Last Updated on
Hatch Chili with Turkey is a flavorful and healthy recipe featuring the special chile peppers from New Mexico. Recipe made using a complimentary bag of roasted Hatch Chiles from the Hatch Green Chile Store. Read on for details, or click here to jump down to the recipe.
In recent years, as August rolls in eye start keeping my eyes out for a special seasonal arrival at the grocery store. Yes, I am a big fan of Hatch chiles from New Mexico. Today the special chiles add great flavor to our Hatch Chili with Turkey, made in a slow cooker.
What are Hatch chiles?
Hatch chiles are chiles grown in the Hatch Valley in New Mexico. As Preston Mitchell from the Hatch Green Chile Store explained to me in a previous comment here on Cooking Chat:
“[Hatch is] a town in Southern NM where the soil, climate, and tradition of growing chile are all so great that the chile grown here has developed a reputation in the marketplace. Similar to Champagne (made only with grapes grown in a specific area in france) or the Vidalia onion, (grown only in the Vidalia region of Georgia) “Hatch” is any chile grown here in the Hatch Valley.”
Fresh Hatch chiles tend to be harvested August into early September. But you can order the roasted and frozen Hatch chiles year round from places like the Hatch Green Chile Store
Making Hatch Chili with Turkey
When Preston offered to send me a few bags of frozen roasted Hatch chiles, I knew I’d be cooking up some tasty new recipes. But first I had to make the delicious Grilled Ribeye with Hatch Chile Avocado Salsa again!
OK, having enjoyed that recipe again I was ready for something new. I played around with a Hatch chile sauce for pork chops, but that recipe isn’t ready for prime time yet. Next I decided to make a batch of turkey chili, flavoring the chili with some of the roasted peppers from Hatch.
I used one cup of Hatch chiles in this recipe. Preston had explained that contrary to popular opinion, it isn’t actually the seeds that give chiles their spicy kick; rather it is the pith and ribs that gives it the kick. More on that here on The Kitchn. So I didn’t worry about removing the seeds; just thawed the roast Hatch chiles and coarsely chopped them.
The sauce I made earlier this month with the Hatch chiles came out quite spicy, so I went with one cup of the peppers in this recipe. Cooked up with the turkey and other ingredients, it made the dish very flavorful but not particularly hot. So if you like your chili on the spicy side, increase the amount of Hatch chiles you use in the recipe.
I like to make chili in a slow cooker, and that’s what I’ve done here. I can get a batch going Sunday night–my big cooking day– and have it ready for an easy dinner on Monday.
Pairings for Hatch Chili with Turkey
Expecting this Hatch Chili with Turkey to be on the hot side, I planned to simply have a beer with the chili. The IPA we poured definitely worked with the chili–IPA is a good beer choice for spicy food. But given the flavor profile of the chili, a wine pairing could definitely work. I’ve had good luck pairing a Syrah with another chili recipe of mine with similar spice levels, and expect that would work here. I will have to do some additional experimenting and report back!
Hatch Chili with Turkey
Turkey chili flavored by roasted Hatch chiles, prepared in a slow cooker for an easy and flavorful meal.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 7 hours 45 mins
- Total Time: 7 hours 55 mins
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: New Mexican
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup roasted Hatch chiles, chopped
- 32 ozs diced tomatoes
- 2 lbs ground turkey
- 2 14 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp cumin
- 3 tsp coriander
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- optional shredded cheese for topping
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the onions, cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the turkey to the skillet. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the turkey meat begins to brown. Add the garlic toward the end of this browning time.
- Transfer the turkey and onions to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the the cheese, to the slow cooker: Hatch chile peppers, tomatoes, kidney beans, and dried spices. Stir to combine the ingredients.
- Cover the slow cooker, and cook on low for 7.5 hours.
- When the cooking time is done, serve the chili in bowls, topped with the cheese if you are using it. Enjoy!
We love making turkey chilli! It’s nice and lean and healthy, but still super comforting too.
★★★★★
Yes, I make turkey chili much more than beef at this point.
Hi David,
We love making chili too! 🙂
This is just what we need for the cool weather.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Amy
★★★★★
You too Amy!
Fall is all about pumpkin and chili… I love these two things so much!!
I’ve got to cook something with pumpkin next!
Oh we do love a good chili. Especially now that the weather is getting cooler. I’m surprised about the seeds not making the chili spicy…I have been living a lie all my life LOL! And that beer with this chili sounds really good. Happy Friday!
★★★★★
Thanks Jolina! Yes we had a warm September here in New England but the last few days it has definitely been chilly weather. Cheers!
I was suspicious of all of the spices. It tasted a little funky the first night. By the third night it was incredible!! I’ve never experienced turkey as good.
★★★★★
Glad you liked it Kathleen! There is a lot going on there it is true, I could see the flavors melding together after a couple of nights.