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Kid-Approved Turkey Chili with Sweet Potato & Black Beans

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A quick and easy turkey chili with sweet potatoes and black beans that comes together in about 45 minutes. The sweet potatoes break down to create a naturally creamy texture without any dairy, making it a family-friendly meal that even won a school chili cook-off.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (or avocado oil)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1.5 cups)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound ground turkey (93% lean works great)
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, with their juices (fire-roasted preferred)
  • 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
  • Optional toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, diced avocado, or a squeeze of lime juice

Instructions

  1. Prep Your Ingredients: Dice the onion, mince the garlic, peel and dice the sweet potatoes into ½-inch cubes, and dice the red bell pepper. Drain and rinse the black beans. Open the cans of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Measure out your spices into a small bowl.
  2. Brown the Turkey: Heat the olive oil in your large pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the ground turkey. Break it up with your wooden spoon and cook for 5-7 minutes, until it’s no longer pink. Don’t drain the fat.
  3. Sweat the Aromatics: Add the diced onion to the pot with the turkey. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften and become translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Bloom the Spices: Sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper over the meat and onions. Stir constantly for about 1 minute.
  5. Add the Vegetables and Liquids: Stir in the diced sweet potatoes and red bell pepper. Pour in the diced tomatoes (with their juices), tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Stir everything together until well combined.
  6. Simmer the Chili: Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer gently for 20-25 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender and starting to break down. Stir every 5-7 minutes.
  7. Add the Black Beans: Once the sweet potatoes are tender, stir in the drained and rinsed black beans. Let the chili simmer uncovered for another 5-10 minutes to heat through and thicken slightly.
  8. Taste and Adjust: Taste the chili and adjust the seasoning. Add more salt, a pinch of sugar, or another dash of chili powder if needed.
  9. Rest and Serve: Take the pot off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. Ladle the chili into bowls and top with your favorite toppings.

Notes

For a vegetarian version, swap the ground turkey for an extra can of black beans or pinto beans. For a spicier kick, add one diced jalapeño when cooking the onion or ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper with the spices. This chili tastes even better the next day as flavors meld. To make it thicker, simmer uncovered for an extra 10-15 minutes or mash some sweet potato cubes against the pot. For slow cooker method: brown turkey and onions first, then transfer everything except black beans to slow cooker. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Add black beans in last 30 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: turkey chili, sweet potato chili, black bean chili, easy chili recipe, family dinner, weeknight dinner, healthy chili, gluten-free chili, dairy-free chili

Find it online: https://sofiaspice.com/kid-approved-turkey-chili-with-sweet-potato-and-black-beans-55-characters/