Southwestern Black Bean & Corn Chili

Why This Southwestern Black Bean & Corn Chili Works

As the onion and garlic cook in the oil, they soften and lose their sharp bite. They start to taste a little sweeter, so the base of the chili isn’t harsh. When the ground turkey goes in and browns, the outside of the meat firms up while the inside stays tender. Any little browned bits on the bottom of the pot later mix into the chili and give it a deeper taste.

Once the beans, corn, tomatoes, and broth are added, everything has time to sit together in the hot liquid. During the simmer, the beans and corn soak in the seasoned broth, so they don’t feel plain. The chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika spread through the whole pot instead of sitting in one spot. As it simmers, some of the liquid cooks off and the starch from the beans thickens the broth, so it goes from soupy to more like a hearty chili. By the end, the cilantro, lime, sour cream, and cheese sit on top and add fresh, cool, and creamy bites against the warm, thick chili.

Mistakes To Avoid

Cranking the heat too high when browning the turkey often makes the onion and garlic scorch on the bottom of the pot. The dark bits stick and turn bitter, and the whole chili ends up with a harsh, burnt taste instead of a clean, warm spice.

Adding the beans and corn before the turkey is fully cooked leaves the meat stewing in liquid instead of browning. The turkey stays a little gray and rubbery, and the chili tastes flat and meaty rather than rich and roasty.

Skipping the simmer time means the broth doesn’t have a chance to reduce and thicken. The chili stays thin and soupy, and the beans and corn don’t soak up the spices, so every bite feels a bit watery.

Dumping in way more chili powder and cumin than listed can make the broth go muddy and powdery. The spices sit on top of the liquid and coat the tongue, and the heat from the chilies in the tomatoes starts to feel sharp instead of warm.