So last week I explained a new feature you’ll be seeing pop up around here every once and a while called “Friday Faves.” You can click on my last post and read the intro to see what it’s all about. While these totally aren’t meant to be *giveaway* posts, that’s not to say we can’t give anything away every once and a while. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who jumped on that post and left comments, because as bloggers, that’s really how we connect with all of you out there and we love hearing your thoughts, ideas, and funny stories! To say thanks, I used random.org to pick one of the comments from that post and it was lucky number 17, Michele. Michele- I’m going to send you a big ol’ box of some of the goodies featured in that post, so check your email!
Now onto today’s recipe. Somehow in the last couple of weeks fall has arrived in Boise. It’s suddenly very chilly in the mornings, and gloriously sunny in the afternoons. The perfect sweater-but-no-coat weather for most of the day and I love it. I spent a large portion of my last week trudging through nurseries and tree farms, picking landscape plants for the house we’re building and it has reminded me why (especially as a horticulturist at heart) I love this season so much! And when fall arrives, my slow-cooker makes more appearances on my counter (much to my grill’s dismay.) I’d been thinking about this chili in my head for a long time and finally thought I’d start throwing it together. It’s definitely a little different than the other chili recipes on our site. You might be surprised by some of the ingredients, but don’t be scared. We’re friends, remember? Tender sweet potatoes actually pair really well with black beans, and this chili might be super low in calories but it’s crazy high in flavor and heartiness. Chock full of veggies and perfect for topping, this is a great fall slow-cooker meal that will make your house smell awesome.
We’re going to start by sauteing some vegetables. I know people love to just throw everything in a crock pot, but I’m telling you right now, for most crock pot recipes it’s worth the extra step of sauteing veggies, or searing meat, etc. You’ll get deeper flavor, better texture, and overall better dishes when you follow full instructions that call for cooking things before tossing them in the slow-cooker. Okay, I’ll hop off the soap box now. Saute some diced onion, garlic, jalapeno, and bell pepper for about 5 minutes, until veggies are soft and fragrant. You don’t need 2 peppers like you see in my photo- you just need one bell pepper and I happened to have both a yellow and a red so I used half of each. Because I thought it looked pretty. I definitely prefer sweet peppers (red, yellow, or orange) but if they’re just too pricey, or unavailable, go ahead and use a green bell pepper. When those are cooked, place them in your slow-cooker.
Next up, ground turkey breast. I created this recipe using 20 ounces because the packs from the grocery store like this photo below are always 20 ounces (why? I don’t know, it’s kind of a strange number…) If you’re not using a package like my photo, you can use a pound if that’s easier to buy.
Now here’s a little trick I use often to either lighten recipes that use ground meat, or to stretch a small amount of meat and make it go further in a recipe (good for money-saving, too). I’ve said it before- I don’t love mushrooms, so if you’re like me- rest assured, you probably won’t even know they’re in here. That’s the point! I mince up mushrooms and toss them right in with the ground meat.
What happens is they take on the flavors and seasonings of the meat (in this case, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, chili powder, salt and pepper) and since they cook along with it they just sort of disguise themselves in there. Since they have a soft texture, you don’t really notice them in the final product, but it makes it seems like there’s more meat than there is. In this case, it was more a matter of bulking up the chili and adding secret veggies. Add the turkey mushroom mixture to the slow-cooker with the vegetables.
Next up is the sweet potatoes. I use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin off and then dice them into 1/2 inch cubes. Since sweet potatoes are never uniform in size, just weigh them at the store; I shoot for about 1 1/2 pounds. It doesn’t have to be exact; a little less is certainly fine. You can even buy pre-chopped sweet potatoes in many produce departments.
Add in some black beans
and canned tomatoes
and then another secret ingredient: pumpkin puree! It may seem strange, but it adds a velvety texture and gives the chili body and richness. Plus it packs in lots of good-for-you vitamins and the flavor blends really well with the sweetness of the sweet potatoes. Just pretty pretty please, make sure your can doesn’t say “Pumpkin Pie” flavored… (and click here for a recipe for homemade pumpkin)
But we’re not stopping there. Just when you thought this chili couldn’t get any crazier, we’ve got 2 front-seat tickets on the crazy train. (I don’t even know what that means. Things like that come out of my mouth when I write my posts at midnight…) 2 more seasonings give this chili a mellow warmth: just a touch of cinnamon and a little unsweetened cocoa powder. They’re not uncommon ingredients in chili, but still ones you don’t see very often. The trick is not overdoing those types of flavors, and I put in just enough that it gives flavor, but not enough to overwhelm it.
Stir everything up with some beef broth and let that slow cooker do its thing.
