This sweet potato turkey chili is packed with tons of texture from tender sweet potatoes and on the leaner side thanks to the ground turkey!
Chili season is back, baby! And this sweet potato-loaded pot is locked and loaded to get you through football season.
We’re swapping out the usual ground beef for the leaner option of ground turkey today, but you definitely won’t be missing the beefy flavor one bit with how much flavor we’re packing into this chili.
And since it’s on the lighter side, you’d better grab a bigger soup bowl.
This has been one of my go-to chili recipes for many years now mostly because of how easy it is to throw together and how adaptable it is. You can use different kinds of beans, add more veggies, use another kind of meat, etc and it will always turn out stellar.
This Chili features…
- Tender sweet potatoes and lean ground turkey
- Hearty pinto beans and sweet peppers
- A flavorful smoky broth
Making the Sweet Potato Chili
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Vegetable oil
- Ground turkey
- Yellow onion
- Sweet pepper
- Garlic
- Spices
- Sweet potatoes
- Pinto beans
- Diced tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- Chicken broth
Tips for Perfect Sweet Potato Chili
- Cut sweet potatoes in uniform cubes – aim for 1/4-inch cubes so the sweet potatoes cook evenly.
- Drain and rinse beans – this removes excess thick liquid from the beans.
- Simmer chili 15-20 minutes – this will allow the flavors to meld and soften the sweet potatoes.
- Use different toppings – follow my topping suggestions or try serving chili with cornbread, cilantro, crushed tortilla chips, salsa, or your favorite hot sauce.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this chili.
- Make it spicy – add 1-2 minced jalapeno or serrano peppers or additional cayenne pepper to taste.
- Use squash – replace the sweet potatoes with cubed butternut or delicata squash.
- Swap out meats – replace the ground turkey with ground chicken, pork, or beef.
- Use another kind of bean – try black beans, chickpeas, or kidney beans in place of the pintos.
Storing and Freezing Chili
This chili stores well in refrigerator up to 6 days. Reheat leftovers in individual servings in microwave 2-3 minutes or over medium heat on stovetop for larger portions.
To freeze chili, allow to cool completely then store in a freezer-safe container, leaving about an inch of open air on top, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw completely in refrigerator before reheating or reheat from frozen over low heat on stovetop.
Your chili season is pretty much incomplete without a batch of this goodness on your agenda! The sweet potatoes add an extra layer of heartiness that pairs so well with all that smoky broth and meaty ground turkey.
Fall comfort food in a pot, y’all. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More chili to add your dinner rotation!
Sweet Potato Turkey Chili
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 lb ground turkey
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 medium sweet pepper, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked or regular paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, diced into 1/4-inch cubes
- 2 cans (15 oz each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) petite-diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cups chicken broth
- Sour cream, green onions, avocado, and cheddar for serving, optional
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or medium pot over medium-high heat until shimmery. Add ground turkey, season with salt and pepper, and sauté 3-5 minutes until no longer pink. Transfer turkey to a medium bowl.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and sweet pepper and sauté 3-5 minutes until onion is translucent. Add garlic and spices and cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add ground turkey, sweet potatoes, pinto beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and chicken broth to pot, season with salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow chili to simmer 15-20 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender.
- Season chili with additional salt and pepper to taste if needed and serve warm with optional toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was updated with new recipe adjustments and photos on 9/24/25.
Isadora @ She Likes Food says
How do I always miss the best food holidays?!! I love that you are doing a chili week because I am already a huge chili fan and always looking for more awesome chili recipes! I eat a ton of sweet potatoes and I can’t think of a better place to put them than in a big bowl if chili 🙂
Sarah says
Chili is the BEST. Case closed. 🙂 Yay for sweet potatoes too! 🙂
Kloe's Kitchen says
We made sweet potato chili for the first time today and it was amazing. I loved it! I will have to make yours sometime. Thanks so much for sharing!
Sarah says
Sweet potato chili is the best! Totally one of my new favs. Thanks Kloe!
Leslie says
I live chili but found out a couple years ago I am allergic to tomatoes among many others. Any suggestions?
Sarah says
Hi Leslie! In place of the diced tomatoes I would suggest doubling the amount of beans called for. As for the tomato sauce, I would recommend subbing in either chicken broth or water—Hope this helps!
Debbie says
Made chili tonight for the first time and it is very good, although mine looks a lot “redder”! Two questions…what is a suggested serving size and what canned tomatoes or canned sauces do you recommend? Watching sugar. Thank you.
Sarah says
My personal serving size is about 1 cup of chili and my current favorite brand of diced tomatoes and sauce to use is Hunt’s. Hope this helps!
Alison says
This looks delicious! Could it be made in a crockpot?
Sarah says
I haven’t tried making this chili in the crockpot myself, but it could definitely be kept warm in the crockpot!
Theresa says
What is the serving size in cups?
Sarah says
The serving size is about 1-1/2 cups. 🙂
Abbie says
I just made this last night – it’s DELICIOUS! Also a very healthy alternative to regular chili. I brought some leftovers for work and it almost tastes better the day after. Thank you for the share!
Sarah says
Yay! I’m glad to hear that this chili was a hit, Abbie! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Hannah says
This looks so delicious! I want to make it for Halloween but our stove is broken. Do you think it would work in a crockpot?
Sarah says
You could definitely cook this chili in the crockpot, but the ground turkey would need to be browned before adding with the other ingredients in the crockpot—cook time would be about 2-3 hours on high or 4-5 hours on high.
Hannah says
Thank you so much!
Judith says
Great recipe. I got rave reviews. Even my non-vegetable eater loved this and has asked for it on several occasions!
Sarah says
Glad to hear it, Judith! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Katid says
This is one of our fall favorites! Thank you for a great recipe. We enjoyed it last night, and are excited about the leftover we’ll have for the next couple of days. I don’t eat bell peppers, so sub in a can of sweet corn with no complaints. When we want it kicked up a notch, I use Rotel for the diced tomatoes.
Sarah says
I’m so glad to hear that this chili is a hit in your family, Katdid! Enjoy!
Katid says
This recipe is one of our fall favorites and is diet friendly! We love it, and it gets raves when we share. Thank you!
Sarah says
Thanks for sharing, Katid! I’m so thrilled to hear that this chili is a favorite in your family!
Mari says
Delish!! Second time making this in a week in a half, so yummy and satisfying!
JT says
What happened to the old recipe with black beans? Also, the step to add the turkey is missing from this recipe..
Sarah says
Hi JT – this recipe was just updated with some new adjustments. I’d be happy to send you a copy of the old version if you want it!
JT says
Yes please. I tried this one and it’s just not the same!
Sarah says
No problem, I just sent you the original recipe 🙂