Chili Over Pasta

cooking
Written By Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Do you want to serve a fun dinner that everyone will love? Mix up a colorful creation by combining different Italian and Latin dishes! How? Serve chili over pasta.Check out our picture above. That's our go-to turkey chili recipe (all white meat, no skin) served over black squid ink spaghetti. We served this dinner to a group of teenagers and, needless to say, it disappeared quickly. This crowd-pleasing recipe is sure to be a winner!

Turkey Chili over Pasta

Ingredients:Pasta:8 ounces spaghetti - use your choice of whole wheat, tomato, squid ink, spinach, or plain noodlesChili:1 tsp each: ground cumin, ancho chili powder (or just plain chili powder) and dried oregano2 teaspoons olive oil1/2 onion, diced2 teaspoons minced garlic1 carrot, diced1/2 pound ground turkey breast (white meat, no skin)1 can (14 oz) no-salt-added kidney beans, drained and rinsed1 can (14 oz) no-salt-added chopped tomatoes, with juice1 can (8 oz) no-salt-added tomato sauce1 cup chicken brothDirections:

  1. Heat a nonstick skillet or wok (our favorite) over medium-high heat.
  2. Lightly toast the cumin, chili powder and oregano in the pan and then quickly add the oil, onions, and garlic. Saute until transparent, about 1-2 minutes.
  3. Add the carrots and cook briefly.
  4. Add the turkey and stir well.
  5. Add the beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and broth. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes or until the carrots are tender and the turkey is done.
  6. Meanwhile cook the pasta according  to package directions. Drain in a colander and serve with the chili. Fun serving idea: cook a few different shapes of pasta and let everyone plate their own chili creation.

Great accompaniments include salad, blue corn chips, and Berry Custard dessert. Serves 6. Each serving: 300 calories.Find more cookbooks and cooking tips here. 

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Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Judy’s passion for cooking began with helping her grandmother make raisin oatmeal for breakfast. From there, she earned her first food service job at 15, was accepted to the world-famous Culinary Institute of America at 18 (where she graduated second in her class), and went on to the Fachschule Richemont in Switzerland, where she focused on pastry arts and baking. After a decade in food service for Hyatt Hotels, Judy launched Food and Health Communications to focus on flavor and health. She graduated with Summa Cum Laude distinction from Johnson and Wales University with a BS in Culinary Arts, holds a master’s degree in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America, two art certificates from UC Berkeley Extension, and runs a food photography & motion studio where her love is creating fun recipes and content.

Judy received The Culinary Institute of America’s Pro Chef II certification, the American Culinary Federation Bronze Medal, Gold Medal, and ACF Chef of the Year. Her enthusiasm for eating nutritiously and deliciously leads her to constantly innovate and use the latest nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines to guide her creativity, from putting new twists on fajitas to adapting Italian brownies to include ingredients like toasted nuts and cooked honey. Judy’s publishing company, Food and Health Communications, is dedicated to her vision that everyone can make food that tastes as good as it is for you.

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