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Bison Lentil Chili
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5 from 4 votes

Bison and Lentil Chili State(Montana) Child Nutrition Agency Developed Recipe

Our bison and lentil chili features local bison and lentils with a savory blend of spices.
NSLP/SBP CREDITING INFORMATION
1 cup (8 fl oz spoodle) provides
Crediting Lentils and Bison as Meat/Meat Alternates, Beans as Vegetables: 2 oz equivalent meat/meat alternate (1 oz bison + ¼ cup lentils), ⅜ cup red/orange vegetable, ⅛ cup other vegetable, ⅛ cup additional vegetable
Or
Crediting Lentils, Beans, and Bison as Meat/Meat Alternates: 3 ½ oz equivalent meat/meat alternate (1 oz bison + ⅝ cup legumes (kidney beans + pinto beans + lentils)), ⅜ cup red/orange vegetable, ⅛ cup other vegetable, ⅛ cup additional vegetable
Or
Crediting Lentils and Beans as Vegetables: 1 oz equivalent meat (1 oz bison), ⅜ cup red/orange vegetable, ⅝ cup legumes (kidney beans + pinto beans + lentils), ⅛ cup other vegetable, and ⅛ cup additional vegetable.
RECIPE PROJECT NAME
Fiscal Year 2021 Cohort A Team Nutrition Training Grant for School Meal Recipe Development Montana Office of Public Instruction.
*This recipe was developed and standardized by a State Child Nutrition Agency. USDA has not tested this recipe.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Soup, Main Course
Keyword: TNTG state recipes
Age Group: Ages 6-18
Serving Size: 50-100
Program Type: School Meals
Program Meal Type: Lunch
Conventional Meal Category: Main Dish (Entrée)
Program Meal Component: Grains, Meats, Vegetables, Meat Alternates
Vegetable Subgroup: Red-Orange Vegetables, Beans and Peas (Legumes), Other Vegetables
Meal Service Temperature: Hot
Season: Fall, Winter
50 Servings
Calories: 207

Ingredients

50 Servings

    Weight

    • - Olive oil
    • 1 lb 10 oz *Onions, fresh, diced very small
    • - *Green pepper, fresh, diced
    • OR
    • 1 lb USDA fajita style peppers, diced
    • 5.7 oz Garlic, minced
    • 5 lb Bison, ground, raw
    • - Salt
    • 1.5 oz Cumin, ground, dry
    • 1.7 oz Chili powder
    • 1 oz Smoked paprika
    • 1 lb 4 oz Tomato paste, canned
    • 1 lb 12 oz Lentils, dried (Spanish brown lentils from Timeless Seeds, Montana, are preferred; any kind of lentil works.)
    • 6 lb 6 oz Diced tomatoes, canned, drained, low sodium
    • - Beef broth, low sodium
    • 4 lb 8 oz Kidney beans, canned, drained
    • 4 lb 9 oz Pinto beans, canned, drained
    • - Lime juice
    • 3 oz *Cilantro, fresh, chopped

    Measure

    • ¼ cup Olive oil
    • 1 qt 1 cup *Onions, fresh, diced very small
    • 2½ cups *Green pepper, fresh, diced
    • - OR
    • - USDA fajita style peppers, diced
    • ¾ cup Garlic, minced
    • - Bison, ground, raw
    • 1 Tbsp Salt
    • ⅓ cup Cumin, ground, dry
    • ½ cup Chili powder
    • ¼ cup Smoked paprika
    • 2 cups Tomato paste, canned
    • 1 qt Lentils, dried
    • 3 qt ¼ cup (about 1 No. 10 can) Diced tomatoes, canned, drained, low sodium
    • 2 qt Beef broth, low sodium
    • 2 qt 3 cups (about 1 No. 10 can) Kidney beans, canned, drained
    • 2 qt 2 cups 2 Tbsp (about 1 No. 10 can) Pinto beans, canned, drained
    • ¼ cup Lime juice
    • 1 cup *Cilantro, fresh, chopped

    100 Servings

      Weight

      • - Olive oil
      • 3 lb 4 oz *Onions, fresh, diced very small
      • - *Green pepper, fresh, diced
      • - OR
      • 2 lb USDA fajita style peppers, diced
      • 11. 4 oz Garlic, minced
      • 10 lb Bison, ground, raw
      • - Salt
      • 3 oz Cumin, ground, dry
      • 3.4 oz Chili powder
      • 2 oz Smoked paprika
      • 2 lb 7 oz Tomato paste, canned
      • 3 lb 8 oz Lentils, dried (Spanish brown lentils from Timeless Seeds, Montana, are preferred; any kind of lentil works.)
      • 12 lb 12 oz Diced tomatoes, canned, drained, low sodium
      • - Beef broth, low sodium
      • 9 lb Kidney beans, canned, drained
      • 9 lb 2 oz Pinto beans, canned, drained
      • - Lime juice
      • 6 oz *Cilantro, fresh, chopped

      Measure

      • ½ cup Olive oil
      • 2 qt 2 cups *Onions, fresh, diced very small
      • 1 qt 1 cup *Green pepper, fresh, diced
      • - OR
      • - USDA fajita style peppers, diced
      • 1½ cups Garlic, minced
      • - Bison, ground, raw
      • 2 Tbsp Salt
      • ⅔ cup Cumin, ground, dry
      • 1 cup Chili powder
      • ½ cup Smoked paprika
      • 1 qt Tomato paste, canned
      • 2 qt Lentils, dried
      • 1 gal 2 qt ½ cup (about 2 No. 10 cans) Diced tomatoes, canned, drained, low sodium
      • 1 gallon Beef broth, low sodium
      • 1 gal 1 qt 2 cups (about 2 No. 10 cans) Kidney beans, canned, drained
      • 1 gal 1 qt ¼ cup (about 2 No. 10 cans) Pinto beans, canned, drained
      • ½ cup Lime juice
      • 2 cups *Cilantro, fresh, chopped

