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 is the best chili I have ever had!! I added a chopped up red pepper as well.
The first time I made this, I messed up all over the place, but the chili still turned out SO GOOD. The second time, I added more sweet potatoes and omitted the corn. My family feasted for 2-3 days, including a bunch of little kids (nieces/nephews/my toddler). It was a hit with all of them! Ate with sour cream, shredded cheese & avocado on top (I also used one of Sally’s cornbread recipes the first time I made this, the cornbread was devoured). Love this recipe, it will continue to be a go-to for my household.
Oh my goodness!! We love turkey chili but the sweet potatoes take it over the top! I used low sodium broth & tomato products & we still loved it! Served with your cornbread muffins ! Hubby even having for breakfast on our cold winter mornings! Yum!! Thank you so much!!
Dear Sally,
I went to find the recipe for your turkey taco spice chili with quinoa and it appears it’s been removed from your page. Please can you repost it? It was my favourite chili recipe ever.
Thank you
Nora
Hi Nora, that recipe was updated as this sweet potato turkey chili, but the original recipe is below the recipe in the Notes section (Note #5). Hope this helps!
Everybody enjoyed this recipe! I find it to be the perfect level of spice – tolerable for those who can’t handle too much heat. Will definitely make again!
Hello! We have been making this recipe for years, and it has been our go-to chili. Since we no longer have a slow cooker, I wonder if you have any recommendations for those of us who have switched over to using an instant pot? Thanks in advance!
Hi Norm, We don’t have an instant pot, so we haven’t tested this recipe that way–only the stove and slow cooker. Let us know how this recipe goes if you decide to try it in your instant pot!
I just love your site! The recipes I’m going to be using are easy to scale down; important to this single gal! Holiday Menu planning easily done… Crab Quiche Christmas Eve, Turkey & Sweet Potato Chili for Christmas Dinner w/ Football game- and going to make Tourtiere for New Year’s supper; hoping it’s successful! Thank You so much for what you do! Happy Holiday Season!
So glad you enjoy our recipes, Ms. B!
This recipe is MUCH better with the quinoa. Would you mind re-posting the old version as a separate recipe?
See recipe Notes for details on the old recipe, Brendan! So glad you enjoyed it.
My family enjoyed this very much! I used a stovetop method for faster cooking and only made subtle seasoning adjustments.
We are chili snobs and this recipe turned out amazing! We love it! Thank you…this one will be one repeat.
What a great chili!! The sweet potatoes provide a nice texture and flavor to the chili. Even my one year old granddaughter gobbled it up (she can handle a little fiery spice!)!! Will definitely make it again and again!
This dish is my go to and everyone love it. But, did the recipe change? It used to be taco chili. I started using an instant pot when I’m in a rush and it cuts my time by more than half. It still comes out great.
Hi Joseph! This is a newer recipe, just published in September. Could you be thinking of our chicken chili recipe?
This turned out absolutely amazing!!! I like mine a little spicier so I tasted it half way through and added some more chili powder, paprika, cayenne, and some hot sauce. Cooked on high for 4 hours. SOOOO good! Will definitely make again, thank you!
SO good! The only thing I changed was no jalapeno. I really don’t love sweet potato.. but I know it’s good for me. So I did add it. There is so much flavor and other textures that I really didn’t even notice it. Really great recipe! Thank you so much!
Husband liked it but kids and I did not. Followed recipe exactly.
Is there a link to the old version? As well as the multiple serving of seasoning?
I’m sure this is great but I’ve been making that one for years. It was the best chili I ever had
Hi Marco, we’d be happy to send you the old version – send us an e-mail to sally@sallysbakingaddiction.com. We’re so glad you love the original, too!
It’s almost football season and your quinoa version is everyone’s favorite! Are you able to repost the old version for easy access? Thank you!
There’s details in the recipe Notes, Ann!
This was way better than I was expecting! I was expecting it to be good, but it was SUPER DELICIOUS! We were skeptical on the turkey since there are more flavorful meats, but it was SO GOOD!! Made exactly as the recipe
Love it! I substituted ground turkey with ground beef and beef broth; used black beans rather than run out and buy kidney beans. I cooked it on the stove as I do not have a large crockpot. It is a beautiful chili and flavored so well! We and our guests thoroughly enjoyed its flavor. Thank you, Sally.
This is so yummy! I added both black beans and kidney beans to this, and it was such a cozy fall dinner! Will be making this over and over again for sure!
So glad you enjoyed it! I love it with black beans!
Fabulous chili! The heat and spices were just as we like them. I ran out of time, so I made it in my instant pot, cooking for 17 minutes after pressure is reached. I used a 12” sauté pan to brown the ground turkey first, the Instant Pot looked too small for that amount. Perfect dinner with homemade cornbread. Definitely making this all winter.
Delicious!
I made in my Dutch oven.
I used what I had on hand, which meant 1 lb each of ground chicken and beef. I don’t care for corn in chili so I used black and light kidney beans. The whole family gave it top scores. The spice blend and heat was perfect for us. We could taste the heat while the spice averse enjoyed it too. The sweet potato was subtle.
Will definitely add to my chili rotation.
Loved the sweet potatoes in recipe but next time would go with more beans and omit the corn
I never expected this to be as good as my turkey chili recipe. This was better and absolutely will make it again. I changed the seasoning.. doubled the chili powder and smoked paprika as I felt there was too much cumin.. otherwise, it was so nice to have all of the ingredients in the slow cooker.
Delicious recipe! We loved this chili!!
I have recently come to appreciate chili, and thought this looked like a good recipe. I made a half recipe for my guy and me. I knew when I told him it had ground turkey and sweet potatoes in it he’d be a little apprehensive, but WOW! This chili is so, SO good! We ate it three days in a row and still weren’t tired of it! This dish will definitely be on repeat. Not only is this chili tasty, it’s also nutritious. Thank you, Sally.
This recipe is 5 star. I made it for dinner tonight and my Son and Hubby loved it. So did I! It is so tasty. The taste of the sweet potato and those spices just meld together and are so so good. I will be making this again.
How many people does the sweet potatoe chili serve?
10-12
I love a recipe that can be made ahead of time, and be ready for the family when we get home from a busy day of school and after school activities. Especially a nutritious meal. And when the kids love it, we’ve got a winner. This is one of those recipes! Definitely a new staple in this household!
Tried this the other night and it’s absolutely delicious! Will be a go-to recipe
Made this for the first time today. It will be my go-to chili recipe from now on. The sweet potato adds wonderful flavor and texture.