First, chop your veggies: 1 large yellow onion, 3 large carrots (trust me!), 2 bell peppers. I like to use one red bell pepper and one yellow or orange for color, but any color will work.

Next, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a heavy bottomed pot like a Dutch oven, or large soup pot. I’m fanatic about my Le Creuset for making chili (and soups, and stews!). If you don’t have one, put it on your birthday list!

Then season the vegetables with a teaspoon of the spice mix and sauté them in the pot until softened and beginning to brown. Don’t skimp here. It may take a few minutes, but allow the browning to happen for maximum flavor. It takes about 5 minutes.

Add 1 pound ground beef and 1 pound ground turkey. I like to use 90% lean beef to avoid excess fat, but you can use ground chuck or ground sirloin. Cook the ground beef and turkey until browned, breaking it up and stirring frequently.

Next, rinse and drain one can of black beans and one can of pinto beans. Alternatively, you can use kidney beans, but I love the creamy pinto beans in this chili recipe. Add the beans to the pot.

Then add 1 can of fire roasted diced tomatoes and 1 cup of prepared salsa. The salsa gives the chili a nice, finished flavor even if it doesn’t get to cook all day.

Add 1 1/2 cups of beef broth. My secret weapon is using Better Than Bouillon Beef Base. It adds more flavor than regular broth and it’s easy to keep on hand. I keep a jar in the refrigerator and always have beef broth at the ready. The beef broth does not make the chili soup-like or watery but adds depth of flavor and some extra moisture without overpowering the chili with tomato flavor.

Bring the chili to a gentle boil and then reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer for at least 1 hour with the lid on the pot.

When it’s finished cooking, it will be what I consider the perfect consistency for chili, but you can adjust the chili to your desired consistency by adding a touch more broth, extra tomatoes, or more salsa.

Top the chili with your favorite toppings like lime wedges, sour cream, fresh cilantro, jalapeño slices, shredded cheddar cheese, crushed tortilla chips, crushed red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or green onions. Whatever you add, it will be delicious!