Turkey Chili for Leftovers in the Slow Cooker

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried pinto beans
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 leftover turkey carcass
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen corn
• ¼ tablespoon masa, or to taste
• 1 dash hot sauce, or to taste
• 1 pinch chili powder, or to taste
• 1 pinch ground white pepper, or to taste
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
• salt to taste

Step 1

Soak the beans in a large bowl, covering them with plenty of cool water. Let them sit for at least 8 hours or overnight so they soften up nicely. While the beans are soaking, heat some butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic, and cook everything until the veggies are soft and fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 2

Once the beans are drained, add them to your slow cooker along with the turkey carcass, sautéed veggies, chicken broth, chili powder, and bay leaves. Cover and let it cook on low for about 8 hours — this is when all those flavors really come together.

Step 3

After cooking, fish out any bones from the turkey carcass and discard them. Stir in the tomatoes, corn, masa, hot sauce, and a bit more chili powder, plus white pepper, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste. Let the chili simmer on low for another 30 minutes before serving.