Smokin' Scovilles Turkey Chili Recipe

Fantastic recipe! The hot chocolate is the secret ingredient here; it flattens the heat curve, allowing the full flavour of the chili to present itself before the heat comes on in a satisfying finish. I made only a couple of changes to the recipe; being a red meat kind of guy, I used 1 lb of lean ground beef and 1 lb of ground moose, and added about a cup of pinto beans. The only other modification was using one red bell pepper and one green pepper. The finished product was absolutely stellar, and wound up easily winning first place at the company chili cook-off; it was the first pot to empty and people coming for thirds were disappointed to see it gone. This recipe is a definite keeper. To anyone considering deleting the hot chocolate or subbing pure cocoa: if you do, consider trying with the hot chocolate as well. The effect of the cocoa and the sugar on the heat of the habaneros and hot sauce is pure magic.

This was a great spicy chili! I didn't add the habanero pepper because I knew it would be too spicy for us. A few modifications that I did for how we like our chili. I only used 1 lb. of meat per the full recipe, doubled the tomato sauce, and added about 1 cup of water, since we like our chili a little soupier. I was using my instant pot for this, so I went ahead and pressure cooked it for around 35 minutes, then simmered a few more minutes with the lid off. But this would be great to simmer on the stove for several hours to develop that deep flavor. Even without the habanero, it had a great spice to it and we garnished our bowls with a dollop of sour cream and some parsley. I served corn bread muffins on the side and this made a delicious meal! Thank you for the great chili recipe! It was a nice change from our usual!

I never follow receipts exactly (unless it's baking which is more science), I found this one a good base to use. I added Sizzlin' Cilantro Spice Mix from (Cup n Kettle in Leavenworth WA, they ship), Smoked Paprika, two large Pablono's, 2 Jalapenos (1 half of pepper with seeds), a couple large carrots, 1 very large Red Bell Pepper, even amounts of Coriander and Cumin, no Hot Chocolate, although I could see adding a 1/8 tsp of unsweetened chocolate. I also used raw beans which I cooked first in my Mexican Clay Bean Pot with left over liquid, best way to cook beans.

I love chili, and have tried lots of recipes and this is my favorite. You don’t have to use turkey (although it is great with turkey) - as a matter fact, my favorite protein with this recipe is lean (90/10) ground bison. I usually halve the recipe but use whole can of beans (black beans are also very good if you want to change things up). After the first time I no longer put the bell peppers or corn in it. I didn’t think it needed the peppers and I didn’t care for the corn- it made it too starchy in my opinion and it’s so good without it. We like spicy chili, so I use a whole habanero as well as the full-recipe amount of red pepper flakes and full packet of hot cocoa mix for the half batch. Once I tried it with a whole ghost pepper, and it was a little too hot - even for me. Obviously, you have to gauge it based on who you are cooking for - when we have company I tone it way down. In summary, this is a great recipe which lens itself to “tinkering” based on your personal taste and preferences. Also, using a 4 quart dutch oven is perfect for a half batch!

I've got a pot going right now, and I'm excited to taste it when it's done! I made these changes: instead of a habanero (not sold at my store), I bought a package of various "hot" peppers, which contained some red chilis and jalapenos, as well as some light yellow-colored peppers that might have been either a "yellow caribe" or a "hungarian wax" according to the package - I'm still not 100% sure which they were... but since they were relatively mild, I used two of them, one jalapeno and two of the red chilis, and only one green bell pepper. I used 1.5 lbs of turkey and added a can of cannellini beans. I reduced the red pepper flakes to 1 T instead of 2 T because my bf won't like it if it's *too* hot. I was skeptical about using "milk chocolate" flavored hot cocoa mix (the only kind I could find that didn't have marshmallows) so I only used a dash of it, and then put in 2 t of unsweetened cocoa powder/baking chocolate, and a couple of dark hershey kisses. After adding the herbs and spices, before adding the tomatoes and beans, I put in about 1 T of tomato paste for about 1 minute, then added about 1/3 to 1/2 of a yuengling. As other reviewers suggested, I didn't drain the diced tomatoes and omitted the tomato sauce. Right now, it seems kind of "wet."I hope that some of the liquid either cooks off, and/or that adding the corn will work it out. I also will probably only add a dash of hot sauce to my own personal bowl, again, since my bf doesn't tolerate as much spice. I am

I doubled the spice, used 1lb turkey and 1lb extra lean ground beef, and they didn’t have habaneros at the store so used 3 jalepenos. Also didn’t have any beer on hand so I used some red wine. Stellar - it’s probably the 40th time I’ve made this and sometimes I have to adjust here and there but it’s perfect the way it is, and flexible if you don’t have all the ingredients!

