Best Chef Johns Turkey Chili Recipes

TURKEY CHILI MAC

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, until it starts to soften and turns translucent, about 5 minutes.
• While onion cooks, make the spice mixture by combining chili powder, chipotle pepper, cumin, black pepper, cocoa, cinnamon, and oregano in a small bowl.
• Add garlic and the spice mixture to the onion and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in 4 cups chicken broth, diced tomatoes with chiles, and tomato sauce. Raise the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
• Add the leftover turkey meat along with additional chicken broth if needed, and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 15 minutes.
• Taste for salt and other seasonings and adjust as needed. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir in pinto beans and elbow macaroni and cover tightly with a lid. Cook, covered, until the pasta is just barely tender, about 5 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, remove the lid, and stir very well. Cover back up and let sit with the heat off for 5 minutes. Uncover, stir in Cheddar cheese, and serve immediately.

CHEF JOHN'S TURKEY CHILI

Steps:

• Mix the ancho chile powder, paprika, cumin, salt, chipotle pepper, oregano, cocoa powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon in a bowl; set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ground turkey and garlic. Cook and stir until turkey is no longer pink, breaking up any large chunks, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the spice mixture. Cook until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Stir in the tomato puree and water. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cook until the turkey meat is broken down, about 1 hour. Stir in the beans, and continue to simmer until flavors have blended, 20 to 30 more minutes.

CHEF JOHN'S CINCINNATI-STYLE CHILI

Steps:

• Combine beef and tomato paste in a large pot. Rinse out the tomato paste can with a couple tablespoons of water and add to the pot with garlic, onion, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, allspice, cloves, black pepper, bay leaf, sugar, and salt. Add apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, and cold water. Mash and stir with a potato masher or a large whisk to break up the meat into fine pieces.
• Place the pot over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until flavors come together and chili reaches your desired thickness, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until very tender, about 12 minutes. Drain.
• Taste chili and adjust seasoning. Remove and discard bay leaf. Ladle over spaghetti into serving bowls. Top with some onions and Cheddar cheese. Cut and scoop the noodles up with a fork like you're eating a casserole.

CHEF JOHN'S ITALIAN SAUSAGE CHILI

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook and stir hot Italian sausage, mild Italian sausage, onion, and a pinch of salt together in the pot, breaking up sausage with a wooden spoon. Cook until sausage is browned and crumbly, and most of the liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes.
• Stir ancho chile powder, paprika, cumin, ground black pepper, chipotle chile powder, and oregano into sausage mixture; saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Pour water and tomato puree into sausage mixture, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook on a steady simmer until sausage is tender, about 45 minutes. Add water as necessary and skim any fat that floats to the top.
• Stir cannellini beans, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper into sausage mixture. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

CHEF JOHN'S ROAST TURKEY AND GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Mix 2 tablespoons salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper, and poultry seasoning in a small bowl. Tuck turkey wings under the bird, and season cavity with about 1 tablespoon of the poultry seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining poultry seasoning mix.
• Toss the onion, celery, and carrots together in a bowl. Stuff about 1/2 cup of the vegetable mixture, rosemary sprigs, and 1/2 bunch sage into the cavity of the turkey. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Loosen the skin on top of the turkey breast using fingers or a small spatula. Place about 2 tablespoons butter under the skin and spread evenly. Spread the remaining butter (about 2 tablespoons) all over the outside of the skin. Sprinkle the outside of the turkey with the remaining poultry seasoning mix.
• Spread the remaining onion, celery, and carrots into a large roasting pan. Place the turkey on top of the vegetables. Fill the pan with about 1/2 inch of water. Arrange a sheet of aluminum foil over the breast of the turkey.
• Roast the turkey in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 3 1/2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165 degrees F (75 degrees C). Remove the foil during the last hour of cooking. Baste the turkey with the pan juices.
• While the turkey is roasting, make stock: place neck, heart, and gizzards in a saucepan with the bay leaf and water. Simmer over medium heat for 2 hours. Strain the turkey giblets from the stock, and discard giblets. There should be at least 4 cups of stock.
• Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Pour the pan juices, about 3 cups, into a saucepan and set aside. Skim off the turkey fat from the pan juices, reserving about 2 tablespoons.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the turkey fat and 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Transfer the onion from the roasting pan into the skillet. Cook and stir until the onion is browned, about 5 minutes, then stir in the flour. Continue to cook and stir for about 5 minutes more; whisk in 4 cups of the skimmed turkey stock and the reserved pan juices until smooth; skim off any foam. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Simmer until the gravy is thickened, whisking constantly, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped sage, and season to taste with salt and black pepper.