Turkey and Hominy Chili With Smoky Chipotle Recipe (2024)

Restating another comment... this recipe as written would make a HUGE volume of chili. I cut it in half, fed three people, and I still have a TON of leftovers.
The only substitution I made was using buffalo instead of turkey - otherwise followed the recipe almost exactly. Really nice flavor, an interesting variation on the usual chili.

I was very excited to make this version of chili but was underwhelmed. I added some cocoa powder and a touch of cinnamon (which I always put in my beef based chili) and that gave it more depth. Also used more adobo sauce than specified. Definitely don't forget the lime when serving. That was a nice touch. I always add powdered chipotle to chili - next time I'll add canned chipotles and adobo sauce.

Half the recipe makes a really big batch of chili—we had two large servings and leftovers for a couple of days. It's delicious. The hominy is such a nice contrast with the smoky dark chipotle flavor.

I trust Melissa Clark's recipes, but this one had me worried: the amount of hominy (mine didn't drain at all) and the 3 cups of water. But I should not have doubted. It is a nice hearty chili; the hominy and beans marry well. I used only 2 chipotles in adobo but I think I would add a third the next time I make it.

Delightful recipe. Has a nice amount of zing without the heavy spice of a traditional Texas chili. The citrus of the lime and the slight bitterness of the fresh cilantro are very complementary flavors.

This was a very nice change from my traditional chili. This reciepe had a great flavor, nice consistency and I was able to make it nice and thick. I personally don't like watery chii. The only changes I made was; I added more Choptle Chilis because I like spice and smokey flavors, used Hatch chili powder instead regular chili powder and used more garlic because I love garlic. I made mine spicy and man it was good!

Excellent recipe...great depth of flavor. I used the suggested pinto beans, but next time would try small kidney or pink beans, purely for color. The pinto beans emerge rather gray. I cooked the beans separately, then used the cooking liquid rather than water. And in all turkey chilis, I add a splash of Worcestershire sauce while sauteeing the turkey meat for color and a meatier flavor.

An addendum to my previous comment. It's a couple of days later and the chili, like most chilies, is better than when first made. Still needs additional umph but depth is better.

Dried bean substitute:
I cooked 1 1/2 c dry black beans with 5 c. water in my electric pressure cooker for 23 minutes while the turkey and vegetables were browning, and used 3 c. of bean cooking water to replace the water in the recipe. Truly delicious, but it does muddy the chili's color

Great chili! Hominy is so perfect for this recipe. I won't cook a chili without it from now on. I added a couple of chopped carrots to mix up color and texture and also a bit of ground sirloin. I used just 1 1/2 cups water laced with ancho chili powder. I didn't want it too watery; you can always add more.

Prepared this yesterday using some additions suggested in other comments.I added 1 tsp. cinnamon, 2 tsp. coca, plus good splash or two of Worcestershire sauce to the meat.I substituted 2 cups chicken broth along with the one cup water.Used kidney beans in place of one can of pinto beans.2 large chipotles in adobo sauce gave it just enough heat for my tastes.I will make this again. Might try using shredded turkey instead of ground next time.

As others have mentioned, this recipe makes a LOT of chili. I generally plan to freeze half and am happy to have it on hand for lunches or a future meal down the road.My partner is vegan, so while I'm a fan of the turkey in this recipe, it's actually really easy to substitute TVP or seitan for the meat and still end up with a really flavorful meal. When I do it this way I usually add some more oil and a little bit of miso to make up for the fat/flavor that comes with the meat.

This is an excellent recipe. I read a few reviews saying to add Worcestershire to the turkey when cooking and to add a touch of cinnamon. I did both. Don’t skip the oregano! It is a perfect flavor.A few subs: I used great northern beans instead of pinto only because that is what I had on hand & used half ancho chili powder and half regular. It’s the beginning of fall here so I had a ton of fresh ripe tomatoes to use. I blended them to make tomato purée and their slight sweetness was perfect.

