This is smoky and spiced turkey sweet potato chili, and it’s as hearty and satisfying as it is flavorful! It comes together in the slow cooker with ground turkey, sweet potatoes, beans, a generous dose of seasoning, and a little jalapeño heat.
Do you rely on your slow cooker a lot? It’s my top choice for satisfying dinner recipes like creamy chicken & corn soup, slow cooker turkey meatballs, and honey teriyaki chicken. After some chopping and brief cooking, the trusted slow cooker can take over for today’s turkey chili recipe, too.
Plus, this chili makes a big batch that reheats well, making it a convenient and practical option for busy schedules. It’s no surprise this tops my list of 30 delicious fall dinner recipe ideas.
Turkey Sweet Potato Chili Overview:
- Flavor: A bowl of generously spiced chili is quintessential comfort food, and this turkey chili delivers! The rich, well-seasoned turkey and tomato base is balanced with the natural sweetness of the sweet potato and corn. Smoked paprika adds a smoky flavor, and you can adjust the level of spice/heat to your taste (see below for more on that).
- Texture: Every spoonful is packed with tons of texture: tender ground turkey, soft beans and sweet potato, and semi-crisp and juicy corn and peppers.
- Ease: This is a pretty simple chili recipe. Prep/chop your ingredients, mix up an easy seasoning blend, brown the turkey on the stove, then toss everything into the slow cooker.
Possible Ingredient Substitutions
With so many flavorful ingredients mingling in this one-pot dish, this chili is a whole meal in one. It is also very adaptable, so you can change it up to suit your taste and preferences. For example, you could swap out the kidney beans for black beans (or even double the amount of beans), or add in your favorite vegetables. This vegetarian pumpkin chili is also pretty customizable.
- Ground Turkey: As written, this is a very hearty chili with 2 lbs. of ground turkey. Instead of turkey, you can use ground beef or chicken—chef’s choice! Or feel free to skip the meat and double the sweet potato and beans.
- Green Pepper, Onion, and Tomatoes: These aromatic staples make up the foundation of most chili recipes, including cornbread chili casserole and slow cooker chicken chili. I use and recommend canned petite diced tomatoes.
- Corn: Kernels of corn provide a sweet, juicy contrast in flavor and texture. You can use fresh scraped off the cob, canned (drained), or frozen corn. If you don’t care for corn in your chili, you can skip it. Feel free to add another bell pepper (any color) or another can of beans.
- Kidney Beans: These beans have a mild flavor, which allows them to pair nicely with bright, spicy flavors. Feel free to swap for black beans instead—it’s great both ways.
- Seasoning: Chili would be bland without a medley of spices. I like to mix up a double batch of the spice mix in the recipe below, which is like a homemade taco seasoning, and save half in an airtight container to use for next time. If using store-bought taco seasoning packets, you need 2 packets for the entire recipe.
This recipe used to call for quinoa, and you can certainly still add it for an extra thick chili. It soaks up a lot of liquid, so you’ll add it toward the end of the cooking time.
This recipe cooks on low heat in the slow cooker for 7 hours. If you’re looking for a slow cooker and need a recommendation, I have this one and this one, and both are fantastic.
If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can cook this chili on the stove. See detailed recipe Note below.
How Spicy Is This Turkey Sweet Potato Chili?
The heat level here is up to you! Add more jalapeño if you like your chili with a kick, or omit it entirely for a mild chili. The type of chili powder you use makes a difference, too. Have you heard of the Scoville scale? It’s a measurement of how hot/spicy different chili peppers are, rated in SHU (Scoville heat units). It’s a big range! Check the label of your chili powder for a heat rating. Some of the most common ones you’ll find in the spice aisle of the grocery store are ancho chili powder (mild), chipotle chili powder (medium), and cayenne pepper (hot). My team and I typically make this turkey sweet potato chili with a mild chili powder.
Toppings & Sides
Toppings such as shredded cheese, sliced avocado, and/or sour cream cut through and complement the richness and spice. I love garnishing it with fresh chopped cilantro or green onion, too.
And no matter how you customize it, make sure you serve this chili with buttery cornbread, cornbread muffins, or this honey skillet cornbread. Chili + cornbread = a forever-favorite duo! Sweet potato dinner rolls would also be fantastic.
