creamy white turkey chili

A few months ago I saw on Twitter that a local cooking store was having a chili cook-off.  I've never entered any sort of food contest, but the first step for entering was as easy as e-mailing the recipe so I figured, why not?  Plus, I had a top-notch, no-fail chili recipe that I thought really would have a chance at winning.  My mom has made this chili countless times for any occasion that calls for chili: Sunday dinners, family get-togethers, casual weekend afternoons, you name it, and it is always a hit.  It's topped with Fritos so how could it not be fabulous?!


But alas, months went by and I heard nothing from the chili cook-off.  I figured it was a bust until last Sunday I received an e-mail saying that my entry was a semi-finalist.  How exciting!  The next step is cooking a pot of my chili and delivering it to the store for some taste-testing (I want that job!).  So not only did I make it to the semi-finals, but I had a reason to make my favorite chili!  Double win.  Wait, triple win: I get to share my favorite chili with you guys!  Wahoo!  


This is the perfect chili to make on a chilly afternoon when you have a couple of hours to lounge around, watch football paint your nails and catch up on back issues of Bon Appetit, and wait for chili to simmer on the stove top.  You will love it, I promise.  It has 3 cups of cheese in the soup...what's not to love?  A little warning: the spices as written makes a pretty heated bowl of chili (in my wussy opinion), so if you're not very tolerant to spiciness, start slow with the chili powder and red pepper flakes and add according to your taste.  

Soon-to-be Award Winning Creamy White Turkey Chili

1 lb ground turkey

½ white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14 oz) cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 (14.5 oz) cans of chicken broth

1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground basil

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp red chili flakes

1 tbsp chili powder

3 cups Monterey Jack/Colby shredded cheese

8 oz sour cream
Fritos, for topping


Directions:

In large soup pot, cook turkey on stove top until well done.  Remove turkey from pot, then melt 2 tbsp butter and cook onions until translucent, about 5 minutes.  

Add garlic and cook one more minute.  

Add turkey back to pot, along with beans, chicken broth, chilies, cumin, basil, cayenne pepper, red chili flakes, and chili powder.  Simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.  

After an hour, add the cheese and sour cream and heat until melted.  Serve with your favorite hot sauce and Fritos!  Enjoy!