Spicy Squash and Turkey Chili Recipe

There is something about a delicious meal that all comes together in one pot and slowly simmers on the stove that just warms the soul. December weather always puts me in the mood for a great soup or chili.  For me, chili is the perfect meal option that be tweaked or reinvented to how you like it.   This latest creation adds acorn squash and that is roasted with a little chipotle chili powder to spice up this dinner staple.  The Chipotle Chili powder is what gives this chili an extra smoky spicy kick.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

1lb ground turkey

1 hot house bell pepper diced

1 onion finely diced

3-5 cloves of garlic minced (i used 3 giant cloves)

1 roma tomato seeded and diced

1 zucchini chopped

1 15oz can of beans of your choice rinsed (I used garbanzo) (reserve 3-4 tablespoons of beans)

1 32oz low sodium chicken broth (use vegetable stock if making vegetarian version of this)

1-2 acorn squash peeled and chopped

1/2 – 1 Teaspoon (less or more depending on the amount of spice you want) Chipotle Chili Powder

1 1/2 TBS Chili Powder

1/2 tsp Dried Oregano

1 tsp Cumin

1/4 tsp Turmeric

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Drizzle olive oil on a sheet pan. Sprinkle squash with Chipotle Chili Powder and put into the oven (approx 20-30 mins) until squash is cooked through (soft enough to easily stick a fork through) *I used a little less chili powder because this is a meal my picky eaters actually love, but they don’t love spice.*
2. In a pot over Med/High heat drizzle olive oil.   Add onion, pepper, tomato and garlic.  Salt and Pepper to taste.  Stir all together and cook until fragrant and onion and pepper are softened.
3. Add Turkey.  Break apart and brown turkey meat.   Add Chili Powder, Cumin, Oregano, Turmeric, salt and pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add broth (except for reserved) add beans (except for reserved) stir, and bring to a boil.
5. In a small bowl add reserved broth, and reserved beans.  Mash beans in broth.  This creates a slurry.  Add to pot of chili.  reduce heat to a simmer.
6. Once squash is cooked through, take out of the oven.  Add spiced squash to pot and stir.  Add zucchini and allow to simmer for another 2-4 minutes.
7. Take off of heat, salt and pepper to taste, and ENJOY!
8. Serve with Tortilla chips, cheese, crusty bread, sour cream, plain greek yogurt, cilantro, hot sauce or whatever you’d like!
9. FOR VEGETARIAN VERSION OMIT TURKEY AND BULK UP ON SQUASH, USE VEGETABLE BROTH.