This lightened up turkey chili with sweet potatoes is so easy to make, with peppers, sweet potato, onions, tomatoes and bold seasonings. It is packed with protein and fiber to keep you satisfied!
Cozy up with a comforting bowl of healthy turkey chili with sweet potatoes! It's low calorie, bursting with flavor, and packed with protein. For another cozy bowl, try my Instant Pot beef stew. Try it with a side of sweet potato biscuits or dairy-free biscuits.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: about 30 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: under an hour
- 🍽️ Serving: about 10 cups
- ⚡ Calories: 91kcal per cup, with 12g protein and 2g fat
- 🥣 Ingredients: lean ground turkey, sweet potato, green pepper, onion, kidney beans, diced tomatoes with green chilies, chicken broth, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Bold, smoky chili spices with sweet potato and tender turkey
- ✋ Difficulty: Brown, saute, simmer, mash
Quick Answer
Brown 1 lb lean ground turkey in 1 tablespoon olive oil, chopping it fine, then set it aside. In the same pot, cook 1 cup diced sweet potato, 1 diced green pepper and 1 cup diced onion in the remaining tablespoon of oil for about 7 minutes. Add back the turkey with 2 cans kidney beans, 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, 2 cups chicken broth, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 ½ tablespoons chili powder, 2 tablespoons cumin, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a slight boil, cover and simmer on low about 20 minutes, then mash to thicken. It makes about 10 cups at 91 calories each.
Jump to:
We usually end up eating about 2 cups each, topped with avocado slices, and my hubby loves his with a swirl of sour cream mixed in. This is deliciously low calorie and filling to help keep a healthy diet on track!
When the weather gets cooler we tend to want foods that comfort us like mashed potatoes, soups (like this cabbage soup) and mac 'n' cheese. This turkey chili with sweet potatoes brings all those cozy cravings into a healthy dish.
Why This Turkey Chili Works
Click to see why it works
- Lean turkey keeps it light. I prefer 99% lean for a low fat chili.
- Chop the turkey fine. Breaking it up as it cooks spreads it through every spoonful.
- Brown it separately. Cooking the turkey first, then the vegetables, keeps both tender.
- Even dice. Cutting the vegetables ¼ to ½ inch gives a consistent texture.
- Mash to thicken. A potato masher breaks down some beans for a hearty body.
- Broth keeps it light. It runs a little thinner and lower in calories than most chilis.
Why You'll Love This Chili
- About 91 calories per cup, packed with protein and fiber.
- Dinner in under an hour.
- Healthy comfort food for cool evenings.
- Big batch of about 10 cups, great for leftovers.
- Easy to top with avocado, cilantro, sour cream or cheese.
Key Ingredients
- Ground turkey - I prefer the leanest kind (99% fat-free) to keep this a low fat chili recipe. The same lean turkey goes into my ground turkey spaghetti squash casserole.
- Beans - two cans of kidney beans, with their liquid.
- Vegetables - onion, sweet potatoes, green pepper, tomato paste and 2 cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies.
- Seasonings and broth - chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and black pepper.
- Olive oil - for cooking the turkey and vegetables.
- Garnishes - fresh cilantro, avocado, and sour cream or cheese if you like.
See recipe card for quantities.
Make It Thick or Thin
This healthy turkey chili with sweet potatoes runs a little thinner and has fewer calories thanks to the broth. For a thicker chili, use 1 cup less broth, or let it simmer uncovered longer until it reaches the thickness you like.
Chop the sweet potatoes, onions and peppers evenly for the best consistency. I recommend ¼ inch for the onions and peppers and ¼ to ½ inch for the sweet potatoes.
How to Make Healthy Turkey Chili
1Brown the turkey. In a large pot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the ground turkey. Cook on medium-high, chopping the meat into tiny pieces with a wooden spatula until cooked through. Transfer it to a plate.
2Cook the vegetables. In the same pot, add the remaining tablespoon of oil with the sweet potatoes, green pepper and onion. Cook on medium-high for about 7 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
3Add everything and simmer. Add the cooked turkey, beans, tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a slight boil around the edges, then cover, turn the heat to low and simmer about 20 minutes.
4Mash and serve. Mash the chili with a potato masher to break down the beans and thicken it. Cook a bit uncovered if you want it thicker, then serve with avocado and cilantro.
As always, be sure to check out the full recipe details in the recipe card below.
Expert Tips
- Use the leanest turkey for the lowest fat, though any kind works.
- Keep the bean liquid. It helps thicken the chili as it simmers.
- Mash gently; you want some whole beans for texture.
- Let it rest; chili tastes even better the next day.
- Top it your way: avocado, cilantro, sour cream, Greek yogurt or cheese.
More Chili and Sweet Potato Recipes
Serve it with my gluten-free cornbread muffins for a cozy chili night.
More to enjoy: Mushroom, Squash, and Tomato Chili Vegetable Soup (super light and healthy), Creamy Taco Chili Soup (great for meatless Mondays), Crockpot Creamy Chicken Taco Chili (a recipe passed down from my mama, made with chicken, cream cheese, beans and chili spices) and Spicy Sweet Potato Pasta with Peanut Sauce and Chicken.
More ground turkey dinners: Turkey Meatloaf, Oven-Baked Turkey Meatballs and Chicken Chipotle Chili.
Turkey Chili FAQs
For a healthy chili, the leaner the better. I prefer 99% lean, but any variation will work.
Use 1 cup less broth, or let it simmer uncovered longer until it is as thick as you like. Mashing the beans also thickens it.
Dice the sweet potatoes ¼ to ½ inch, and the onions and peppers about ¼ inch, for a consistent texture.
About 91 calories per cup, with 12 grams of protein and 2 grams of fat, per the recipe card.
About 20 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking, so dinner is on the table in under an hour.
Avocado slices, fresh cilantro, sour cream or Greek yogurt, and cheese.
More Chili Recipes
Keep cozy with Chicken Chipotle Chili, Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili, Instant Pot Beef Stew and Ground Turkey Spaghetti Squash Casserole. I hope you enjoy this healthy turkey chili with sweet potatoes! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to leave a comment below!
Turkey Chili with Sweet Potatoes
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Equipment
- Large pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb. lean ground turkey
- 1 green pepper top and seeds removed, diced into small pieces (about ¼ inch in size)
- 1 cup sweet potato peeled and diced into small pieces (about ¼-1/2 inch in size)
- 1 cup white onion diced (about ¼ inch in size)
- 2 15 ounce cans kidney beans with liquid
- 2 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes with green chili's
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 ½ tablespoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon pink salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Garnishes
- cheese
- sour cream or Greek yogurt
- avocado
- cilantro
Instructions
- In a large pot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and ground turkey. Cook on medium-high heat and using a wooden spatula, chop the meat into tiny pieces as it cooks. Continue to flip and chop the ground turkey meat until cooked through. After it cooks make sure to use the end of the wooden spatula to chop the meat into fine pieces. Transfer the cooked meat to a plate.
- In the same large pot add the remaining tablespoon olive oil, sweet potatoes, green peppers, and onion. Cook on medium-high heat for about 7 minutes until the onion become translucent.
- Add in the cooked meat, beans, tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring the chili to a slight boil around the edges, then cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Using a potato masher, mash up the chili to break down the beans and thicken the soup. If you want it thicker, let it cook slightly uncovered to remove more liquid.
- Serve and garnish with avocado slices and cilantro. You can also add sour cream and cheese to garnish.
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