Turkey Sweet Potato Chili
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 7 hours, 25 minutes
- Yield: serves 10-12
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is spiced sweet potato turkey chili with an unbeatable smoky flavor and rich, hearty consistency. It comes together in the slow cooker with ground turkey, sweet potatoes, beans, a generous dose of seasoning, and a little jalapeño heat.
Ingredients
Seasoning Blend
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder*
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Chili
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds (907g) 92–97% lean ground turkey
- 2 (14-ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 (7- or 8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups (480ml) reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 2 cups diced, or 270g)
- 1/2 cup (65g) diced yellow onion
- 1 large green bell pepper, diced
- 1 (14-ounce) can (drained and rinsed) or 1 package of frozen corn
- 1 (14-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 small jalapeño, minced (seeds removed)*
Instructions
- Make the seasoning blend: In a small bowl, mix together all the seasonings. Set aside.
- Brown the turkey: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the ground meat. Cook and stir for 4 minutes, then add 2 Tablespoons of seasoning blend. Stir and break up the meat as much as possible as it cooks for another 4–5 more minutes, or until completely cooked through.
- Make the chili: Transfer the cooked meat to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients—including the remaining seasoning blend. Stir everything together until combined. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours or on high for 4 hours.
- Serve chili warm. Feel free to add optional toppings such as chopped cilantro, green onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, and/or avocado slices. Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing: Let chili cool completely before freezing. Freeze in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then heat on the stove on medium heat for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls | Skillet | 6-quart or Larger Slow Cooker (like this one or this one)
- Spiciness: For a milder chili, omit the jalapeño. Make sure you read the label on your chili powder to determine the heat level. We typically use a mild chili powder in this recipe, but if you like your chili spicy, feel free to use a medium or hot chili powder.
- No Slow Cooker? No Problem. Follow recipe through step 1. You can cook the meat in a very large pot or Dutch oven and just use that to cook the chili, too. Once meat is cooked, add the remaining ingredients. Stir everything until combined, and cook on medium-low heat for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Changes in 2024 from the original recipe: This recipe used to be called “Taco Spice Turkey Chili” and I made several updates to improve the flavor and consistency in 2024, so I renamed it. I now use kidney beans instead of black beans, and leave out the quinoa. The recipe used to call for 2 taco seasoning packets, but I now use a homemade seasoning blend. I also now use 2 Tablespoons of tomato paste to help thicken the chili. You will love the updated version above. If you want to add quinoa, stir in 1/2 cup (85g) uncooked & rinsed quinoa 45 minutes before the slow cooker chili finishes cooking, or 15 minutes before the stove-top chili finishes cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 6.1 g
- Sodium: 812.3 mg
- Fat: 10.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 17.6 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 62.6 mg
Reader Comments and Reviews
This was so good! I made it even though it’s over 100° here right now (AC, you are my friend!). I’ve made a very similar recipe for 30 years, but I loved the addition of the sweet potato and fresh chile. My recipe used canned green chiles. I will be using this one from now on.
Made this for the first time today and it’s really good!! Made a half batch and still needed my big Crockpot. This would be a great soup for a gathering.
Our family absolutely loved this turkey and sweet potato chili. I made cornbread to go with it and it was a great meal. My husband will be making it again for Sunday football with his buddies. Sally’s recipes have never let me down.
Absolutely delicious chili! We all loved it and my husband will be making it again for Sunday football with his buddies.
I made this yesterday using the stove top instructions and it was really yummy! I love the addition of the sweet potato and the flavor was just right for us – flavorful but not too spicy!
I followed this recipe precisely and it was fabulous. I made a batch of Sally’s buttermilk corn muffins to accompany it and they were great as well. Thank you for sharing.
We make chili often, so I was a bit reluctant to change up the traditional ingredients for my traditional husband. But oh my goodness, this chili was delicious! “Best chili I have ever had” was my husband’s comment as he ate three bowls full. The only change was I used my own roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh tomato sauce in place of the canned tomatoes and sauce.
This sounds like delicious! Is there any way to substitute something else for the green pepper? I am allergic to green peppers but want to try the chili! Thanks!
Hi Brittany, you can simply omit the green pepper, or add more corn or another can of beans in its place.
Making it for the second time. Using all reduce sodium ingredients and half the salt. My husband has a restricted diet. We love it ! Added I extra can of beans.
