Black Bean & Salsa Chili

This Cooking Light chili was really tasty and ready in an hour. The spiciness of the chili powder and crushed red pepper worked really well with the slight sweetness of the small amount of brown sugar. And the dish weighs in at 200 calories per one-cup serving. A nice, healthy, alternative to your traditional chili recipe that has to simmer on the stove all day! Don't be daunted by the long list of ingredients - it's mostly spices!

Recipe Notes

The original recipe calls for ground turkey. I prefer 92% lean ground beef or ground sirloin, so I made that substitution. Feel free to use either turkey or beef.

Nutritional Information (per serving - serves 6)
199 calories - 6.2 g. fat - 14.8 g. protein - 5.9 g. fiber

Ingredients

• Two 15-oz cans black beans - rinsed, drained, and divided
• 2/3 c. water
• 1 tbsp. dark brown sugar
• 1/2 lb. 92% extra lean ground beef or ground turkey
• 1 c. chopped sweet onion
• 1/2 c. chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 c. chopped red bell pepper
• 3 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
• 1-1/2 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1-1/2 c. mild salsa
• 3 tbsp. tomato paste
• 14 oz. can fat free beef broth
• 1/2 c. reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp. fresh lime juice

Instructions

1. Combine one can of black beans, water, and dark brown sugar in a food processor. Process until smooth.

2. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.

3. Add onions, green bell peppers, red bell peppers, bacon, and ground beef or turkey to the pan. Cook for between 5-8 minutes, or until bell peppers and onion have softened and meat has browned.

4. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, and crushed red pepper to pan and stir well.

5. Add pureed beans, one can of black beans, salsa, tomato paste, and beef broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium-low (uncovered) for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

6. Combine sour cream, cilantro, and juice in a small bowl. Serve chili with sour cream mixture.