November 07, 2023
Turkey Chili + Giveaway
This post is sponsored by Terry Naturally® Vitamins. All opinions are my own.
Turkey Chili tastes rich and hearty while being packed with vegetables like hidden butternut squash, tomatoes, celery, zucchini and carrots. The perfect chili for chilly weather!
It's soup season which means all different kinds of soups and chilis are being made in the Hernandez house! I realized that my basic turkey chili recipe was not on my site and I wanted to share it because we make it at least a few times per season. This turkey chili has a secret hidden ingredient that you wouldn't guess by the flavor or color- butternut squash! Keep reading to learn how I hid an entire butternut squash into this turkey chili.
**Keep reading for a Terry Naturally multivitamin giveaway!
With my chili, my motto is the more vegetables, the better. When we went to the farmer's market, I bought as many veggies as I could think of that would go well in my chili. There are two reasons for that! 1. Vegetables have vitamins and fiber making the soup more nutritious. 2. I like to not have to make any side dishes and when you add your veggies right to your chili, you can have your entire meal in your bowl of chili!
Turkey Chili Ingredients
- Ground turkey
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onion
- Zucchini
- Olive oil
- Butternut squash
- No-added salt tomato puree
- No-salt diced tomatoes
- No-added salt kidney beans
- Chili powder
- Jalapeno
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Smoked paprika
Toppings for Chili
- Red onion
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Corn chips
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Avocado
- Cornbread
- Any flavor of hot sauce
- Sliced jalapenos
How to Make Turkey Chili
Turkey chili is so easy to make! Let me start by saying that while I chose ground turkey as my meat this time, I also make this chili with venison, ground beef, chicken or make it vegetarian by adding in extra kidney beans. Feel free to make it your own and add the ingredients you like! I start by cooking the turkey and then sautéing the carrots, onions, celery and zucchini.
Ahead of time, you will want to cook your butternut squash (see microwave instructions below, you can also roast it in the oven if you have more time). Then, blend the butternut squash with your tomato puree which will make your broth. The broth will be thicker because of the squash and does not change the flavor of your chili. Then add your spices, beans and diced tomatoes. Simmer and enjoy!
How to Cook a Butternut Squash in the Microwave
This is exactly how I cook my butternut squash in the microwave! I poke holes in it with a knife and then cook in 5 minute increments in the microwave on high until the squash is quite soft. For me, it took about 15 minutes. Cooking a butternut squash in the microwave saves a lot of time compared to cooking it in the oven. I let it cool a bit, slice it in half the long way and then scoop out the seeds and pulp and discard. Then, chop the butternut squash into large chunks. You're going to think that I'm crazy but I leave the skin on because it blends up well and you can't even tell there is skin in there. This adds extra fiber and nutrients to your chili!
Can you freeze turkey chili?
I love making a huge pot of chili to enjoy throughout the week. Sometimes, I make too much or I double or triple the batch on purpose so that I can freeze some. Turkey chili freezes and then reheats really well. I like freezing the chili flat in gallon bags in the freezer for easy storage. When it is time to defrost the chili, I put the whole bag in a large pot while it defrosts in the fridge. You can freeze chili for up to 6 months. It is amazing when you have a whole meal ready to go and you just need to thaw it and reheat.
Chili for the Fall and Winter Seasons
I love making soups all fall and winter long and this chili tops the list..In addition to eating a healthy diet, complete with vegetable rich soups, I like for us to take vitamins to help us get enough of the nutrients that we may be missing out on. It is so easy to forget, but my kids and I have been really diligent about taking our vitamins during breakfast which is working well (my husband has been slacking)!
Along with a probiotic and omega-3 supplement, I like the Terry Naturally® Clinical Essentials® vitamins. They are formulated to be gentle on the stomach which is amazing because sometimes, vitamins leave my stomach feeling funny. They come in tablet or capsule form- I like either. They don't have a bad aftertaste either which is huge because many vitamins do. They have 30 essential vitamins and minerals and are helpful to bridge any gaps in my diet.
**Buy Terry Naturally Clinical Essentials vitamins here!
Turkey Chili
Turkey Chili
INGREDIENTS
- 2 pounds lean ground turkey
- 4 large carrots, diced
- 3 cups chopped celery
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 1 large zucchini, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium butternut squash, cubed and steamed
- 2-28 oz cans no-added salt tomato puree
- 1-14.5 ounce can no-salt diced tomatoes
- 2 cans no-added salt kidney beans
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 1 sliced jalapeno
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- Chili Toppings
- Diced red onion
- Shredded yellow cheddar
- Shredded white cheddar
- Corn chips
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Avocado
- Cornbread
- Any flavor of hot sauce
- Sliced jalapenos
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large pot, cook the ground turkey while breaking it up until it is no longer pink.
- Add the olive oil into the pot and sauté the carrots, celery, onion and zucchini until soft, about 7 minutes.
- In a large blender or with an immersion blender, blend together the butternut squash cubes and the tomato puree to make the broth.
- To the pot, add in the diced tomatoes, butternut squash/tomato sauce mix, kidney beans and all of the spices.
- Let the chili simmer for about 10 minutes. Place any toppings you want in bowls to serve.
- Enjoy!
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Soup Recipes
Giveaway
The giveaway will be for a bottle of Terry Naturally Clinical Essentials to one randomly drawn winner.
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