This beanless Slow Cooker Chipotle Sweet Potato Chili is healthy but hearty, with an extra kick of spice! Made with simple ingredients you probably have on hand, it’s a paleo-friendly, gluten-free chili that requires minimal prep work and comes together with ease. Stovetop option.
The Best Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili
This time of year, we’re all about cozy, nutritious soups, stews, and chilis. Warm and comforting, they’re the perfect way to warm up from the cold.
Plus, you can pack in lots of nutrients like we do in this recipe, and it’s so tasty your picky eaters won’t even realize it’s healthy!
This chili in particular is gluten-free, bean-free, and made with no-fuss. That’s because we let the slow cooker do all the hard work. All you have to do is brown the meat, sauté the veggies, and combine the ingredients.
Then, come back later to dinner waiting for you! Or, prepare the ingredients on the stovetop instead. Either way, you’re sure to have a comforting meal fit for a crowd. Win!
Tips and Tricks for Success
- Chop the veggies evenly. Try to chop all the veggies into equal-sized pieces. This will allow them to cook faster and more evenly.
- Adjust the spices. Taste your chili as you cook, and adjust the spices to your liking.
- Don’t rush. The slow simmer time either in the slow cooker or on the stovetop is crucial to infuse all the ingredients with the bold, spicy flavor we love.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Below is an overview of the ingredients and instructions for this recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details and nutrition information!
- Ground Beef – Use lean ground beef (85% or leaner). Or, opt for ground turkey instead.
- Fresh Veggies – Yellow onion, bell peppers, onion, and sweet potato form the bulk of the recipe, adding savory flavor, fiber, and nutrients.
- Seasonings – Ground cumin, chili powder, paprika, black pepper salt, and bay leaves create a savory, smokey flavor with the perfect amount of heat.
- Chipotles with Adobo Sauce – Find this in the Mexican aisle of your local grocery store. If preferred, swap the chipotle sauce with your favorite hot sauce instead.
- Tomato Paste – This adds extra depth and helps thicken the chili.
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes – These add extra bulk and enhance the smokiness of the dish.
- Broth – Use homemade or store-bought vegetable broth or chicken broth. Look for low-sodium varieties to avoid overpowering the dish.
Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
Not only are they super versatile and tasty, but sweet potatoes are full of health benefits, too! For example, sweet potatoes are rich in fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin A.
As a result, including them in a well-rounded diet can:
- Improve Gut Health
- Support Eye Health
- Promote a Healthy Weight
How to make Chipotle Sweet Potato Chili
Slow Cooker Directions
- Brown the meat. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat to the pan, and brown, breaking it up as it cooks. Then, transfer the protein to the slow cooker.
- Sauté the aromatics. Add oil to the same skillet. Sauté the onion and garlic until fragrant. Then, add the bell peppers and cumin, and mix together. Cook on medium-high heat until soft, and transfer the veggies to the slow cooker.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Add the sweet potatoes, chili powder, paprika, chipotle sauce, and tomato paste to the slow cooker. Mix to combine. Next, add the tomatoes and broth, and season with black pepper. Place the bay leaf on top.
- Cook. Cover the slow cooker, and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender.
- Serve. Remove the bay leaf, adjust the seasonings to taste, and enjoy warm.
Stovetop Option
No slow cooker? No worries! Make this simple chipotle sweet potato chili recipe on the stovetop instead.
- Brown the meat. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meat, and brown, breaking it up with a spoon. Transfer the cooked meat to a bowl.
- Sauté. Add oil to the same pot, and sauté the onion and garlic until fragrant. Add the bell peppers and cumin, and mix to coat the veggies with the seasonings. Cook over medium-high heat until soft.
- Combine the ingredients. Add the meat back to the pot along with the veggies, chipotle sauce, tomato sauce, and sweet potatoes. Cover, and cook over medium-low heat to allow the meat to absorb the flavors.
- Boil. Add the broth, tomatoes, and remaining spices. Bring the mixture to a quick boil to thicken the sauce. Then, reduce the heat to low.
- Simmer. Add the bay leaf, cover the chili, and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Freeze cooled chili in a freezer-safe container for up to six months. Thaw in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to serve.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave, in the slow cooker on “warm,” or in a pot over medium heat.
