted tomatoes (preferably crushed)
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
- 1 (14-ounce) can cannellini beans, or other white beans, drained but not rinsed (see notes)
- 1 (14-ounce) can red kidney beans, or other beans of your choice, drained but not rinsed
- Optional toppings:
- Sour cream/labneh/greek yogurt
- Sliced avocados
- Chopped green onions
- grated cheddar
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the ground turkey and break up the meat with the side of a spoon; cooking until no longer pink and turkey begins to brown, about 6-8 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste, harissa paste, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. harissa and cook for 1-2 minutes. Let this cook, stirring occasionally, for another 2-3 minutes, or until most of the turkey moisture has evaporated and the mixture has turned a deep red color. If your turkey released a lot water, this could take up to 5 minutes. Be patient, otherwise, your chili may not be as flavourful.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and broth and give everything a good stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any bits that may have stuck. Add the beans, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste the chili. Is it flavourful/spicy enough? Add more salt, harissa and/or seasonings (including Better than Bouillon!) until the chili tastes perfect to you.
- Divide chili between bowls and top each with desired toppings.
Notes
Drain, but don't rinse the beans. I almost never rinse the beans, no matter what chili I'm making. But particularly when using a lean ground meat like turkey, not rinsing the beans is very beneficial because the bean liquid is very starchy and will help thicken the chili. I still like to drain the beans because using all of the bean liquid is too much. But whatever bit is clinging to the beans or left in the can, throw it in.
- To store: This turkey chili will keep well stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- To reheat: Reheat it gently on the stove top with a splash more broth or water until warmed through.
- To freeze: Turkey chili is great for freezing! Store the cooled chili in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.