Fast, protein-packed chili is a warming fall festivities choice

By Genevieve Ko

The New York Times

In the center of Queens, the little neighborhood of Forest Hills Gardens fills with front-step pumpkins and skeletons each October. On Halloween, families start going from door to web-framed door as soon as school lets out, and the crowds swell, grow taller around dusk.

When my children were growing up, the holiday felt like the height of community, fellow parents watching out for one another’s ghosts and bats, friends coming over to trade candy at the end of the night. (Does anyone want these Skittles?) The challenge was what to feed everyone after a long day and jittery amounts of sweets.

Chili was the right choice for a Halloween party: a salty, warming bowl on a sugary, chilly night. There never seemed to be enough time to simmer a pot for hours in the busyness of costumes and handing out treats, so I created this turkey chili I could throw together in under half an hour (and could be just as welcome in the days after).

And then I worried for weeks about whether it could even be considered a chili.

How is chili defined? Can it be? It’s a stew, for sure. Wait, or is it a hearty soup? Merriam-Webster calls it a “thick sauce,” which is an interesting take. Its inception remains murky, but it was popularized throughout the Southwest. And its one constant — chile peppers — originated in present-day Mexico. Fresh or dried peppers (or both) can season chili with a range of heat and flavors that’s as wide as the genus capsicum’s varieties.

The earthy musk of cumin often scents the pot, as does the dry-grass aroma of oregano. Onions and garlic are often guaranteed, with a subsequent choice of rojo tomatoes or verde tomatillos. Sometimes, there are beans, still considered sacrilege by many, and there’s often no meat at all. When there is, it’s lovely if chunks of tough cuts slow-braise for hours, exhaling into tender shreds.

But on an already-busy days, that may be unrealistic. So, here, ground meat it is. As with every other ingredient in this chili, it’s the fastest possible option, with flavors that can be drawn out quickly. Dark meat turkey cooks through swiftly and absorbs a smokiness from the vegetables that go in the pot before it.

Prepared with a technique found in many Mexican stews and sauces, the onion is charred to near blackness. Because it’s diced in this recipe, it sears in minutes. Fresh green Hatch or Cubanelle peppers have flatter walls than regular green peppers, so they tenderize quickly. To deepen the aroma of spices, smash the powdery crimson mix into the meat and vegetables and against the pot’s base to toast.

Kale is far from being a standard chili addition, but it brings a welcome bite — and means you get all your greens without having to make a salad. Frozen chopped kale not only requires zero prep, it also tends to be less expensive than fresh. Because it’s already chopped and partly cooked, it wilts in minutes and, along with mashed canned lentils, thickens this brothy mix immediately.

This all happens in half an hour, and one taste at this moment, when the kale and cilantro are green as grass, answers the question of whether a chili requires hours of simmering. For a completely fresh take, no. This is the stew (yes, stew) at its lightest and brightest, with crisp-tender peppers and juicy meat, the tang of tomatoes, the tingle of spices. But keep it on the stove all night, and, by the end, it’ll feel as melded and profound as any classic.

Quick Turkey Chili

Can this be considered chili if it’s ready in half an hour? For a completely fresh take, yes — yes, it can. Right when it’s done, the kale, cilantro and peppers remain green as grass with a bright bite. The turkey is still tender and juicy, the tomatoes tangy and the spices tingly. Those distinct lanes of flavor merge if you keep the pot over low heat for an hour or more, or if you pack up leftovers and reheat them throughout the week. Thickened with lentils and a whole pound of kale, this chili is hearty with protein and fiber, making it as satisfying as it is satiating.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

Grapeseed or canola oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 Hatch or Cubanelle peppers, seeded and diced

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 serrano or jalapeño chile, seeded for mild if desired, finely chopped

Salt and black pepper

1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 pound frozen kale, thawed

2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles

2 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed

1 (15-ounce) can lentils, drained and rinsed

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped (including stems)

Lime wedges, sour cream or yogurt, cheese and rice (optional), for serving

DIRECTIONS

1: Heat a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over high until hot. Add a very thin sheen of oil and swirl to coat. Add the onion and spread in a single layer. Cook, without stirring, until the bottoms are deeply charred, 2 to 3 minutes.

2: Drizzle more oil into the pan. Add the peppers, garlic and serrano. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Push the vegetables to one side of the pot.

3: Coat the empty side of the pot with oil, and then add the turkey and spread it over that half of the pan. Sprinkle the turkey and vegetables with the chili powder, coriander and cumin. Cook, smashing the spices and aromatics into the meat and breaking the meat into tiny pieces, 2 to 3 minutes. The spices should smell toasted.

4: Add the kale and cook, stirring, until any liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth and bring to a boil. For a thicker chili, smash the lentils a bit. Stir in the lentils and return to a boil. Turn the heat down to maintain a simmer and stir in half of the cilantro. At this point, the chili is ready and will taste light and fresh with crisp green vegetables. You also can keep simmering it for hours over the lowest heat setting for a softer, stewier chili. If the mixture dries out, add more broth or water.

5: Serve the chili with the lime wedges, sour cream, cheese and remaining cilantro, over rice if you’d like.

Recipe by Genevieve Ko.