Rich Turkey Chili with Cocoa and Beer
Rich Turkey Chili with Cocoa and Beer is a hearty, flavorful one-pot meal. Made with ground turkey, warm spices, and a touch of cocoa and amber ale, it’s easy on the stovetop or in a slow cooker and perfect for cozy weeknight dinners.
Servings 12 servings
Calories 200kcal
Equipment
- 1 cast iron Dutch oven
- 1 Slow Cooker optional
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds lean ground turkey
Veggies & Aromatics
- 2 cups chopped yellow onion about 2 medium or 1 large onion
- 1 whole red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 whole jalapeño seeded and finely chopped*
- 4 cloves garlic minced
Herbs & Spices
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1½ teaspoons cumin
- 1½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- ¾ teaspoon cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
Everything Else
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 28 ounces petite diced tomatoes 2 cans, undrained
- 3 cups cooked small red beans or 2 cans, drained and rinsed
- 1½ cups beef broth
- 1 cup amber ale (i.e., red ale); see Notes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1-3 teaspoons brown sugar optional; for sweeter chili
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder, oregano, pepper,salt, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Sauté onion, red pepper, and jalapeño in oil until soft.Add ground turkey and cook until no longer pink. Sprinkle in the spice blend and stir briefly to bloom the flavors.
- Stir in tomatoes, beans, broth, beer, and tomato paste.
- Simmer uncovered on low for 45-60 minutes, until thickened.
- Adjust seasoning to taste. (For a sweeter chili, add brown sugar at this time.)Serve with toppings like avocado, lime, cotija, sour cream, tortilla chips, or cilantro.
Notes
Amber Ale: Adds malty depth and richness. Substitute brown ale or Vienna lager, or use broth with a splash of apple cider for a non-alcoholic version.
Beans: Black beans and/or navy beans are good substitutes for small red beans.
Slow Cooker: Cook 3–4 hours on Low.
Chili Topping ideas: Avocado, lime wedges, cotija cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, crushed tortilla chips, fresh cilantro
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 386mg | Potassium: 718mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 854IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 3mg