Photo: Erin Kunkel
Hi Friends.
Well, January was a blur-how did that happen?-and now it’s one of the best days of the year for cooking! Still don’t have a game plan for Super Bowl food? Don’t sweat it! I’m here to help.
Here’s my recipe for Turkey Chili with Sweet Potatoes, Cilantro Oil, and Pepitas from “The Vibrant Life: Eat Well, Be Well.” Rest assured your whole crew will love it because I tested it on a dozen teenage boys to ensure it was Super Bowl-worthy. Also, it’s good for you! (You don’t have to tell anyone that part.)
I can’t wait to share more of The Vibrant Life with you in the months to come. 2020 is going to be our best year yet!
In the meantime, let’s go Niners. ?
xo-Amanda
Sweet Potato Turkey Chili with Cilantro Oil and Pepitas
There’s something about chili that will never go out of style. Although I love the classic combination of ground beef, onions, red bell pepper, and beans, I’m always looking for versions with more redeeming health benefits. The sweet potatoes in this chili add loads of vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, and C, along with fiber and potassium. And I choose high-quality, organic ground turkey here, but ground beef or lamb would work just as well. With a potent fresh cilantro oil drizzled over the top, this chili recipe will leave you looking and feeling your best.
Ingredients
Chili
- 3-4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 red onions diced
- Kosher salt
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 3 garlic cloves garlic cloves
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 ½ lb ground turkey
- 2 sweet potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 2 15 oz cans black beans or pinto beans rinsed and drained
Cilantro Oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ¾ cup firmly packed cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Pinch of kosher salt
Spiced Pepitas
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup pepitas
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- Pinch of kosher salt
Fried Tortilla Strips
- 2 small corn tortillas
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- To make the chili: In a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, warm 3 Tbsp oil. Add the onions and 2 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the chili powder, garlic, cumin, and fennel seeds, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the onions to a plate. If the pan looks dry, add 1 Tbsp oil, then add the ground turkey. Cook, breaking up the meat, until brown and just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Return the onions to the pan, and add the sweet potatoes, crushed tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the beans. Season with salt.
- To make the cilantro oil: While the chili is cooking, pulse the garlic in a small food processor a few times. Add the vinegar and sugar and pulse a few more times to combine. Add the cilantro and oil and process for 15 to 30 seconds, or until the mixture reaches a pourable consistency. Taste, adding salt as needed.
- To make the spiced pepitas: Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pepitas and toast for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the cumin, chili powder, and salt, and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute, then transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.
- To make the tortilla strips: Stack the corn tortillas and slice them into 1/4 in [6 mm] strips. Heat a small frying pan over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil, the tortilla strips, and a generous sprinkling of salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- Ladle the chili into bowls, drizzle with the cilantro oil, sprinkle the pepitas and tortilla strips on top, and serve.
Notes
Reprinted from The Vibrant Life by Amanda Haas with permission by Chronicle Books, 2019.
