Hatch Chile-Cannellini Bean Turkey Chili...Featuring Bob's Red Mill Cannellini Beans

September is here…the weather is cooling off, school’s starting, and it’s finally football season! At my house, that means lots of hearty one-pot meals that we can enjoy while we watch the big game every weekend. Today, I’m partnering with Bob’s Red Mill to share a spicy turkey and white bean chili recipe! I love Bob’s Red Mill products and use them in my kitchen all the time. This employee-owned Oregon company was founded in 1978 and features a wide range of products, including flours and meals; baking mixes; oats; and grains, beans, and seeds. I used Bob’s Red Mill cannellini beans and corn polenta to create my Hatch Chile-Cannellini Bean Turkey Chili. Cannellini beans are a super nutritious white bean that are fat free AND high in protein, fiber, and iron. Cannellini beans are a traditional white Italian bean originally cultivated in Argentina. Bob’s Red Mill’s delicious cannellini bean variety has a firm, creamy texture and a mellow, nutty flavor. Because they hold their shape better than other white bean varieties, they’re perfect for soups and chili.

There are as many chili recipes as there are chili lovers…each person has their own personal nuance. My Hatch Chile-Cannellini Bean Turkey Chili is flavored with aromatic veggies, spicy Hatch chiles and Hatch chile powder, cumin, lean ground turkey breast, diced tomatoes with green chiles, and Bob’s Red Mill cannellini beans. My secret ingredient? A bit of yellow cornmeal/polenta stirred int0 pot during the last 10 minutes of cooking to achieve the perfect consistency. This chili takes about 30 minutes to prep, then it simmers away on the stove while you tend to other things around the house. I started this chili Sunday around 1100, and it was ready to eat by halftime of the Houston Texans game! When you’re ready to serve, set out bowls of delicious toppings like shredded cheese, pico de gallo, creamy diced avocado, crunchy tortilla strips, and sour cream…and let everyone create their personalized bowl of chili.

Hatch Chile-Cannellini Bean Turkey Chili
a Weekend Gourmet Original

Ingredients (makes 6-8 bowls of chili):

• 1 small onion, chopped
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 2-3 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 2 tbs. + 2 tbs. olive oil
• 1 lb. ground turkey breast
• 1 tsp. salt + 1 tsp. black pepper
• 2 tbs. Hatch chili powder
• 1 tbs. ground cumin
• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill dry cannellini beans [NOTE: to reduce cooking time by 1 hour, pre-soak beans in water for 6 hours]
• TBS-ounce can diced Hatch green chiles
• 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles
• 48 ounces chicken stock
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1/3 cup polenta
• For topping: pico de gallo, shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, diced avocado, tortilla strips/chips, and sour cream

Directions:

Step 1: Add 2 tbs. olive oil to a 5-quart Dutch oven over med-high heat. Add the ground turkey and brown, breaking into crumbles; season with the salt & pepper. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and stir to combine. Cook this mixture until the onion and celery are softened – about 5 minutes, stirring every minute or two.

Step 2: Add the cumin and Hatch chili powder to the meat mixture and stir to combine. Let cook for 1-2 minutes to “bloom” the spices. Add the Hatch chiles, and diced tomatoes with green chiles. Stir to combine all ingredients, then add the chicken stock and bouillon cube. Stir until the bouillon cube is completely dissolved and bring the chili to a boil.

Step 3: Reduce the heat to med-low, cover, and simmer for 2.5 hours. Give the chili a stir every 30 minutes. After 2.5 hours, add the polenta to the chili and give it a good stir. Cook until the chili thickens, about 5-10 minutes. To serve, ladle the chili into deep serving bowls. Set out bowls of the toppings and let each person top their bowl of chili with their favorite ingredients.

This chili is guaranteed to be a huge hit! It’s moderately spicy thanks to the double dose of Hatch green chiles – but adding creamy avocado and sour cream cools things off quite a bit. The Bob’s Red Mill cannellini beans hold their shape and are perfectly creamy. This is one delicious chili!  Yes, this chili does take a bit of time to cook, but it’s all hands-off time. I take this time to prep the toppings and do other stuff around the house. In a hurry? You can also make this chili in a crockpot – pre-soak the beans and cook on high for 1.5 hours. If you have any leftovers, the chili reheats beautifully in the microwave.

Disclosure: This is a compensated article for Bob’s Red Mill. They also provided me a selection of ingredients to facilitate recipe creation. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

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