Chili Challenge #8: Trader Joe’s Turkey Chili

I had the beef chili recently from Trader Joe’s and it was nothing special.  I didn’t have high hopes for the chicken or turkey variety after that.  I mean, if you can’t nail a beef chili, what’s the point in branching out? Well, I’m glad I gave them a shot.

The Bird Works

img_0590Absolutely love seeing some colorful chunks in here.  Tomato pieces, onion dices, green chili shreds, it’s all just a very inviting display.

The flavor is fantastic.  This is easily better than the beef.  You get a very poultry forward punch but at the same time keeping the roots of a chili taste.  It’s a bit brighter,  with a low profile vinegar saltiness.

The can says it’s made with the dark meat which is excellent.  There are large chunks of bird meat in here and they are very tender and full of flavor.  They have a shredded beef roast texture.  That combined with the stew-like consistency and poultry flavor almost made me think I was eating venison at times.  It was strange, but it was there… and I liked it.

A heavy turkey stock base is obvious.  The onion is more forward than the garlic and it really works.  The chili has a great balance though I wouldn’t be afraid to add some diced habs or jalapenos next time to push the heat, as there really isn’t any at all as is.

Conclusion

I’ll be buying more of this.  I added some Tilamook extra sharp cheddar halfway through and it was a great combo.

Overall Score: 9/10

2 comments

  1. Hope you do more canned chili taste tests. I Like reading your opinions. My 2 older favorites got discontinued. (Bush’s Homestyle no beans a long time ago and recently campbell’s chunky no beans. My current favorite is Armour Chili – no beans. I know Armour with beans you didn’t care for. I have a can of Hormel hot no beans in the cupboard I am going to try soon. I Should mention I only use canned chili for chili dogs. That’s why so far I prefer armour, it is thicker and stays on the dog better than most. Some are way too watery ie Pace (good flavor but way too runny). Again thank you for your reviews and keep them coming. Consider trying some no bean chili if you can.

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