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Thai Pepper Turkey Chili
May 1, 2020
When in Chiang Mai, Thailand, I took a cooking class at Lanna SmileThai Cooking School – something I highly recommend if you are ever in Thailand. (click here if you would like to read my 6 Wellness Tips when Travelling to Thailand) During the class, our teacher taught us how to gauge the intensity of the heat when cooking with these blasts of power. While these chilies have the same heat index, the way it hits your palette changes with the color of the chili. If you have ever bought a container of Thai green chilies you would see some that are green and others that are yellow or red. The difference is green ones hit your palette with that fast burn while yellow and red hit it more slowly. This is important to know and utilize to deepen the heat experience of the dish. Also, the smaller you cut the chilies the more heat they will expel. I usually dice each chili into 4 pieces. Because I always want to bring the heat!
Tip: I usually use 5 Thai green chili’s in my chili. I pick out 3 green, 1 yellow, and 1 red if possible.
When first switching my protein to turkey, I will be honest; I was skeptical. I was simply experimenting and trying to reach for more healthy options to incorporate into my favorite dishes. To my astonishment, it was delicious! My husband and I actually enjoyed it more. The turkey bacon was also a big surprise. Not only was the flavor a nice addition to the chili, the texture was great. You can use any protein you would like in this dish. I recommend giving turkey a whirl!
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 package turkey bacon, chopped
- 3 cups pinto beans, cooked
- 2 cups chicken broth or Stock
- 3 scoops Great Lakes Collagen Hydrolysate
- 1 can tomato paste
- 1 14-ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh garlic, minced
- 5 Thai green chilies, chopped
- 1/2 orange bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small red onion
- 1/3 cup cilantro, rough chop
- 1 tbsp oregano, dried
- 1 tsp black pepper, ground
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp paprika, smoked
- 1 tsp cumin, ground
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
- Pickled jalapenos
- 2 springs green onion, chopped
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to Saute and add turkey bacon. Cook until crisp, stirring often to cook evenly. Remove bacon add place on a paper towel lined plate.
- Add onions, bell peppers, and Thai chilies and cook until tender.
- Add ground turkey and cook until browned. Drain off excess grease.
- Add all remaining ingredients and 3/4 of the crisp bacon and stir to combine.
- Turn instant pot to ‘chili’ mode and cook for 20 minutes. Allow pressure to release for 15 minutes naturally.
- Garnish with: cheese, bacon, green onion and jalapenos.
I serve this delicious chili over a bed of steamed rice. Enjoy!
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