Turkey & Bacon Chili

If you like turkey, bacon & beer then you will love this chili!

Well the Always Savory kitchen has been temporarily moved to Jersey! I am here on vacation from my current home state of Virginia to visit family. My family was super excited when I told them I was going to be creating a food blog. So while I am up here, I had to cook something for them!

The first thing I notice about being in Jersey is that the weather is much much colder then V.A. My parents have been saying that I brought the cold weather with me. LOL! Due to the cold weather chili just made since. The other thing that I noticed was working in someone else's kitchen is not that easy. I am so use to my kitchen and my equipment.  It took me a few minutes to navigate my mom's kitchen.

The best part about this chili, I think, is the bacon! Everyone loves bacon! The crisp bacon adds a nice crunch and great flavor. The original recipe calls for ground beef, but my family is not big red meat eaters. Turkey instead of beef is a great lean option that tastes great! Some of my family members can be picky eaters, but that's ok. I never back down from a picky eater! My picky eaters didn't want the beans. So I decided to make a side of rice. We poured the chili over the rice. Yum Yum! When it comes to chili, I say the spicier the better, but this recipe has a nice balance. Chili is a hearty dish that is great alone or on nachos. I am sure that during the cold winter months this chili will be on my stove again!

But before we go, you have to tell me what are your favorite toppings on chili?

Ingredients

2.5 lbs of ground Turkey

9 slices of thick cut Bacon

1 large chopped Onion

1 large chopped Green Pepper

2 tbsp of minced Garlic

1/4 cup Chili Powder

1/2 tbsp Cumin

2 teaspoons Paprika

2 teaspoons Oregano

2 tbsp unsweetened Cocoa Powder 

1 small can Tomato Paste

1 bottle Amber Beer, like Fat Tire Amber Ale

1 28 oz can Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies

1 1/2 cups Beef Stock

2 cups White Rice

1 tbsp Hot Sauce 

Salt & Pepper

Shredded cheese & Sour Cream for topping

Directions

1.  In a skillet cook bacon until crisp over med heat. Drain on a paper towel and let cool. Scrap and save the bacon drippings, set aside.
2. In the same skillet cook the turkey. Add about a tbsp of the bacon grease to turkey. As turkey is cooking season with S&P. When turkey is done set aside.
3. In a large sauce pan over med heat add bacon drippings, onion and green pepper. Cook until onion is translucent. Once onions are done add garlic and cook for about 3 mins.
4. To the saucepan add chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano and tomato paste. Fill up half of the tomato paste can with water and add to the sauce pan. Cook until tomato paste is brown. 
5. Add the beer and reduce to half.
6. Add turkey,bacon and cocoa powder. Stir to coat the meat.
7. Pour tomatoes, green chilies, & beef stock into saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for a hour and half or until chili is thick, stirring from time to time.
8. When chili is done add hot sauce and stir. Let cool. Pour over rice and top with shredded cheese and sour cream.

Notes: If you like beans in your chili you could use 2 15 oz cans of black beans, instead of the rice.  You would add the beans in step 7.