Last December Dan and I were invitied to a holiday party at one of his co-worker’s houses where several different kinds of chili were served. All of the varieties were delicious so I asked the hostess her secret. She laughed and told me it was Carroll Shelby’s Original Texas Chili Kit. I was always apprehensive about using a recipe to make chili because I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but getting a tried and true seasoning mix at the grocery store sounded like a great idea. So in February when Dan and I went to a Super Bowl party at Mike and Lisa’s house we decided to bring chili. We deviated from the directions on the back of the chili kit box (mostly because I don’t believe in using water in a tomato-based dish when you can use a tomato product instead), and Dan being the amazing chef that he is added some unexpected ingredients. The chili – both spicy and mild varieties – turned out delicious. I documented the recipe below as I was making a batch for a holiday potluck at work. I received a lot of compliments at that potluck and this whole story came full circle when I divulged the secret of my chili – Carroll Shelby’s Original Texas Chili Kit.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb lean ground beef (I use 8% fat)
1 lb lean ground turkey (I use 7% fat)
1/2 large sweet onion, diced (about 1 heaping cup)
1 large red bell pepper, diced (about 1 heaping cup)
1 package Carroll Shelby’s Original Texas Chili Kit, spice packets separated
2 cans tomato sauce (8 oz each – I use the variety with basil, garlic, and oregano)
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz – I use the variety with roasted garlic)
2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 c lime juice
1/2 to 1 habanero pepper, minced (depending on how spicy you want your chili – wear gloves when cutting!)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you prefer)
DIRECTIONS:
In a large stockpot (mine is 8 qt), cook ground beef and ground turkey along with the diced onion and diced bell pepper. When the meat is cooked, add the Carroll Shelby’s chili seasoning packet (the biggest one in the kit) and salt packet, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, garlic powder, and lime juice. Stir well. This is your basic mild chili, so if that was your goal simply let the mixture simmer for 15 minutes and you’re done! But since Dan likes his chili spicy, at this point I transfer half of the chili base into another pan (a large sauce pan works), add the contents of the cayenne pepper packet from the chili kit, minced habanero pepper, and extra 1/2 tsp (or more) cayenne pepper. Simmer both pots of chili for about 15 minutes, turn off the heat, and let them cool for as long as possible before refrigerating to let the spices mingle. Refrigerating overnight before serving will help the flavor too, making this the perfect weeknight leftover meal. Enjoy!
Based on the recipe on the back of the Carroll Shelby’s Original Texas Chili Kit box.