Roasted Poblano Turkey Chili: The Game Day Chili Series

Football season means Sundays on the couch, too many games going at once, and, this year, a new pot of chili every week. My girlfriend and I decided we're making a different chili each Sunday throughout football season, which gives us a perfectly reasonable excuse to see just how many directions we can take a pot of meat, beans, peppers, and spices.

First up is Roasted Poblano Turkey Chili, built around five roasted poblanos, ground turkey, black and pinto beans, and plenty of chili seasoning. The poblanos are really the star here. Using five gives the whole pot a deep roasted pepper flavor without turning it into an overly spicy chili.

For the Bus Stop BBQ twist, I used smoked chicken broth instead of regular stock. It adds a subtle layer of smoke throughout the chili and works especially well with the roasted poblanos. Worcestershire adds some extra savory depth, while two fresh limes at the end brighten everything up. It's hearty enough for a full afternoon of football but a little lighter than starting the season with a giant pot of beef chili.

Ingredients

For the Turkey Chili

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds ground turkey

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 1 bell pepper, diced

• 1 jalapeño, diced

• 5 poblano peppers

• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

• 4 to 5 cups smoked chicken broth

• 1 to 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

• 2 tablespoons chili powder, plus more to taste

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic

• Kosher salt, to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Juice of 2 limes

  
  

For Serving

Top each bowl however you like. Good options include:

• Shredded cheese

• Sour cream

• Sliced jalapeño

• Diced onion

• Avocado

• Chips

• Lime wedges

  
  

Before You Start

The poblanos aren't just another pepper in this chili. Five of them make roasted poblano one of the main flavors, so take the time to get some real char on the outside before peeling and chopping them. Poblanos are relatively mild, which means you can use a lot of them and get a deep roasted pepper flavor without making the chili excessively hot.

Ground turkey is leaner and milder than the beef commonly used for chili, so the ingredients around it have to do more work. Browning the turkey helps, while Worcestershire adds savory depth and smoked chicken broth brings another layer of flavor to the entire pot.

You can use either canned or dried black and pinto beans. Canned beans make this an easy Sunday recipe, while soaked and cooked dried beans work just as well if you're planning ahead. Either way, using both types gives the chili a little more variation in flavor and texture.

Finally, don't add all of your smoked chicken broth at once. Start with enough to get everything simmering and keep the rest nearby. The beans will help thicken the chili as it cooks, and you can add more broth later until you get exactly the consistency you want.

Directions

1. Roast the Poblanos

Start by roasting all five poblano peppers.

• Roast the poblanos over a grill, gas flame, or under the broiler.

• Turn them occasionally until the skins are blistered and charred on all sides.

• Transfer the peppers to a covered bowl and let them steam for about 10 minutes.

• Peel away the loose charred skin. You don't need to remove every bit of char. Leaving a little behind adds to the roasted flavor we're looking for.

• Remove the stems and seeds.

• Roughly dice the roasted poblanos and set them aside.

2. Cook the Vegetables

Build the base of the chili before adding the turkey.

• Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.

• Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño.

• Cook until the vegetables begin to soften.

• Add the minced garlic.

• Cook for another minute or two, stirring frequently.

• Add the roasted poblanos and stir everything together.

  
  

3. Brown the Turkey

Add the ground turkey directly to the vegetables.

• Break the turkey into smaller pieces as it cooks.

• Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

• Let the turkey make contact with the hot surface of the pot long enough to develop some browning.

• Continue cooking until no pink remains.

  
  

You don't need to completely pulverize the turkey. Leaving some slightly larger pieces gives the finished chili better texture.

4. Add the Seasonings

Add the spices directly to the turkey and vegetables.

• Sprinkle in the chili powder.

• Add the paprika and granulated garlic.

• Stir until the turkey and vegetables are evenly coated.

• Cook for about 1 minute before adding the liquid. Giving the spices a short amount of time in the hot pot helps bring out their flavor before everything gets covered with broth.

5. Build the Chili

Now bring everything together.

• Add the black beans and pinto beans.

• Pour in the Worcestershire sauce.

• Add about 3 cups of smoked chicken broth.

• Stir everything together.

• Bring the pot to a gentle simmer.

6. Simmer the Chili

Let the chili simmer long enough for the flavors to come together and the broth to reduce.

• Reduce the heat to low.

• Simmer uncovered for about 30 to 45 minutes.

• Stir occasionally.

• Add more smoked chicken broth if the chili gets thicker than you want.

• Taste and adjust the chili powder, salt, black pepper, or granulated garlic as needed.

If you like a thicker chili, keep it uncovered and give it a little more time. If it gets too thick, that's what the extra smoked chicken broth is for.

7. Finish with Lime

Wait until the chili is finished cooking before adding the lime.

• Remove the pot from the heat.

• Squeeze in the juice of 2 fresh limes. The fresh lime cuts through the beans and savory broth and helps bring the roasted pepper flavors forward.

• Stir everything together.

• Taste one final time.

• Adjust the salt or other seasonings as needed.

The Bus Stop BBQ Take

Not everything on Bus Stop BBQ needs to spend six hours sitting over a fire.

The BBQ connection here comes from the combination of roasted peppers and smoked chicken broth. Five charred poblanos give you plenty of roasted flavor, while the broth carries a subtle layer of smoke throughout the entire chili. If you've got homemade broth left over from a smoked chicken, this is exactly the kind of recipe worth saving it for.

More importantly, this isn't beef chili with turkey swapped in as an afterthought. The recipe is built around the lighter flavor of turkey, using poblanos, jalapeño,

One Sunday down. Plenty more chili to go.

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