Sweet Potato Turkey Chili
So delicious, your family would never know it’s packed with nutrition. Enjoy this simple and satisfying sweet potato turkey chili for a comforting weeknight dinner. If you want more healthy but delicious dinner ideas, try my healthy hamburger helper, chicken sausage orzo, or pizza beans.
Healthy turkey chili that actually tastes good
- Surprisingly delicious. Ground turkey isn’t known to be the most satisfying protein — but this flavor-packed chili is sure to change your mind. Explore more healthy and satisfying dinners.
- Packed with protein and fiber. Turkey brings a boost of lean protein, while beans, sweet potato, and loads of veggies provide nourishing fiber. Try more delicious recipes with beans.
- Perfect as leftovers. This recipe makes a huge batch of sweet potato turkey chili, so you’ll have lots of leftovers for quick dinners or meal prep. Bonus: it gets even more flavorful as it sits in the fridge.
If your family is still learning to love turkey, this chili recipe is one to try. I did lots of testing to make sure it’s nutritious and genuinely satisfying. If you need more turkey recipes, try my ground turkey fried rice, ground turkey vegetable soup (a personal favorite), or turkey enchilada casserole.
Key ingredients
This chili contains lots of the usual suspects — beans, crushed tomatoes, and ground meat. But ground turkey can be bland, so I added a few extra ingredients for maximum flavor and enjoyment.
- Chicken bouillon: Instead of using chicken broth, we’ll use water with a double dose of chicken bouillon paste. This provides some extra salt and flavor, so don’t skip it.
- Soy sauce: Just a splash of soy sauce enhances umami flavors and adds richness to the chili.
- Hot sauce: Every good chili recipe has a little acidity to balance flavors, and Frank’s red hot does the job here. We’re not using it for spice (it’s very mild), we’re using it to enhance.
- Smoked paprika: Opt for smoked paprika, not regular, for extra complexity.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and detailed recipe.
How to make sweet potato turkey chili
Step 1: Cook your veggies and ground meat.
Step 2: Add tomatoes, bouillon, sweet potatoes and more, and simmer for an hour.
Step 3: Stir in beans and warm through.
Step 4: Add to bowls with lots of toppings!
Top tips and tricks
- Don’t skip the flavor makers. This recipe uses bouillon, soy sauce, hot sauce, and spices strategically. Don’t skip these ingredients or your chili could be bland and boring.
- Cook your tomato paste. Cooking the tomato paste before adding more ingredients enhances its sweetness and adds richness to the chili. Make sure to cook it as instructed and wait for it to deepen in color before moving on with the recipe.
- Be patient. Simmering chili for at least an hour helps the flavors come together. Don’t rush it!
More healthy comfort meals
- High protein lasagna
- Healthy hamburger helper
- Oven-baked beef tacos
- Chicken swedish meatballs
- Healthy cheesesteak pasta
You can also explore my healthy recipe library for high-protein recipes, high-fiber recipes, nutritious bean recipes, or even chicken recipes if turkey isn’t your thing.
If you tried this recipe for healthy sweet potato turkey chili, please leave a 🌟 star rating and comment below, and follow me on Instagram!
Sweet Potato Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, diced small
- 1 red bell pepper, diced small
- 2 jalapenos, seeds removed and diced small
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
- 1 can (28-oz) fire roasted crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp chicken bouillon, I use Better Than Bouillon paste
- ½ tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp Frank's red hot sauce
- 1 can (19-oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (19-oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
Spices
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- black pepper, to taste
To Serve (optional)
- avocado, sour cream, shredded cheddar, sliced green onion, cilantro, lime wedge, diced red onion
Equipment
Instructions
- Measure spices into a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat your pot to medium and add oil.
- Add onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and onions are translucent.
- Make space in the pan and add tomato paste. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until you notice it deepen to a dark red color. Mix with the vegetables.
- Push the vegetables to one side. Add ground turkey directly to the pan, and sprinkle your spice mix all over. Cook and break apart until you have small, even crumbles with minimal pink remaining, mixing with the vegetables as you go. It’s okay if your meat doesn’t brown.
- Add garlic and stir. Cook for about 1-minute or until fragrant.
- Add sweet potato, tomatoes, water, bouillon, soy sauce, and hot sauce. Stir and cover. Stay close to the stove until it comes to a boil.
- When it reaches a gentle boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue cooking covered for 45-60 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Stir in beans. Cover, and cook for another 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and garnish as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Ground turkey: Feel free to substitute ground chicken or beef.
- Fire roasted tomatoes: Make sure they say “fire roasted” for significantly more flavor than regular crushed tomatoes.
- Frank’s red hot: We use this for acidity, not spice. If you don’t have Frank’s brand, look for a similar cayenne pepper hot sauce with mild spice.
The ONLY turkey chili I am actually excited to eat!! Hope you love it.