Mole-Inspired Turkey And Sweet Potato Chili Recipe

There's chili, and then there's chili that you think about long after the bowl is empty, when the scent of spices lingers only faintly in the air. This mole-inspired turkey and sweet potato chili is of the latter kind: a simple meal that turns a weeknight into a special occasion.

As a recipe developer and blogger with a love of comfort food, October is when the Dutch oven comes back out of hibernation. As soon as the weather dips down, I find myself wanting something dark and deeply spiced, something that fills the kitchen with the smell of toasted chiles and simmering broth that makes the whole house feel warmer. That's when this chili comes in hot, smoky, and layered, with sweet potatoes that soften into the broth and a mysteriously delicious cocoa-and-cinnamon base that no one is quite able to identify.

Everyone thinks that the key to a good chili is to use the right balance of freshly ground spices. But I think it all starts with dried chiles, in this case ancho and guajilo chiles, that are first toasted, then soaked and blended into a puree. It's a Southwestern technique that distinguishes this from just a canned chili you throw together on a weeknight. If you make this on a Sunday, you'll enjoy the leftovers throughout the week, as it gets better every day it sits.

To make this Southwestern chili, you'll need dried ancho and guajillo chiles, olive oil, ground turkey, yellow onion, garlic cloves, tomato paste, unsweetened cocoa powder, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, sweet potatoes, canned black beans, brown sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper. To garnish the bowls, I love using avocados, fresh cilantro leaves, and crumbled queso fresco.

Toast the ancho and guajillo chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat, pressing down with a spatula, until fragrant and slightly darkened, about 1 minute per side.

Transfer the chiles to a heatproof bowl and cover with 2 cups of hot water. Let soak for 20 minutes, until softened.

Drain the chiles, reserving ½ cup of the soaking liquid. Transfer the chiles and reserved liquid to a blender and blend until smooth.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it up, until browned, about 6 minutes.

Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, tomato paste, cocoa powder, cumin, and cinnamon, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Stir in the chile puree, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer.

Add the sweet potatoes and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the black beans and brown sugar and simmer for 10 minutes more. Season with the salt and pepper.

Serve topped with the avocado, cilantro, and queso fresco.

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I love repurposing chili leftovers in unexpected way — mixed in with eggs and potatoes for breakfast, eaten with tortilla chips, or even combined with rice for a quick side. But my favorite thing to do with leftover chili that's soaked up all the liquid is to roll it into burritos.

To start this process, pay attention to the liquid. Chili thickens considerably as it cools, but depending on how much broth or sauce remains in your chili, you may want to strain it and only use the meatier, chunkier parts. You can sip the leftover sauce as broth or mix it with rice to serve on the side. You can also just return the chili to the stovetop and let it simmer, uncovered, for an extra 10 to 15 minutes, until it's thick enough that a spoon dragged across the bottom of the pot leaves a clear trail.

Then take a large flour tortilla and warm it until it's pliable, which is probably the key to ensuring your burrito doesn't crack. Place the chili in the middle, adding rice for bulk, then top with queso fresco, avocado, and cilantro before rolling. If you want a burrito bowl instead, cook the rice in chicken broth for more flavor, and layer it with the chili and toppings.

Ancho and guajilo are two of the most common dried chiles in Mexican cooking, and together they build the flavor base of this chili. Ancho chiles are dried poblano peppers, which turn deep red-brown, wrinkled, and wide, and offer up a mild heat and an earthy, sweet, and chocolatey flavor. Guajilo peppers are brighter and more acidic, with a thin skin and a fruity, tangy flavor. Neither are too spicy, and both are widely available at most grocery stores or online.

But if you can't find them, you can use some substitutions. Guajilo can be replaced with dried New Mexico chiles, which are also fruity and mild. Ancho chiles can be replaced with ancho chile powder, which is also rather easy to find, at the ratio of one tablespoon per dried chile. Dried Anaheim chiles are another good replacement that are even milder.

Do keep in mind that if you use dried chile powder, you'll be able to skip the blooming and blending stages. While this saves time, it will impact the depth of flavor and texture slightly, so try to find the real dried chiles if possible.

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