Topping Ideas
You can serve this recipe on its own, but we love to finish it off with all the best toppings! Some of our favorites include:
- Shredded Cheese
- Tortilla Chips
- Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
- Scallions
- Avocado
More of Our Favorite
Gluten-Free Chili Recipes
FAQs
We prefer to peel the sweet potatoes to create a soft texture, but you don’t have to! In fact, sweet potato skins contain lots of fiber and nutrients.
Feel free to mix and match any ingredients you have on hand. Corn, black beans, kidney beans, or butternut squash all make great additions.
This recipe comes together with minimal prep time as it is. However, if needed you can chop the veggies, and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days in advance.
Chipotle Sweet Potato Chili Recipe (Slow Cooker)
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 5 people 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Make this gluten-free, bean-free chipotle sweet potato chili recipe in the slow cooker or on the stovetop for a quick, weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
Note: This recipe, first shared in 2018, originally featured cauliflower rice. We’ve since given it a light update—making the cauliflower rice optional, streamlining the method, and adding bell pepper and tomato paste to thicken. If you’re still in need of the original recipe, please email us at [email protected].
- 1 pound ground lean beef or turkey
- 1 small yellow onion or 1 cup chopped
- 2 bell peppers, diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 chipotles with the adobo sauce, chopped or 1 Tablespoon adobo sauce from the can (see notes for substitutes)
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 14 ounces canned diced fire roasted tomatoes, drained
- 2 to 2 ½ cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth. Or use our homemade vegetable broth.
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Optional bay leaf
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Garnish – fresh chopped cilantro and sliced jalapeños
- Toppings – shredded cheese and tortilla chips
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat to the pan and brown meat for about 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked meat into the crockpot. In the same skillet, add oil (if needed), sauté the onion and garlic until fragrant or about 2 minutes.
- Add the bell peppers and cumin and mix together, scraping the pan and coating the vegetables for an additional minute on medium-high heat. Place the seasoned peppers, onion, and garlic in the crockpot on top of the meat.
- Add the sweet potatoes, chili powder, and paprika, chipotle sauce, and tomato paste to the crock pot and mix to combine. Add the tomatoes and the broth (use 2 cups for thicker chili). Season with black pepper and mix to combine.
- Place a bay leaf on top (if using), cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours to 3 ½ hours or until the sweet potatoes are tender. Remove the bay leaf and season with salt, to taste. Place on WARM for another 10 minutes until ready to serve
- Once cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Alternative Method: STOVE TOP
- In a large pot, over medium-high heat add the meat to the pan and brown meat for about 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked meat to a bowl. In the same pot, add oil (if needed), sauté the onion and garlic until fragrant or about 2 minutes.
- Add the bell peppers and cumin and mix together, scraping the pan and coating the vegetables for an additional minute on medium-high heat. Add the meat back in with the veggies, add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Next, add the chipotle sauce and sweet potatoes, and cook over medium low for 3-5 minutes (to allow meat/veg to absorb sauce flavors), add the broth, canned tomatoes, and remaining spices.
- Bring the pot to a quick boil to thicken the sauces, then reduce heat to low. Add the optional bay leaf, cover the pot and simmer for 25 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender. When done cooking, remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning,
Substitute Tips – 1 to 2 Tablespoons hot sauce can be substituted for the chipotle sauce. Plain canned diced tomatoes may be substituted for fire roasted tomatoes, but the flavor will be less smoky.
Storage Tips – Store cooked and cooled chili in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: soup
- Method: slow cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 239
- Sugar: 8.1 g
- Sodium: 697.1 mg
- Fat: 3.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 25.5 g
- Fiber: 3.8 g
- Protein: 24.6 g
- Cholesterol: 54.2 mg
This is so good! Followed the recipe exactly and added carrots. I need to get a bigger crockpot 😲. I will definitely be making this again.
Oh I am so glad! Thanks for reporting back Karen! And definitely get a bigger crockpot. LOL
Hi! This has always been one of my FAVORITES to make but I haven’t made it in a few years (had kids and got real busy haha). Didn’t the recipe used to call for riced cauliflower and tomato puree? Is there a copy of the “older’ recipe anywhere? Thank you so much!
