Black, Red, and White Bean "Leftover Turkey" Chili (and Turkey Stock Recipe)

Put Your Leftovers to Work

By: Pam Smith, RDN

Wondering what to do with the leftover turkey meat after your Thanksgiving Feast? Make your first priority to save the turkey bones – you can use them to make a pot of flavorful stock. Simmer them with some onions, carrots and celery, and you’ll have a freezable, flavor packed and lower sodium and fat base for soups, stews, rice dishes, and more. Right after carving the turkey, bag up the carcass and parts into large Ziploc bags and refrigerate. When ready to make the stock, this is what you’ll need:

Turkey Stock

Ingredients

• Leftover turkey bones (with some meat still attached), broken into large sections if necessary

• 1 pound yellow onions, skins on, halved or quartered depending on size

• 1/2 pound carrots, cut into 4-inch lengths

• 1/2 pound celery stalks, cut into 4-inch lengths

• 1 Tablespoon P.S. Flavor! Creole Kitchen

• 8 sprigs parsley, cilantro or thyme (or a combination)

Method

1. In a 3-gallon stockpot, combine all ingredients and fill with enough cold water to cover everything by 3 inches when submerged (about 6 quarts).

2. Bring to a rapid simmer over high (do not boil); reduce heat until just a light bubbling simmer for about 2 hours.

3. Keep the stock at a bare simmer and skim top every 30 minutes. Any fat that remains after skimming can be easily removed once the stock is chilled.

4. Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve and discard vegetables.

5. Remove meat from bones and save for another use; discard bones.

6. Let stock cool completely before refrigerating.

Black, Red, and White Bean "Leftover Turkey" Chili

Yields: 12 Servings

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray

• 1 teaspoon olive oil

• 1 small red onion, chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

• 2 teaspoons cumin

• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons chili powder

• 1 teaspoon P.S. Flavor! Creole Kitchen (or your Creole seasoning of choice)

• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

• 1 1/2 lbs. leftover turkey meat, cut in chunks (Pam hint: if you do not have fresh turkey on hand, you can use ground lean meat, cooked & drained

• 1 can (28 oz. each) diced tomatoes

• 2 cups turkey stock (*recipe above. Pam hint: if you do not have fresh turkey stock, you can purchase low fat, lower sodium chicken stock to use.)

• 2 cups V-8 Juice or tomato sauce

• 1 can (15 oz.) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 can (15 oz.) white cannelini beans, drained and rinsed

• 2 cups fresh yellow corn, cut from cob (or frozen kernels, thawed)

• Optional: Serve over brown rice, garnished with nonfat sour cream and cilantro

Method

1. Spray a large, heavy saucepan with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onions and bell peppers, sauté until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes.

2. Add garlic, jalapeno pepper, cumin, chili powder and seasoning; sauté about 2 minutes more.

3. Add cooked chopped turkey to sautéed vegetables and mix together. Add tomatoes and continue to sauté.

4. Add turkey stock and V-8 juice or tomato sauce; reduce heat to low and bring to a simmer, stirring. Cook for another 15 minutes; add drained beans and corn. Heat through.
   

---

Nutritional Content per serving: 374 calories, 38 grams carbohydrate, 8 grams fiber, 21 grams protein, 6 grams fat, 685 mg sodium