Easy Turkey Chili with Sweet Potatoes
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Our Easy Turkey Chili with Sweet Potatoes is not only hearty and super flavorful, but it’s also lean, high in protein and fiber, gluten free, dairy free, and made with all wholesome ingredients. It’s perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner, and you’ll enjoy leftovers the next day or to freeze for later.
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy: Similar to our popular Stovetop Chili, it’s a one pot meal. Brown the ground turkey and cook the soup all in one stock pot.
- Flavorful: It has a medley of spices and flavor that lend complexity to the chili. Don’t worry, it’s not too spicy though. Our Instant Pot Steak Chili is another winner dinner.
- Healthy: It’s filled with wholesome ingredients like lean turkey, lots of veggies, and beans, so this chili is packed with protein, fiber, and nutrients.
- Versatile: We have well-tested instructions for Slow Cooker Turkey Chili and Instant Pot Turkey Chili too.
- Great for Meal Prep: We love to prep this one as a healthy freezer meal. Check out our freezer prep instructions on the recipe below.
Ingredients Needed
Here are some of the powerhouse ingredients in this delicious, yet oh-so-healthy chili…
Substitutions & Variations
- Ground Turkey – You can use ground chicken instead.
- Petite Diced Tomatoes – You can use regular diced tomatoes or fire roasted diced tomatoes (which add more flavor).
- Sweet Potato – Butternut squash can work instead.
- Black Beans – You can substitute kidney beans.
How to Make Easy Turkey Chili
Saute Sweet Potatoes
In a large stock pot or Dutch oven (at least 5 quarts), heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until shimmery. Add the diced sweet potatoes and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until softened and starting to take on some color. Season lightly with salt and pepper while they cook. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Brown Meat Mixture
In the same pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until shimmery. Add the onion, jalapeno, and turkey and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat as it cooks, until the turkey is cooked through and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain off some of the excess liquid/grease and return to the hot burner. (Tip: I do this by holding the lid on top and cracking it just a little while draining the liquid into a bowl.)
Add More Ingredients
Add the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and oregano (crush it in your hand first) to the pot and stir to coat the meat mixture. Cook for only 1 minute to release the flavors of those ingredients.
Stir in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, black beans, the sauteed sweet potatoes, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Cook Chili
Bring the chili to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover with lid. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Do not cook longer or the sweet potatoes will disintegrate.) Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
Serve
Taste and season with more salt or lime juice to your preference. Chili will thicken as it sits and cools slightly. Serve with your favorite chili toppings.
Topping Ideas for Turkey Chili
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- Diced avocado
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- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
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- Shredded cheddar cheese
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- Crushed corn tortilla chips
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- Thinly sliced green onions
Can I Freeze Turkey Chili?
You’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for an easy, healthy freezer meal. It holds up incredibly well in the freezer! It’s one of my favorite soups to make at the beginning of the week and freeze for lunches.
There are two ways to make this a freezer meal:
1) Prepare it so it will be ready to dump in a pot or slow cooker later. Here’s how:
- Follow steps 1 and 2, setting the sweet potato and meat mixture aside to cool.
- Transfer the sweet potatoes and meat mixture to a gallon-sized freezer bag or container and add the broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, black beans, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Seal, toss gently to combine, and freeze.
- To prepare from frozen, thaw and transfer the chili to the stovetop. Follow steps 4 and 5.
2) Fully cook and cool the soup and freeze it in small containers. Use one of our safe thawing methods when you want to eat it! Pro Tip: I love using Souper Cubes for freezing soups.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, this turkey chili works beautifully in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. Use our well-tested Slow Cooker Turkey Chili recipe or Instant Pot Turkey Chili recipe.
You bet! This is a great recipe for anyone trying to avoid gluten and dairy in their diet. Just skip the sour cream topping at the end and you’ll have yourself a super healthy bowl of chili!
If you want a few more gluten-free, dairy-free soup options, try our Pizza Soup, Coconut Curry Soup, Crock Pot White Chicken Chili, or Pumpkin Chili.
More Stovetop Soups and Chilis
If you like this recipe, we think you’ll enjoy these nutritious options, as well.
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Easy Turkey Chili with Sweet Potatoes
Our easy Turkey Chili with Sweet Potatoes is hearty, super flavorful, and packed with wholesome ingredients.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 3 cups 1/2-inch diced peeled sweet potatoes (about 1 large)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeno pepper (about 1 small)
- 1 pound 99% lean ground turkey
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (2 teaspoons pre-minced)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano, crushed in hand
- 2 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, juices and all (fire-roasted adds even more flavor!)
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus more to taste (1–2 small limes)
- Optional toppings for serving: lime wedges, diced avocado, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions or chives, cilantro leaves.
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- Saute Sweet Potatoes: In a large stock pot (at least 5 quarts), heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium high heat until shimmery. Add the sweet potatoes and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until softened and starting to take on some color. Season lightly with salt and pepper while they cook. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Brown Meat Mixture: In the same pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat until shimmery. Add the onion, jalapeno, and turkey and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat as it cooks, until the turkey is cooked through and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain off some of the excess liquid/grease and return to the hot burner. (Tip: I do this by holding the lid on top and cracking it just a little while draining the liquid into a bowl.)
- Add More Ingredients: Add the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and oregano (crush it in your hand first) to the pot and stir to coat the meat mixture. Cook for only 1 minute to release the flavors of those ingredients. Stir in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, black beans, the cooked sweet potatoes, 3/4 teaspoon salt*, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Cook Chili: Bring the chili to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover with lid. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the chili is too thick, add in more broth as needed. (Do not cook longer or the sweet potatoes will disintegrate.) Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
- Serve: Taste and season with more salt or lime juice to your preference. Chili will thicken as it sits and cools slightly. Serve with your favorite chili toppings.
*Use 1 teaspoon salt, if you used reduced sodium broth.
Freeze For Later: Fully cook and cook the chili. Freeze in a large freezer bag or in individual containers.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw in the refrigerator. Warm on the stovetop, in the crock pot, or in the microwave.
Notes/Tips
- Instant Pot Version: Use our Instant Pot Turkey Chili recipe.
- Slow Cooker Version: Use our Slow Cooker Turkey Chili recipe.
- Be sure to chop and lay out all your ingredients and equipment before beginning this recipe, since it goes quickly once you begin.
- The jalapeño adds a low level of heat in the background—not overpowering at all. If you like more heat, add more jalapeño or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- I love to freeze this chili in 2-cup glass containers with lids or Souper Cubes so I can warm them up for lunches in the microwave.
- If you plan to double this recipe, I’d advise using a pot that’s even larger than the 5 quart. Although it will fit, it will be VERY full in a 5 quart pot.
Photos and video by Whitney Reist of Sweet Cayenne.
I made the Turkey Chili with Sweet Potato & Black Beans in the slow cooker as written, except I cut back on some of the salt for dietary reasons (you can always add some). I like that it’s comforting but not too heavy for warmer weather that’s coming. The sweet potatoes weren’t too sweet…just a nice hit with the spices. It’s a keeper.
Glad you enjoyed this Cathy! Thanks for leaving a detailed review.
It’s always nice to find something the entire family will enjoy, 3 year old included! This has turned into a family favorite and I love how easy it is to throw together
Yes, love to hear when whole families enjoy a recipe. Thanks for leaving a review Sheila!
Fantastic!! This is a new winter favorite in my house. It reheated very well too!
Thanks for the review Sandy. I’m sure it helps others to know you enjoyed it reheated also.