Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pot or deep frying pan over a medium-high flame. Once the oil shimmers and you see faint wisps of smoke rising, add the diced onion. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent and softens, releasing a sweet, aromatic scent.

Add the minced garlic and stir for another 30 seconds until it becomes fragrant — you’ll know it’s ready when that sharp, pungent smell mellows into a rich background note.

Crumble the ground turkey into the pan. Break it up with a wooden spoon, spreading it into an even layer. Let it brown undisturbed for 3–4 minutes — you want the underside to turn a deep golden brown. Then, stir and continue cooking for another 3–4 minutes until no pink remains and the meat releases a savoury, toasty aroma.

Spoon in the tomato paste, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, black pepper, and salt. Stir everything together vigorously for 1 minute. The paste will darken slightly and stick to the bottom of the pan, creating a deep, caramelised flavour base. The kitchen will smell richly spiced at this point.

Pour in the chopped tomatoes, drained kidney beans, black beans, and chicken stock. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan — those bits are pure flavour. Bring the mixture to a gentle bubble; you should see lazy, popping bubbles across the surface, not a furious boil.

Reduce the heat to low and let the chili simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes. Stir occasionally. You’ll notice the liquid thicken and the colour deepen to a rich, dark red-brown. The texture should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, not watery. If you’re using brown sugar, stir it in during the last 5 minutes of cooking to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed. Remove from the heat and let the chili rest for 5 minutes before serving — this short rest allows the flavours to meld together beautifully.