Butternut Squash + Bison Chili
Let’s be honest - half the fun of eating chili is all the toppings. Make this healthy chili and it can be customized to your liking by adding all your favorite toppings before devouring.
Inspiration:
February is chili season - warming, comforting, hearty, spicy. Meet one of my go-to’s. This bison chili is made with flavorful ground bison, butternut squash, veggies, a few pantry staples and warming spices making it a healthy chili recipe that is easy to prepare.
I have been a big bison fan since living in Montana. If you haven’t tried it, bison is really, really good. It has a certain richness and depth of flavor that your standard beef just doesn’t quite have. I also like that bison is a leaner cut of meat compared to ground beef.
Make this chili for a crowd and it can be customized to your liking by adding all your favorite chili toppings before devouring. It’s also a perfect candidate for meal prep & to eat on later in the week. Still need convincing? This chili makes for an easy weeknight dinner - it doesn’t get easier than this.
As always, this recipe is very adaptable, so feel free to add or take away ingredients to fit your dietary needs and taste buds.
Ingredients:
Serves 4
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground bison
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
1 jalepeño, seeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground oregano
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
2 cups bone broth
1 ¼ lbs butternut squash, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can black beans, rinsed + drained
1 can pinto beans, rinsed + drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed + drained
Salt + pepper
To serve:
Cilantro
Avocado, sliced
Lime wedges
Green onions, sliced
Jalapeños, sliced
Your favorite cheese
Greek yogurt
Instructions:
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
Add the bison, season with salt and pepper, and use a wooden spoon to break up and brown the meat.
Add the onions, poblanos, jalapeño, and garlic. Season again and stir. Cook over medium heat until the veggies soften slightly and any excess liquid evaporates, about 10-12 minutes.
Add the spices, cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add ½ cup water, scraping up the toasty bits off the bottom of the pot, followed by the tomatoes and their juices, using your wooden spoon to break the tomatoes apart.
Add the bone broth or stock, squash, beans, 2 teaspoons of salt and several cracks of pepper. Stir well, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender and the chili has thickened, about 30-35 minutes. If you like a thicker chili, cook a bit longer but don’t let it cook so long that the squash falls apart. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve in deep bowls with your favorite toppings.
A few notes:
Why bison? Bison is leaner than beef and lower in total and saturated fat. It’s an excellent source of iron and zinc and provides good amounts of phosphorus, niacin, selenium, and vitamins B6 and B12. Bison is composed mainly of high-quality proteins, providing all nine essential amino acids your body needs for growth and maintenance.
This bison chili recipe can be made with regular beef, ground chicken or turkey.
Why bone broth? I love that bone broth is not only very flavorful, but it has more protein than your traditional stock or broth. As always with packaged foods: read your labels and look to eliminate mystery ingredients and added sugars or sodium.
Not only is this bison chili recipe easy to make and super delicious, it’s also really versatile. I’ve listed our favorite ingredients, but feel free to substitute or completely leave out any ingredient to suit your family’s taste preference.
This chili is a great candidate for the freezer! It reheats really well. Double the recipe and enjoy ½ now and freeze ½ for later.