Slow Cooker Turkey Chili (with Sweet Potato)

This slow cooker turkey chili with sweet potato is a hearty, crowd-pleasing favorite! Ground turkey simmers low and slow with three-beans and sweet potato for a cozy, filling family dinner. Set it, forget it, and come home to a chili that’s perfect for game day, weeknights, or anytime you need a healthy, satisfying meal.

Easy Crockpot Turkey Chili with Sweet Potato

Say hello to my favorite slow cooker turkey chili, perfect for busy days, game days, or anytime you want to set the slow cooker and forget it. My version is a little different from a classic turkey chili because it’s packed with hearty ingredients like ground turkey, three kinds of beans, and diced sweet potato along with warm spices for a cozy, satisfying bowl. The prep takes about 20 minutes, then the slow cooker does the rest and the long, low cook time allows the turkey and vegetables get super tender and all the flavors meld together, making it taste noticeably better than a quick stovetop version.

After years of testing this recipe I’ve learned that skipping the step of browning the turkey and onions first gives you mushy meat and flat flavor, so don’t be tempted to go full dump-and-go on this one (sorry, I know it’s a bummer, but wroth it). I use 93% lean ground turkey for the best texture and a 3-bean mix of black, kidney, and pinto beans for variety. Sweet potato gives the chili body and a subtle sweetness that balances the spices, but diced carrot or butternut squash work just as well if that’s what you have on hand. The hot sauce stirred in at the end is what takes the flavor from mild to memorable, so don’t skip it unless you’re serving very spice-sensitive eaters!

Serve this chili with all the toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, crushed tortilla chips, and a big squeeze of lime. It’s the kind of dinner that feeds a crowd, holds up beautifully for meal prep, and tastes even better the next day. And if you love easy crockpot chili, my crockpot vegetarian chili is a reader favorite for meatless nights, and my crockpot white chicken chili is another cozy variation when you want to switch up the protein!

Testing Notes for Healthy Crockpot Ground Turkey Chili

• Cut Sweet Potato Into Even ½-Inch Dice Uniform pieces cook at the same rate and hold their shape during the long slow cook, while bigger chunks stay undercooked, and smaller pieces break down into mush. Aim for roughly bite-sized cubes and you’ll get tender sweet potato that still has structure.
• Add Beans Drained and Rinsed Canned beans have a salty, starchy liquid that can make the chili taste tinny and over-salted. Rinsing them under cold water for 30 seconds cleans that up and lets the spices shine through. It also prevents the chili from getting too thick or gummy.
• Don’t Open the Lid During Cooking Every time you lift the lid, the slow cooker loses about 15-20 minutes of cook time, so trust the process and leave it alone until the timer goes off. If you’re worried about thickness, leave the lid cracked for the last 30 minutes instead of peeking repeatedly.
• Make a DIY Chili Bar for Toppings Instead of dressing each bowl, I love to set out small dishes of cheese, sour cream, avocado, lime wedges, cilantro, jalapeño, and tortilla chips. Everyone makes their own bowl, picky eaters get exactly what they want, and it turns a simple dinner into something that feels special!

4.80 stars (24 ratings)

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili (with Sweet Potato)

Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs

Servings: 6 servings

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 4 hours hrs

Total: 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Easy slow cooker turkey chili with ground turkey, sweet potato, three beans, bell pepper, and warm spices. A hearty, crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner.

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Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 pound 93% lean dark meat ground turkey
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon mild chili powder
• 1 cup yellow onion, diced
• 2 cups yellow, red, or orange bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 (15-ounce) can no-sugar-added tomato sauce
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

To Add at the End

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce (optional) or more to taste

Equipment

• Slow Cooker

Instructions 

•  In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the turkey, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the salt, then stir, breaking apart with a wooden spoon.
• Allow the turkey to brown on one side, about 4-5 minutes, flip, then cook an additional 3-4 minutes until the turkey is browned and cooked through.
• Carefully transfer the cooked turkey to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add 1½ teaspoons of salt, granulated garlic, cumin, chili powder, onion, bell pepper, sweet potato, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans, stirring to combine.
• Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-7 hours, or until the veggies are very tender.
• Uncover, stir, and add the lime juice and hot sauce, if using. Taste and add additional salt or hot sauce if desired. Serve with toppings of your choice.

Notes

• Spice Level: This chili is not spicy at all. If you prefer a kick, use spicy chili powder, add some cayenne  pepper along with other spices, and top with extra hot sauce.

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 6), Calories: 427kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 37g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 793mg, Potassium: 953mg, Fiber: 18g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 3275IU, Vitamin C: 72mg, Calcium: 109mg, Iron: 5mg

Nutrition disclaimer

Did you make this recipe?If you do, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me at @realfoodwholelife so I can see!

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