Crockpot Tequila Lime Turkey Chili

Chili is the perfect cold weather meal - it's hearty, warm, and typically easy to make. I've made variations of it over the years and this is probably one of our favorites. And it might possibly be the addition of the tequila...

It's actually a fairly basic crockpot chili recipe with the added bit of brightness from the lime and depth from the tequila. I actually ended up not doing it in the crockpot but instead threw it on the stove and let it simmer a couple of hours there instead. Of course, a crockpot is best if you're leaving the house.

Just a note: we tasted it near the end and ended up tossing in more spices and lime juice so like any recipe, you should taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking before serving.

I found this on  Pink Parsley.

Crockpot Tequila Lime Turkey Chili
1 slice sandwich bread, torn into pieces
2 Tbs milk
1 lb ground turkey
salt and pepper
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 large onion, minced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds remove, minced
2 Tbs chili powder
2 Tbs tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp minced fresh oregano, or 1/2 tsp dried
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 14.5-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup tequila, plus more as needed
2 Tbs low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs honey
1 tsp minced chipotle en adobo
1 tsp grated lime zest
1 Tbs fresh lime juice, plus more for serving
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

For serving (optional):
fresh cilantro
Pepperjack cheese
diced avocado
tortilla chips

Mash the bread and milk into a paste in a large bowl using a fork. Mix in the ground turkey, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. (this keeps the turkey moist during the long cooking time)

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno, and cook until they are softened, 5-7 minutes. Add the chili powder, tomato paste, garlic, cumin, and oregano and cook an additional 3-5 minutes.

Stir in the turkey and cook, breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.

To the slow cooker, add the diced tomatoes with their juices, beans, 3 tablespoons of the tequila, soy sauce, honey, and chipotles. Cover and cook on low until the turkey is tender, 4 to 6 hours.

Turn off the slow cooker and allow the chili to settle about 5 minutes. Use a large spoon to skim the fat off the surface. Break up any remaining large pieces of turkey with a spoon. Stir in the remaining tequila, lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, tequila, and lime juice as desired.