This recipe has so many delicious ingredients however it needs tweaking for them to come together and each flavor not stand out too much from the others. Next time I make this and I do want to try it again, I'll cut the squash into smaller pieces, increase the broth to about a cup, use tomato paste instead of tomato sauce and add more garlic and onion. I'll also try simmering it in my dutch oven a little longer too. One tip with the butternut: before you do anything pierce the skin of the squash a few times and put it in the oven at about 400* about the time the turkey is done browning you can take the squash out of the oven (it will be hot) and cut the skin off and chop much more easily.
I was amazed at how well this turned out. this is a great autumn chili! I made a few changes based on what I had around. Instead of chilies, I just added one serrano pepper, and cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes to keep it spicy. I also added allspice, and it *really* brought everything together. i left out the tomatoes, added more beans (I don't like chunky tomato bits). really though, i really think the allspice made it FABULOUS. my boyfriend doesnt much care for ground turkey or squash, but he loved it too.
Excellent. The only changes I made were to use corn instead of hominy, just because that's what I had on hand, and I added some oregano. Great flavor, we really enjoyed it. Thank you! :)
ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES ON THIS SITE. Two additional comments:
1. Must cut the butternut squash up into pretty small pieces (I like mine smaller than a 1/2 inch cubed) and cook for a while.
2. MUST MUST MUST garnish with cilantro (if you are a cilantro lover) and eat with avocado. It completely steps the dish up to another level.
I like the idea of this chili but think the seasoning needs a little adjusting. I added a couple of bay leaves and some oregano and, if I make this again, I would cut back on the cumin probably by half. (One can always add more if it's not enough.)
By my estimation this recipe is fantastic. I can't say for certain because of the changes I made. I used more garlic, 1 28oz jar of tomato sauce instead of the original tomato ingredients, I used leftover turkey instead of ground turkey, borrowed another reviewers suggestion to substitute canned corn for hominy, and I used freshly cooked beans instead of canned. I think the cumin- chili powder- garlic salt proportions are fine as is. It's got pep; however, it's a pleasant zing, not too pungent or hot. (Jalapenos are kinda hot for me. Habaneros are almost too hot for me to eat ever unless they are teamed up with something to counteract the capsicin. I say this to help define 'not too hot', the 'heat' level for this was like mild to medium salsa.) I had to extend the cooking time to account for the non canned beans, and I added the turkey (cubed) about halfway through to prevent drying out. When I made it the recipe filled an 8qt stock pot (1 lb of kidney beans and a lot of leftover turkey is probably why). My family was unanimous in their approval of the chili/ stew. I will definitely make this again in the future.
I really enjoyed this chili but made many changes based on previous reviewers. Here they are: I precooked the butternut squash at 400 for about 15 minutes before adding it to the soup. 1 can of corn instead of hominy. Added allspice, oregano, and more chili powder to taste. Added a bay leaf. 1 c. chicken broth (instead of 1/2). 2 diced fresh tomatoes instead of canned. 3 cloves garlic (instead of 2). No chilies. 1/2 T. cumin. Used garlic powder instead of garlic salt. To cut the sodium, I rinsed and drained the corn and beans.
We loved this!! This is my new favorite chili. The only alterations I made were leaving out the chilis and using leftover pureed butternut squash instead of cubed squash (much easier this way, too). This gave the chili a nice thick and smooth consistency. This was my first time using hominy; I really liked it. We'll definitely be making this again very soon.
This chili is basically a miracle, thank you for posting the recipe! Delicious, incredibly healthy, and fast. Easily vegetarian and easily modified for different tastes. This is now one of my stand-bys for parties, potlucks, and just cold days!
