Venison, Sausage, and Black Bean Chili

Ingredients

• 1/4 lb spicy chicken sausage
• cooking spray
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb venison loin, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
• 1 cup chopped plum tomato
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons dried ancho chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 15 ounces black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
• jalapenos, sliced (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   Remove casings from sausage. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage, onion, and garlic to pan; saute 5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring to crumble sausage.

2. 2

   Add venison; cook 4 minutes or until venison is browned. Stir in tomato paste; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. 3

   Add chicken broth and next 5 ingredients (through cumin), scraping pan to loosen browned bits; bring to a boil.

4. 4

   Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until venison is tender.

5. 5

   Stir in black beans; cook 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

6. 6

   Top each serving with crumbled goat cheese. Serve with jalapeno slices, if desired.