When it’s all done, it’s thick and rich and super hearty. I like to stir in a big handful of chopped cilantro before serving, but that’s totally optional.
There’s so many good things in there, and when you get them all in one bite it’s a great mix of both flavors and textures.
You can top this with any traditional chili toppings you like, however, I like to keep it simple so I can still taste the unique flavor. A dollop of sour cream and a couple slices of avocado are perfect. You can however, load anything on there. And if you make this and have some eaters that aren’t too fond of the unique flavor, just squeeze a bunch of lime juice in there and add cheese and sour cream on top and it will actually mask the subtle sweetness and taste more like a traditional chili.
Print
Black Bean and Sweet Potato Turkey Chili
- Yield: 16
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, diced (any color)
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1–2 jalapenos, minced
- 20 ounces ground turkey breast
- 8 ounces mushrooms, minced (about 2 heaping cups)
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoons pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 28 ounce can tomatoes (not drained)
- 2 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 32 ounces beef broth (one box/carton)
- 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree (make sure you’re not using pumpkin pie filling :))
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- optional: sour cream, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro or green onion, and fresh lime juice for serving
Instructions
Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil and add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and jalapenos. Saute for about 5 minutes, until veggies are tender and fragrant. Add to slow cooker.
In same skillet, heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Add turkey and mushrooms and stir to combine. Sprinkle in cumin, salt, pepper, oregano, chili powder and smoked paprika. (note: the meat will taste very seasoned when done. Keep in mind these seasonings are not to flavor just the meat, they will season the entire pot of chili, so they are intentionally strong!) Add turkey mixture to slow cooker.
Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, beans, broth, pumpkin, cinnamon, and cocoa powder to slow cooker and stir til combine. Place lid on pot and cook for 4-6 hours on high, or 8-10 on low. Slow-cookers vary greatly in temperature and cooking times, but really, the important thing to note is if the sweet potatoes are tender.
When done, turn off heat and let chili sit with lid off for 10-15 minutes to thicken. Season with additional salt to taste before serving. If desired, serve with sour cream, sliced avocados, and a small squirt of fresh lime juice, and any other toppings desired.
Notes
*”Sweet potatoes” and “yams” are often sold interchangeably depending on what part of the country you live in. Just buy whichever one is orange 🙂
It freezes beautifully, so I like to make the recipe and then freeze half for another night. You can certainly halve the recipe as well, which I recommend if you have a small slow cooker.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 16
- Calories: 185kcal
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 534mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 23mg
Questions & Reviews
This is in my crockpot now and it smells amazing! One thing I did not account for was the small size of my crockpot so I was able to fit everything in there but the sweet potatoes. My plan is to bake some sweet potaotes in the oven and then serve the chili over them. I think I’ll bake a few extra sweet potatoes that way I can dice up the extras and throw in the leftovers. Thanks for another amazing recipe!
Made this last night! I didn’t realize my crock pot would literally be overflowing so I had to remove some of the ingredients. Looks like I’ll need a bigger crock pot! 😉 It was really, really good! Very interesting flavors. The hubs said it is def one of the better chili recipes I have tried! Thanks lovelies!
Really good! the cilantro, lime and avocado on top added a lot. Loved it!
Wow! So I was a little nervous to try this as it definitely had some unique ingredients and I wasn’t sure if I’d love it (as well as my family). Nothing worse than spending time and money making a big batch of a new recipe only to find your family hates it! However, since that has never happened with any of Our Best Bite’s recipes, I decided “Hey! I trust these gals so what the heck. Let’s be adventurous and try something I might not normally make.” Let me just say I wasn’t disappointed!! My first couple of bites I thought, this is definitely unique and not bad!! But by the end of my first bowl, I thought this is REALLY good and I went back for seconds!! Made the cheesy garlic rolls to go with and this dinner was a hit!! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes. LOVE you guys!!!
SO happy we didn’t disappoint!
Oh this looks amazing… now if only we could get some cool Fall weather to go with it!!
So hearty … So yummy … Such a fun colorful twist on chili!!
My husband thinks you girls should open a restaurant 🙂 but I vote you just stick with your day job 🙂 🙂
Am I the only one who hasn’t cooked “sweet potoatoes” before? I didn’t know I was actually supposed to get “yams.” I hope the “sweet potoatoes”, which are white, taste as good….bummer!
Trisha, “yams” and “sweet potatoes” are sold by different names depending on where you live. As shown in my photos, just buy whichever is orange, lol.
Made this last night. It was delicious! Perfect for fall. I used both jalapeños and its wasn’t at all spicy.