Really good! Subbed large jalapeño pepper for habanero and only used 1 tsp red pepper flakes and did NOT add hot sauce and it was plenty of heat for me. I expect it to taste even better the next day!

I subbed the green peppers and Habanero for 1 red and 3 jalapeños. Added an extra can of kidney beans. FANTASTIC!! Thank you

I was intrigued by this recipe because I always add unsweetened cocoa powder to my chili con carne. I used the hot chocolate mix in this one wondering how the sugar would affect the taste. It was excellent. I was making this for a small group so I didn't add super hot peppers, but I did add about three roasted Anaheim chilis that weren't quite as hot as jalapeno or habanero. I didn't add hot sauce, but I did add a tsp. of cumin. I also used one lb. of ground turkey and one lb. of ground chuck, knowing that some people don't like the taste of ground turkey. I plan to make it again sticking closely to the recipe. It was excellent and I really didn't modify the recipe all that much. It's unfair to review recipes that we totally change up, so I want to be clear that my modifications were mostly to cut down on the spiciness, and not take a chance on solely using turkey for the meat.

My go-to for years now. Sometimes I use ground turkey, sometimes ground beef (brown and drain beforehand) and both are great. I usually only use a little (like 1/4 tsp) red pepper flakes and leave out any jalapeno if I'm making it for the family, which includes kids who don't like spicy. I also leave out corn-just not our thing. Big hit in our house. We eat it over spaghetti noodles with some sharp cheddar, sour cream and oyster crackers. Fiance is a big chili fan and even won a local cookoff in Green Bay (with his own recipe..although maybe I'll need to challenge him next time ;), so he knows his chili, and he LOVES this. Thanks for a great recipe!!

Hot, hot, hot the way it is written, and if you enjoy the heat, you’ll love it as written. If you’re looking for a bit less heat and a great tasting chili, try omitting a few ingredients. I’ve made it both ways and the compliments came immediately either way. Yesterday’s version omitted the habanero pepper, the red pepper flakes and the hot pepper sauce. I used original recipe Rotel diced tomatoes (which is spicier than the other brands with green chilis). Served at table with a bottle of Franks Red Hot, a bowl of sour cream and some grated sharp cheddar cheese, it couldn’t have been more delicious. Nice heat, but not overwhelming. This is a great recipe.

Fast prep, incredible taste — love it.

Not sure what "Man food" is, but my wife and I both like this recipe. We prefer a little more heat, but usually just keep a jar of hot sauce on the table when eating so we can adjust however we want.

I added 2.5 habaneros, chipotle powder, substituted chicken stock for beer, omitted corn and added chili beans. So good, love the play with the spices and hot chocolate powder. Served with butter honey cornbread 😊.

This is pretty much the only chili I ever make anymore & almost have the ingredients memorized. There's always at least a quart ball jar of this in my fridge for an easy meal without having to cook. SO much better than any beef chili without all that beef fat. I add an extra couple roma tomatoes, hominy, and cilantro. If I don't feel like sharing with my roommate then I keep the spice as-is. If it's for sharing then I cut back the habanero in half or completely. Goes great over some rice, egg noodles, or pasta to spread out the servings. I love this stuff.

One of my overall favorite recipes. Nice balance between hot spicy, sweetness, and a variety of other tastes and textures. Perfect to bring into work when brown bagging it.

Second time we have made this and it is some of the best chili we have had. First time I followed the recipe exactly and loved it. 2nd time, rather than keep cooked veggies to the side, I dumped them in a bowl to make sure they didn’t overcook. I like spicy and typically have to add additional hot sauce and spices but not with this one!

never fails! love this chili

I have made this recipe for years! It is always a hit. The recipe actually won a chili cook-off at work. I don't use the liquid smoke because I have never had it on hand. It is great without.

Definitely a five-star recipe. Not hot but has enough flavor do you like cioppino