3-Alarm Turkey and Mushroom Chili Recipe

Don't know what to do with all that leftover turkey from Thanksgiving and/or Christmas? Tired of turkey sandwiches for days until you end up throwing out unused turkey that went bad? If so, then this recipe is for you. I made this shortly after Thanksgiving this year with all our leftover turkey and it came out amazing.

I experimented a little from my Habanero Chili From Hell Recipe and decided to kick it up a notch. I also wanted to make a chili that was more healthy because my other recipe is not one for someone watching their weight after consuming lots of food during the holidays. What better way than to use turkey instead of 2.5 lbs of greasy pork and beef! Lastly, I wanted to make it sweeter, so a dab of brown sugar did the trick.

* 2 lbs cooked turkey
* 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 2 (16 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
* 2 (16 ounce) dark red kidney beans
* 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
* 1 (12 fluid ounce) can beer
* 2 cups water
* 2 green bell peppers, diced
* 1 white onion, sliced large
* 10 jalapeno peppers, chopped fine
* 10 habanero peppers, chopped fine
* 5 bhut jolokia ghost peppers, chopped fine
* 1 package fresh mushrooms, sliced
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 3 tablespoons chili powder
* 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
* 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 2 teaspoons black pepper

Since the meat is already cooked, the prep time for this chili is very quick. Combine all the ingredients together in a slow cooker. Stir well, making sure all spices, salt and sugar blend/dissolve in the liquid. Slow cook on high for at least 3 hours, stirring about every 30 minutes. You can cook longer on a lower temp, depending on your slow cooker. Chili is done once whole tomatoes have become so tender that they are falling apart.

Tips:
I highly recommend using smoked turkey but any kind will do. The sugar is optional if you don't like sweet. If you want it milder, use less chili peppers. I like to cut my whole tomatoes in half after they have cooked for a while so they become tender quicker. The longer it cooks in the slow cooker, the better it tastes!