As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
Melted Monster Head Chili is a deliciously ghoulish way to feed the family before they head out to trick-or-treat. This no-bean chili is full of vegetables and low-fat turkey, so you’ll feel good about serving it to them.
I like to keep the monster theme going throughout the whole meal. Complete the meal with a side of Bones And Blood Breadsticks, Severed Monster Finger Cookies, and Melted Monster Cookies, for the kids, and a big pitcher of Blueberry And Lychee Eyeball Cocktails for the adults.
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Back in my younger days, I loved scary movies, dressing up in silly costumes, trick-or-treating with the little ones, and the fun food! This chili recipe was a family favorite and is still something that we serve every year. What kid doesn’t adore the gross-out factor of a bowl of melted monster heads?
Ingredients Needed
- Olive oil
- Ground turkey – you can also use lean ground beef.
- Salt and pepper
- Sweet onion, red bell pepper, jalapenos, celery, and garlic – all very finely minced. You don’t want to see chunks of vegetables – the smaller the better.
- Chili powder, cumin, paprika, and Mexican oregano
- Cocoa powder – trust me on this. It adds a depth of flavor and smooths out some of the acidity of the tomatoes. You will not taste any chocolate.
- Tomato paste and tomato puree
- Diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- Brown sugar – cuts through the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Chicken broth
- Bocconcini – these are small mozzarella balls that are typically packed in salted water or herbed oil. Either one will work.
- Green pimento stuffed olives
Steps To Make This Recipe
- Cook the turkey in the olive oil until no longer pink.
- Toss in the vegetables and cook until the onions are translucent.
- Sprinkle in the spices.
- Stir in the tomato paste, tomato puree, diced tomatoes, brown sugar, and chicken broth.
- Simmer for 2 hours.
- Carve holes into the bocconcini and stuff an olive into each one so that it resembles an eyeball.
- Ladle the chili into bowls and add two eyeballs to the dish.
- Serve and enjoy the gross-out factor!
Other Chili Recipes To Try
Print
Melted Monster Chili
- Total Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Melted Monster Head Chili is a deliciously ghoulish way to feed the family before they head out to trick-or-treat. This no-bean chili is full of vegetables and low-fat turkey, so you’ll feel good about serving it to them.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds ground turkey
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large sweet onion, finely minced
1 large red bell pepper, finely minced
1 jalapeno, finely minced
1 celery stalk, very finely minced
4 large garlic cloves, finely minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (not drink mix)
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes with the juice
1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree
¼ cup brown sugar
3 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
For garnish:
16 bocconcini (small mozzarella balls)
32 pimento-stuffed green olives
Instructions
In a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering.
Add the ground turkey and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cook, breaking up the turkey into very small pieces until browned and no pink meat remains.
Add the onions, bell pepper, jalapeno, celery, and garlic.
Cook, stirring often until the vegetables have softened and aromatic.
Sprinkle in the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cocoa powder, and oregano. Stir well to combine.
Stir in the tomato paste, fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato puree, brown sugar, and chicken broth.
Tuck the bay leaf into the pot and bring the chili to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 90 minutes to 2 hours, stirring often.
To serve, remove the bay leaf and taste to adjust for seasonings – salt, pepper, and sweetness.
Cut a hole in each bocconcini and stuff an olive into each so they look like eyeballs.
Ladle the chili into shallow serving bowls and place two ‘eyeballs’ in the center of each bowl.
Serve hot.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Main Dish – Beef
- Method: Simmer
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Keywords: melted monster chili, Halloween, Halloween party ideas, Halloween recipes, chili recipes, kid-friendly, weeknight dinner ideas
