Call me crazy, but I just combined vegetables and cocoa powder to make one of the most flavorful and healthful chilies ever. I know what your thinking… “Ummm gross. I’ll pass on the Willy Wonka chili.” But I promise, it doesn’t end up tasting like chocolate at all! After a little research I found that the Mexican cuisine frequently uses cocoa powder in their savory dishes to add bold color and deep flavor.
What I love about this recipe is you can add and take away pretty much anything and it’ll still turn out. Forego or add whatever veggies you want, like bell peppers, corn, or squash. Don’t have pinto or kidney beans? Who cares! use whatever other beans you have. (Except refried. Please.) This recipe is perfect for experimentation and substitutions. Just don’t leave the cocoa powder out. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

You can be done and over with this chili in about 45 minutes (maybe even less) if you don’t want to deal with letting everything simmer, but simmering is the secret to letting all the flavors blend, so try at least 30 minutes if you can afford it. (I usually let it simmer for a couple hours total.)
If you’re on a budget or feeding a lot of people (game-day tailgating anyone?) and need to make this meal spread out a little more, serve it over a baked potato, or with a simple corn bread.
(This dish can also be made vegetarian/vegan by using low sodium vegetable stock and replacing the turkey with 1 cup of quinoa and an extra cup of broth.)