Name: Turkey Sweet Potato Chili
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided; 1 pound ground turkey or chicken (I use extra lean ground turkey); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 large yellow or red onion, diced; 1 large green or red bell pepper, seeded and diced; 1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 2-3 tablespoons chili powder (depending on how spicy your chili powder is); 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 1 teaspoon paprika (sweet or smoked); 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes; 1 cup chicken broth; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 bay leaf; 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes; 2 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed; 2 cups water (more or less; depending on how thick you like your chili); 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (or brown sugar); 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Jump to Recipe

This Turkey Sweet Potato Chili is simply the BEST! It’s made with ground turkey (or chicken), tender sweet potatoes, black beans, and veggies simmered in a rich tomato base. It has the perfect balance of bold spices and natural sweetness. Enjoy this easy weeknight dinner idea any time of the year!

This turkey chili has quickly become our family’s new favorite meal. It’s packed with low-fat protein and hearty-healthy fiber from the beans and veggies.

I love that it makes enough to feed us for a couple of nights and reheats well. Cook once, eat twice!

Lean ground turkey is the base of this recipe, which is a lighter option than the classic beef chili. You can use a mix of white and dark meat if you prefer.

Table of Contents

Turkey Sweet Potato Chili Ingredients

Olive oil: This adds richness and healthy fat to the chili.

Ground turkey (or chicken): I use extra lean ground turkey. For more flavor, you can use a mix of white and dark meat.

Yellow or red onion: You’ll need a yellow or red onion to make this recipe. This is a staple ingredient in chili.

Green or red bell pepper: This adds a little sweetness to help balance the heat of your spices. You can use poblano pepper if you prefer.

Jalapeño pepper: This adds a slight kick of heat to the chili. To reduce the spice level, remove the seeds and white ribs of the jalapeño pepper or omit it completely.

Garlic: This helps build the foundational aromatic flavor in the chili.

Chili seasoning: I use chili powder, ground cumin, paprika (sweet or smoked), unsweetened cocoa powder, dried oregano, ground cinnamon, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper.

Cocoa powder is a culinary trick to add depth of flavor to the chili. It doesn’t make the chili taste like chocolate. Instead, it helps to balance the acidity of the tomatoes and enhance all the savory flavors.

I also add cinnamon to this chili because it pairs nicely with the cocoa powder, sweet potatoes, and maple syrup.

Tomato paste: This adds a rich umami flavor and helps to naturally thicken the chili.

Canned tomatoes: I use diced tomatoes in this recipe. You can use fire-roasted tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes if you prefer.

Chicken broth: This helps to adds depth and adjusts the consistency without watering down the flavor.

Water: I like to add a little water to my chili to reduce the thickness.

Worcestershire sauce: This adds a rich layer of umami that helps enhance all the savory flavors of the turkey and spices in the chili.

If you don’t have Worcestershire sauce, you can use low-sodium soy sauce instead.

Beans: I use black beans in this chili because they go nicely with sweet potato. You can use whatever beans you prefer.

Other great choices include navy beans, red kidney beans, white beans (like cannellini), pinto beans, or chickpeas.

Maple syrup: This adds a little sweetness to help mellow out the heavy spices.

Fresh lime juice: This helps cut through the heavy, rich flavors of the chili.

How to make Turkey Sweet Potato Chili

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large Dutch oven or pot. Add the ground turkey, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

Cook the ground turkey and break up the meat until it’s nicely browned and no longer pink, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside in a bowl or plate.

Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, green bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the veggies have softened, stirring frequently, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cocoa powder, oregano, and cinnamon. Cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.

Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.

Add the diced tomatoes and let cook for 2 minutes, scrapping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the turkey back to the pot, along with the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, sweet potato, black beans, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.

Stir in the maple syrup and lime juice. Season to taste with more salt if needed. Discard the bay leaf. Serve hot with your favorite toppings.

Tips for making turkey chili

Brown the meat. I like to cook the turkey in olive oil until it’s nicely browned in the pot before adding other ingredients.

I know it’s common in some other chili recipes to cook the vegetables first, then add the ground meat.

You can certainly do this if you prefer. But I like to brown the meat first, remove it from the pot, then sauté the veggies separately.

Choose a blend of dark and white meat. I use extra lean ground turkey, but if you prefer more flavor, look for ground turkey that is a mix of light and dark meat.

Bloom your spices. I like to cook the spices in oil for before adding the liquid ingredients. This helps to amplify the aroma and flavor of the spices, which makes the chili extra delicious.

Sauté the veggies. For the best flavor and texture in your chili, it’s important to sauté the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño pepper in oil for 5 to 8 minutes. This allows the veggies to soften and become translucent.

Change up the tomatoes. I use canned diced tomatoes in this recipe, but you can change up the flavor by using fired-roasted tomatoes, whole peeled tomatoes, or crushed tomatoes.

Don’t rush the chili. It’s important to let the chili simmer, partially covered for 45 minutes. This will give it the best flavor.

If you like a thicker chili, let it simmer uncovered during the last 15 to 20 minutes.

What to serve with turkey chili

Fresh side dishes: Kale crunch salad, garden salad, creamy coleslaw, Mexican kale and quinoa salad.

Classic side dishes: Cornbread, rice (try my cilantro lime rice), garlic, bread, biscuits, crusty baguette, dinner rolls, baked potato, or tortilla chips for dipping.

Toppings: Shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend), sour cream, plain Greek yogurt, sliced green onions or diced red onions, fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños (fresh or pickled), diced avocado, corn chips, hot sauce, or fresh lime juice.

Please let me know how you like this Turkey Sweet Potato Chili recipe in the comments below! Your feedback and review encourages me to keep creating new and yummy recipes. I hope you love this turkey chili as much as I do.