Here it comes! The Super Bowl is rapidly approaching and believe it or not… I am ready! I do have one confession before I start this post though: I have NOT kept up with the NFL at all this season. I  usually love  football, honestly! But we’ve had a lot going on over here at the Ariza household lately, and therefore have not been prioritizing the American sport.  We will, however, most definitely be watching the Super Bowl on Feb 2nd and can’t wait!

 

I should actually say a few more things before getting started:

 

First thing being that, typically, we eat beef chili (a recipe I made up years ago and promised I’d never give out) it consists of both ground AND cubed beef, but this year I wanted to change it up and have a go at turkey chili. To be honest (and don’t tell anyone) this recipe is CRAZY close to my beef recipe so, shhh.

 

Second thing being that I do NOT use beans in my chili. If this offends you, add them in… it’s that easy! I just prefer to go the traditional route and leave the beans out. *Little fun fact: Traditional chili cook-offs do NOT allow beans in the contestant’s entries. Click here >>> International Chili Society Guidelines <<<… jussst sayin’…. they might know what they’re doing.

 

Anyway, my favorite part of the whole thing is making a bar for people to customize their bowls as they please! I chose the accompaniments below, but the world is your oyster! Corn bread (always a huge hit), bean salsa (if you’re missing them), garlic bread, oyster crackers etc…

• • •

 

You will need:

2 Lbs Ground Turkey

1 1/3 cup red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon)

3 cups chopped green bell pepper (about 2 medium sized peppers)

1 1/3 cup chopped poblano peppers (about 2 peppers)

1 jalepeno diced (half the seeds removed)

2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 2 medium onions)

1 clove garlic minced

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

3 cups good chicken stock (or turkey if you can find it )

3 tsp ground chipotle pepper

3 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

3 Tbs chili powder (hence the whole “chili” thing)

3 tsp onion powder

2 1/2 tsp salt ( I used Jane’s Krazy duhh)

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbs semi-sweet chocolate chips (yup you heard me)

3 Tbs tomato paste OR ketchup (just so you know, I used ketchup- I enjoy the tang that you can’t get from tomato paste… Aaaaaand I’m proud of it. But if you want to use tomato paste to spare yourself from embarrassment of using a table condiment that’s fine too)

2 tsp chicken bouillon (this is something to add at the end if your chili needs a little help)

•

 

FOR THE BAR (AT LEAST WHAT I USED)

Chopped green onions

Diced yellow onion

Pico de gallo

Avocado and corn salsa (chopped avocado, corn, and cilantro with a squeeze of lime and salt)

Sliced radish

Sour cream

Shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Crumbled gorgonzola (this might sound weird, but if you enjoy the taste of gorgonzola it’s really great in here)

Crispy oven baked diced potatoes (diced yukon golds tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper baked at 450 until crisp, flip halfway through)

Homemade crispy croutons (french baguette cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and cumin. bake at 450 until crispy, flip halfway through)

 

Before throwing everything into the crock pot you’ll want to brown your turkey. Get a large skillet coated with olive oil and heated over medium high heat. Brown your turkey. Once turkey has browned add in your red wine and scrape the bottom of your pan with a wooden spoon to lift any brown bits that have stuck to it. Raise heat to medium-low and let cook for about 3 min. Let me warn you ahead of time that your turkey will be PURPLE and look super gross after you add the wine, do not be alarmed.

*Image: pre-purple

In your crockpot add EVERYTHING (through the tomato paste/ketchup). Stir to incorporate. Let cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6. *I  do an extra hour with the lid off on high to thicken if the chili is a bit thin.

Also, I say this all the time, but this will be EVEN better the next day. So, if you can cook it ahead of time, I say do it. It will still be really really great the day of, but letting the flavors hang out together until the next day is a whole different story.

Once your chili has cooked for at least 4 hours on high or 6 on low, taste it!! If you’re thinking it needs something…  spice, tang, salt etc. add it! This is usually where I add the chicken bouillon if it’s lacking something special.

ALRIGHT. It’ done! Set up your bar! I like to serve with small vessels- coffee mugs, small bowls etc. to encourage coming back and trying a new combination  (I learned this after having the guests use large bowls and curse it all when they were too full and wanted to try a new combo of toppings). The sky’s the limit! But here are a few combos to get the juices flowin. Enjoy, and “GO!” WHATEVER TEAM YOU ARE ROOTING FOR!

You will need:

2 Lbs Ground Turkey

1 1/3 cup red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon)

3 cups chopped green bell pepper (about 2 medium sized peppers)

1 1/3 cup chopped poblano peppers (about 2 peppers)

1 jalepeno diced (half the seeds removed)

2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 2 medium onions)

1 clove garlic minced

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

3 cups good chicken stock (or turkey if you can find it )

3 tsp ground chipotle pepper

3 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

3 Tbs chili powder (hence the whole “chili” thing)

3 tsp onion powder

2 1/2 tsp salt ( I used Jane’s Krazy duhh)

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbs semi-sweet chocolate chips (yup you heard me)

3 Tbs tomato paste OR ketchup (just so you know, I used ketchup- I enjoy the tang that you can’t get from tomato paste… Aaaaaand I’m proud of it. But if you want to use tomato paste to spare yourself from embarrassment of using a table condiment that’s fine too)

2 tsp chicken bouillon (this is something to add at the end if your chili needs a little help)

FOR THE BAR (AT LEAST WHAT I USED)

Chopped green onions

Diced yellow onion

Pico de gallo

Avocado and corn salsa (chopped avocado, corn, and cilantro with a squeeze of lime and salt)

Sliced radish

Sour cream

Shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Crumbled gorgonzola (this might sound weird, but if you enjoy the taste of gorgonzola it’s really great in here)

Crispy oven baked diced potatoes (diced yukon golds tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper baked at 450 until crisp, flip halfway through)

Homemade crispy croutons (french baguette cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and cumin. bake at 450 until crispy, flip halfway through)

Before throwing everything into the crock pot you’ll want to brown your turkey. Get a large skillet coated with olive oil and heated over medium high heat. Brown your turkey. Once turkey has browned add in your red wine and scrape the bottom of your pan with a wooden spoon to lift any brown bits that have stuck to it. Raise heat to medium-low and et cook for about 3 min. Let me warn you ahead of time that your turkey will be PURPLE and look super gross after you add the wine, do not be alarmed.

In your crockpot add EVERYTHING (through the tomato paste/ketchup). Stir to incorporate. Let cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6. *I  do an extra hour with the lid off on high to thicken if the chili is a bit thin.

Also, I say this all the time, but this will be EVEN better the next day. So, if you can cook it ahead of time, I say do it. It will still be really really great the day of, but letting the flavors hang out together until the next day is a whole different story.

Once your chili has cooked for at least 4 hours on high or 6 on low, taste it!! If you’re thinking it needs something…  add it! This is usually where I add the chicken bouillon if it’s lacking something special.

ALRIGHT. It’ done! Set up your bar! I like to serve with small vessels- coffee mugs, small bowls etc. to encourage coming back and using a new flavor combination  (I learned this after having the guests use large bowls and curse it all when they were too full and wanted to try a new combo of toppings). The sky’s the limit! We have some favorites over here, but I’ll let you be the artists. Enjoy… and GO TEAM!