After softening the vegetables, add some tomato purée and beer and blend with stick blender. Did not add the 3 cups water

I’ve made this several times. I cut in half and it still serves two of us for a few dinners and a lunch. I didn’t love it with black beans so I omitted and doubled the hominy and I had sweet potatoes on hand and they work well with this.

Halved this recipe and it lasted my roommate and I through the week. We loved it!Added about a pound of fresh tomatillos, quartered at the same point you add the hominy. Went heavy handed on a lot of ingredients knowing I’d add the tomatillos, but especially the chili powder and chipotles in adobo. I also added extra beer, tomato purée and bean water to accommodate. I used rancho gordo pink and red beans, cooked in the instant pot and used the bean water.Tasted great with tostadas

I added 1/4 to a1/2 cup corn meal to thicken near the end. I wanted to boost the flavor the hominy. Liked the outcome.

I was a bit disappointed in this, but I’m still going to tinker with it. It seemed a bit one-dimensional, but that might improve with a day or two. My next step is to add more hominy and more spices. It’s too watery and the flavor lacks depth.

Great use of leftover Thanksgiving turkey. We diced the meat and from there assembly was quick. After an hour's simmer the flavors blended brilliantly. It was a huge hit with our guests.

As written, great quantities for freezing / giving some away - but we were very glad we had just enough left over for dinner for ourselves! I was tinkering with the seasoning until the end (added lime juice, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and what felt like a perilous amount of salt) but I think I really just needed to give the hourlong simmer time to do its thing. A keeper!

I made the chili with plant based meats and following another commenter, I added miso while cooking the plant based meats which added an umami boost. I used a dark beer and added file for thickening. I like the amount of smokiness from the chipotle peppers in adobo. The chili was for the annual office chili cook-off and I received enough votes for third place out of 9 entries which is the best I have done in several years of making a vegetarian chili.

I keep coming back to this recipe. It’s such a delight. Do not skip the hominy. They are absolutely perfect. I halve the recipe and have for at least 6 big servings. Works out beautifully.

I’ve made this 3 or 4 times. Doesn’t take huge effort for great results. The first time I made it I didn’t have any beer on hand. The second time I added the beer - makes a huge difference in a good way. I cut the recipe in half as there are only 2 of us. I don’t love beans so I use twice the amount of hominy and also added diced sweet potatoes because it seemed like the right thing to do.

Makes a delicious vegetarian chili if you leave out the turkey! Two kinds of beans plus the hominy make for a lot of texture and chew, no need for meat subs either. Lots of flavor.

It was EXCELLENT. Here are my tips:Made the day before Used 3 lbs of turkeyUsed half chipotle powder, half chili powderskipped canned chipotlesAdded tiny pinch each of cinnamon and coriander, big pinch of cumin Doubled garlic Anaheim chili instead of green pepperSautéed the veg separately Used chicken stock instead of water Added tomato paste to cooked turkey Served with cubed avocado, minced red onion for crunch, along with listed toppings. It needs the lime squeeze.

It was GREAT. Here are my tips:Used half chipotle powder, half chili powderSkipped canned chipotlesAdded tomato pasteUsed 3 lbs of turkeyAdded cinnamon, coriander, cumin Doubled garlic Anaheim chili instead of green pepperSautéed veg separately Used chicken stock instead of water Make day beforeCubed avocado to top it plus all those listed

Made the chili this week. It was delicious. I used a brown ale for the beer, added some lime at the end and tossed in a couple of dried ancho chilis while it was cooking to give it a bit more flavor. I also added some lime at the end, and served with sour cream, cheddar cheese and scallions. I used Rancho Gordo Moro beans and their cooking liquid instead of canned beans. We fed 4 with this, although we did have a substantial amount leftover, we ate more than half of the full recipe!

This is a delicious recipe and it makes a lot of chili. Even better the next day. I added a tablespoon of brown sugar at the end - really brought out the smokiness.