      -

      50 Servings

        Weight

        • - Olive oil
        • 1 lb 10 oz *Onions, fresh, diced very small
        • - *Green pepper, fresh, diced
        • OR
        • 1 lb USDA fajita style peppers, diced
        • 5.7 oz Garlic, minced
        • 5 lb Bison, ground, raw
        • - Salt
        • 1.5 oz Cumin, ground, dry
        • 1.7 oz Chili powder
        • 1 oz Smoked paprika
        • 1 lb 4 oz Tomato paste, canned
        • 1 lb 12 oz Lentils, dried (Spanish brown lentils from Timeless Seeds, Montana, are preferred; any kind of lentil works.)
        • 6 lb 6 oz Diced tomatoes, canned, drained, low sodium
        • - Beef broth, low sodium
        • 4 lb 8 oz Kidney beans, canned, drained
        • 4 lb 9 oz Pinto beans, canned, drained
        • - Lime juice
        • 3 oz *Cilantro, fresh, chopped

        Measure

        • ¼ cup Olive oil
        • 1 qt 1 cup *Onions, fresh, diced very small
        • 2½ cups *Green pepper, fresh, diced
        • - OR
        • - USDA fajita style peppers, diced
        • ¾ cup Garlic, minced
        • - Bison, ground, raw
        • 1 Tbsp Salt
        • ⅓ cup Cumin, ground, dry
        • ½ cup Chili powder
        • ¼ cup Smoked paprika
        • 2 cups Tomato paste, canned
        • 1 qt Lentils, dried
        • 3 qt ¼ cup (about 1 No. 10 can) Diced tomatoes, canned, drained, low sodium
        • 2 qt Beef broth, low sodium
        • 2 qt 3 cups (about 1 No. 10 can) Kidney beans, canned, drained
        • 2 qt 2 cups 2 Tbsp (about 1 No. 10 can) Pinto beans, canned, drained
        • ¼ cup Lime juice
        • 1 cup *Cilantro, fresh, chopped

        100 Servings

          Weight

          • - Olive oil
          • 3 lb 4 oz *Onions, fresh, diced very small
          • - *Green pepper, fresh, diced
          • - OR
          • 2 lb USDA fajita style peppers, diced
          • 11. 4 oz Garlic, minced
          • 10 lb Bison, ground, raw
          • - Salt
          • 3 oz Cumin, ground, dry
          • 3.4 oz Chili powder
          • 2 oz Smoked paprika
          • 2 lb 7 oz Tomato paste, canned
          • 3 lb 8 oz Lentils, dried (Spanish brown lentils from Timeless Seeds, Montana, are preferred; any kind of lentil works.)
          • 12 lb 12 oz Diced tomatoes, canned, drained, low sodium
          • - Beef broth, low sodium
          • 9 lb Kidney beans, canned, drained
          • 9 lb 2 oz Pinto beans, canned, drained
          • - Lime juice
          • 6 oz *Cilantro, fresh, chopped

          Measure

          • ½ cup Olive oil
          • 2 qt 2 cups *Onions, fresh, diced very small
          • 1 qt 1 cup *Green pepper, fresh, diced
          • - OR
          • - USDA fajita style peppers, diced
          • 1½ cups Garlic, minced
          • - Bison, ground, raw
          • 2 Tbsp Salt
          • ⅔ cup Cumin, ground, dry
          • 1 cup Chili powder
          • ½ cup Smoked paprika
          • 1 qt Tomato paste, canned
          • 2 qt Lentils, dried
          • 1 gal 2 qt ½ cup (about 2 No. 10 cans) Diced tomatoes, canned, drained, low sodium
          • 1 gallon Beef broth, low sodium
          • 1 gal 1 qt 2 cups (about 2 No. 10 cans) Kidney beans, canned, drained
          • 1 gal 1 qt ¼ cup (about 2 No. 10 cans) Pinto beans, canned, drained
          • ½ cup Lime juice
          • 2 cups *Cilantro, fresh, chopped

          Instructions

          • Heat oil in large stock pot or tilt skillet. Add onions, green peppers (or fajita style vegetables), garlic, and sauté until soft. Add salt and bison and cook until browned, breaking up chunks. Stir in spices and tomato paste, mix until bison is fully cooked and fully coated in spices.
            Critical Control Point: Cook to 155 ºF for at least 15 seconds.
          • Add lentils, diced tomatoes, broth, kidney beans, and pinto beans.
          • Bring to a boil.
            Cook until the soup reaches 165 ºF.
            Critical Control Point: Heat to 165 ºF for at least 15 seconds.
            Then, lower heat and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until chili thickens, and lentils are cooked through (about 35 minutes). Add more water if too thick.
          • Prior to service, stir in the lime juice. Add fresh chopped cilantro before serving.
          • Serve an 8 fl oz portion.
            Critical Control Point: Hold for hot service at 135 ºF or higher.
            Service options: serve with shredded cheddar cheese and/or hot sauce

          Notes

          *See Marketing Guide for purchasing information on foods that will change during preparation or when a variation of the ingredients is available.
          Cooking Process #2: Same Day Service.

          Nutrition

          Serving: 1cup (8 fl oz spoodle) | Calories: 207 | Total Carbohydrate: 25g | Protein: 17g | Total Fat: 5.5g | Saturated Fat: 1.6g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 442mg | Dietary Fiber: 7g | Total Sugars: 5g | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 4mg