Favorite chili recipe!
This recipe is awesome just as it is! I will add just a little more potato but that’s personal. A winner!!!
Hi! I try it in the dutch oven . I was wondering if i cover it or not during the cooking.
Thank you
Hi Karine, you don’t have to cover it while it simmers on the stove. Enjoy!
This was absolutely delicious. Definitely a stepped up version of plain chili. I thought the sweet potatoes would be the big difference; it was the corn. Don’t leave it out!
This is a wonderful recipe! I made it with ground chicken and added extra beans. My family loved it and I will be making it often. Thanks for a great recipe!
Hi Sally, I don’t have garlic powder, can i use fresh garlic instead?
Hi Ruth, yes you can use fresh minced garlic instead.
This is so yum (and healthy!), my husband said he would eat this everyday. I served this with cornbread muffins and shredded cheese. Next time I would add the quinoa.
Thanks Sally!
Made this today on the stovetop in my Dutch oven. Delicious! Husband really liked it too! I subbed black beans for the kidney beans, and used 2 ears of fresh corn. This was packed with veggies and not spicy at all! I froze half the leftovers and saved the rest for tomorrow!
Thanks Sally!
Great recipe for this time of year( wet ,cold & windy). Made more than enough for 2 people,look forward to enjoying it again with a Jacket potato! Thanks again Mxx
This looks wonderful, is it possible to substitute butternut squash for the sweet potato?
Yes absolutely!
Made this chili yesterday and the flavor is spot on and a family favorite. I so appreciate how the recipe has evolved since the original posting.
Thanks Merry! I really like the improved flavor here, too. Appreciate you taking the time to report back!
Thanks again for a wonderful recipe!
I’m so glad that you at sharing savoury recipes because after 50 years of making supper I’ve been in a rut.
This was so tasty and also a healthy alternative to the usual beef chili.
Made this on the stove top and simmered it for about 60-70 minutes versus 45 to make sure the sweet potatoes were soft. Really enjoyed all the flavors in this. Served it with some chopped onion, cilantro and shredded cheese. Delicious! Definitely will try it in the slow cooker next time.
My new favorite chili. Amazing, taste is great and better depth of flavor than I have had in a chili in a long time, this one is a keeper.
I’m not even a huge chili fan… but I saw this and had to make it. It was so good! Just the right amount of spice, tons of veggies, love the sweet potato…. A little shredded cheddar and extra peppers and onion on top. PERFECTION!
Glad to read this! I love all the flavor and veggies in it. Thank you for reporting back!
Hi! Question for you: could you tell me if this recipe would be considered “low glycemic index”? I am bringing a meal to a friend who is fighting cancer, and following a low glycemic diet to help her along. Thanks!
Hi Kristin, we wish we could help, but we’re uncertain of the exact qualifications needed to fit that diet. We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
We stopped using our slow cooker (which has been banished to the basement) when we got a pressure cooker a few years ago. Any suggestions for adapting this recipe for a pressure cooker?
Hi Barbara, we haven’t tested this recipe in a pressure cooker, so we’re unsure of the exact specifications needed for this recipe. If you do try it, please let us know how it goes!
Could you cut this recipe in half? This would be a lot for just me 🙂
Hi Rose, absolutely. The cook time will be shorter in the slow cooker, though. I’m unsure of the best time, but you could begin checking after 5 hours on low.
I have a packet of dried morita chipotle peppers II’d love to us e – replace jalapeno? or just add some
Hi RH, that likely should be enough spice to replace the jalapeno, but feel free to adjust to your liking. Enjoy!
Looking forward to trying this today but it is too late in the day. Can you please consider adding a conversion if we are using an instant pot and commenting on whether or not you would recommend this cooking method? I have heard the conversion is to multiply the cooking time on high by 60 and dividing by 10. That would make it 24 minutes which I will try this afternoon!
Hi Cindia, thank you so much for the feedback. I don’t have an instant pot, so I haven’t tested this recipe that way–only the stove and slow cooker. But thank you for the suggestion. I may have to add it to my kitchen tools collection! Let me know how this recipe goes.
Thank you for trying this – have the same question re: IP cook times.
If I left out corn would it still taste good? I can’t eat corn.
You can leave out the corn. Feel free to add another chopped bell pepper or can of beans, or don’t add anything in its place.