Don’t let the long list of ingredients scare you, because this chili is very easy to make. Once you sauté the vegetables, it’s just a matter of dumping in all the spices, then adding the turkey, broth, and beans. The chili needs to cook for about half an hour, then the secret ingredient—chocolate—is added to give the dish a little depth. If you want more spice, add extra jalapeños. This chili definitely develops more flavor after a day or two, so make some on the weekend and stash it in the fridge or freezer to eat later in the week.

Game plan: The chili can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated in a container with a tightfitting lid.

This dish was featured as part of our chili recipe slideshow.

  • Yields: 6 to 8 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 1 hr 15 mins 

Ingredients (20)

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, medium dice
  • 1 medium yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and medium dice
  • 3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 pounds shredded, cooked turkey or chicken (about 6 cups)
  • 4 cups (1 quart) chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (28-ounce) can stewed or diced tomatoes (do not drain)
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans (do not drain)
  • 1 (15-ounce) can small white beans, such as cannellini (do not drain)
  • 1/4 cup small-dice pickled jalapeños
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons fine- or medium-ground cornmeal (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 to 8 minutes.
  2. Add the chili powder, thyme, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, stir to combine, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the turkey or chicken and stir to coat with the spice mixture.
  3. Add the stock or broth, tomatoes and their juices, beans and their liquid, and jalapeños. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the flavors have melded, about 30 minutes.
  4. Turn off the heat, stir in the cilantro, chocolate, and cornmeal (if using), and let sit for 10 minutes. Stir once more to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.