Black-Bean Salsa Chili

This was a wonderful thing to have on a chilly night. The garnish really does give it a whole other dimension. And it went very well with the Honey Cornbread Muffins I'd made before.

My only modifications were that I used olive oil rather than cooking spray, and I used 1 tablespoon of chili powder rather than the 1 1/2 that's called for in the original recipe. I don't think the additional 1/2 tablespoon would have made it too spicy, so I may have been unnecessarily cautious.

Black-Bean Salsa Chili
Courtesy of Cooking Light



2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
Cooking spray
1/2 pound ground turkey
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 sweet hickory-smoked bacon slices, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups mild salsa
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

Combine 1 1/2 cups beans, 2/3 cup water, and sugar in a food processor; process until smooth. Combine bean puree and remaining beans in a bowl.

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add turkey; cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove turkey from pan.

Add onion, bell peppers, and bacon to pan; cook 5 minutes or until bacon and onion are lightly browned. Return turkey to pan. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, and crushed red pepper to pan; stir well to coat. Stir in bean mixture, salsa, tomato paste, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine sour cream, cilantro, and juice in a small bowl. Serve chili with sour cream mixture.