Okay. So this is going to be amazing!!!! It’s in the crock pot as we speak.(or type) My husband is excited. Smell’s yummy. Wait, we have to eat at 11:00 PM,he says? Sorry honey,I started a litle late. Ha!
I cannot WAIT to try this!!!!
I made this tonight! so gooood! my fav ingredient was cocoa powder! Delish!
Do you think you could make this in a pot on the stove? My awesome (and much loved/use) crock pot broke so I don’t have one right now. But this chili looks amazing and I want to make it!! 🙂 How long do you think it would take on the stove? Thanks!
Yep, you totally could. You’ll have to just eyeball the time and cook it on a low simmer until the sweet potatoes are soft and tender.
Since my wife can’t eat dairy right now becaue the baby can’t tolerate it, i will definitely be making this.
Just an fyi, like someone above mentioned, in your little printable recipe you don’t say when to add the sweet potatoes. I went back up to the pictures to find when you added them. I have this in the slow cooker right now but I’m trying it out with some homemade chicken sausage that my husband made. It smells divine and I’m hoping that my kids will eat the sweet potatoes this way.
Thanks- fixed!
omigosh! this sounds just too fabulous! i love the combinations of flavors in here. we’re mostly shying away from meat and so i’m wondering if we could just leave the turkey out and use a vegetable broth rather than beef broth. ya think? it’s mixing it up even more than you’ve already done! great thinks here. great. fall must inspire you to greatness. (good luck on your house)
Yep, go for it. It’s hearty enough to stand up without meat, but you might need to season it a little more since you’ll miss some of the flavor from the beef broth. But it should work just fine!
Dude! I have everything in my kitchen to make this chili! Guess what we’re having for dinner tonight? 😉
I couldn’t wait and rushed to the store this morning for pumpkin and mushrooms. Surprisingly, I had everything else. My family loved it! Best surprise for me? Trying chili with avocado. Is this common knowledge? That was the best condiment on chili that I’ve ever tried and it will be my must-have with chili! Thanks for sharing that little tidbit!
Looks and sounds delicious, and I love how little meat it takes for all those servings! I’ll be making and freezing this for when baby arrives 🙂
I am definitely making this next week but I have a couple of questions. What difference would it make it I used ground chicken? It is on sale this week and I would like to use that if it is very similar. Also, where is the best place to get smoked paprika? Is it easy to find? Is ground turkey breast hard to find?
Ground chicken, or ground beef would be great in this recipe. You should be able to find ground turkey in the meat section of any grocery store. You can find smoked paprika by the regular spices as well, although occasionally it’s not stocked. If you have a Sam’s Club near you, I always bought it there- the big giant bottle was cheaper than the tiny bottle at the grocery store!
Thanks so much!
I can’t find in the recipe where it says to add the sweet potatoes. You add them after the turkey, right?
I fixed that, but it really doesn’t matter. They just get tossed in the pot whenever 🙂
Sara! Thank you!! So excited for something above & beyond my usual chili (which is special b/c I use cilantro)…but yours is healthy and hearty. SO excited! I’m definitely going to use the mushrooms “trick” in a few other recipes.
Well, NOW I know what’s for dinner. *grin* Thanks!
I make a similar black bean chili every fall and it is one of our favorites! I make mine a vegetarian version though and through in some butternut squash. Mmmm! Nice and hearty!
Really looking forward to hearing you at TOFW this weekend! 😀 Safe travels!
-Danielle
Busy Mom’s Helper
looks great, but is it sweet potatoes or yams? pictures look like yams
Don’t get me started on yams vs sweet potatoes 🙂 Just buy the orange ones 🙂
It’s in the crock pot, RIGHT NOW! I’m super excited to give this a try.
Thanks for the recipe, Ladies!
Woohoo! Sweet potatoes AND dried black beans went on sale last week so I got a ton of both! I’m a big chili lover and will be keeping this recipe bookmarked now that it’s finally soup weather. Thanks!
1. I have everything on hand to make this for dinner asap.
2. I hid pumpkin puree in everything. Most often meatloaf. It adds something great to it and while I’m not a huge “hide the vegetables from the kids” mom….I don’t exactly offer up that the pumpkin is in the meatloaf haha I buy the big cans of pumpkin and only ever use half. It’s a great way to use up anything extra in the fridge which we all know!
We got some sweet potatos in our bountiful basket a couple of weeks ago and I had never had them before so not sure what I was going yo do with then…..but I’m making this friday for dinner! Not sure what my 7 kids will say but they haven’t been disappointed by one of your recipes yet!
Sounds yummy! I am very curious to try the cocoa in chili! Do you think chicken broth could be subbed for the beef broth?