Hi Emily! I will email you the old recipe. No prob! This is about the same as the older just without the cauliflower rice. I don’t think I used tomato puree. Are you thinking of another chili recipe or the adobo sauce?
I’d love the old recipe too, just scoured through my email sent folder from 2017 because I remembered loving it so much I had sent it to my parents but it was the link and not the actual recipe! Thanks!
Hi katrina! I just emailed you the old recipe. We didn’t change much. Just the method and cauliflower rice was optional. I added a bit more cumin too hehe. 😉
This sounds so delicious!! My only question, what type of broth should we use? I don’t see it specified, so does that mean we can use whatever kind we want/prefer? It is it meant to be a certain kind? Thank you so much!
Hi Jacquelyn! I normally use chicken broth because that’s what I have on hand. I think vegetable broth would work fine too! I’ll make sure to update that. Thanks for letting me know!
I’ve made this recipe countless times. It’s hands down the best no bean chili I’ve come across. Curious if you would have to adjust it much for the instant pot? I’m still new to IP cooking. I love that there’s already a stovetop anc slow cooker version posted on the page. Very helpful!
Hi Stacey! We are so happy to hear that you enjoy this chili as much as we do. 🙂 We recently updated this recipe, but haven’t tried this version with the Instant Pot. However, the original recipe did have an Instant Pot version. Here it is –
Brown meat on SAUTE setting. Drain the grease, remove meat from the instant pot. Place onion in the instant pot and cook on SAUTE setting for 2 minutes. Add the meat, sweet potato (no need to steam), broth, spices, and chipotle peppers. Stir together ingredients, lock the Instant Pot lid and set the vent to closed. Select MANUAL mode and cook on HIGH pressure for 18 minutes then allow a natural release for 12-15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
Please let us know how it goes!
I made this with this Instant Pot version (above) in the comments. It came out great, and we’ve made it more than once now.
We love having this nutritious and comforting dish around fall & winter time especially.
I’ll be checking out your site for more comforting nutritious soups/chilis/chowders now. Yum!
Thank you!
Quote:
“ …original recipe did have an Instant Pot version. Here it is –
Brown meat on SAUTE setting. Drain the grease, remove meat from the instant pot. Place onion in the instant pot and cook on SAUTE setting for 2 minutes. Add the meat, sweet potato (no need to steam), broth, spices, and chipotle peppers. Stir together ingredients, lock the Instant Pot lid and set the vent to closed. Select MANUAL mode and cook on HIGH pressure for 18 minutes then allow a natural release for 12-15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. “
That’s great! Thanks for sharing that! Did you try the instant pot version the same ingredients as above in the updated recipe card?
Yum! Thank you! I didn’t have chipotles in adobo so I threw in pepper flakes. And I only had plain tomoatoes, so I threw in some liquid smoke. Served over spaetzle. Perfect for a cold night.
Love the substitutes you made! Thanks for feedback Nonya!
So so so good! We had unexpected guests and they ate every bit of it!
That’s fantastic, Sommer! Thanks for sharing your recipe success with us. Happy cooking!
I made this chili for a gathering at camp. What I didn’t realize was that it was a chili contest! 😳🤣. All other contestants had fancy tables decorated. Not me…I showed up with crockpot of chili and spoon 🤣🤣🤣 However, I won 1st place with this amazing chili recipe!!! It’s delicious.
OH. MY. GOSH.!!!! That is so cool, Michele! Well done and congratulations on being the chili champ. Woot woot! PS…You made our day!
Hey Lindsay, thanks for sharing this amazing food recipe. I just love sweet potato chipotle chili.
I’m liking the no bean aspect here although I have nothing against beans! Happy Thanksgiving friend!
I’m liking the no bean aspect here although I have nothing against beans! Happy Thanksgiving friend!
Glad you like this, Pek! I hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving too!
Loved this so much!! So happy with how it turned out!
So glad! Thanks for feedback Josephine
So good! My hubby loved it! I used cubed pork loin. I love the addition of the cauliflower rice and the omission of beans! And the chipotle chili’s added a lot of flavor! Yum!
Nice! Love pork loin
Great recipe! I have it cooking now and it looks and smells amazing! Made a few adjustments with what i had on hand – no chilis so i chopped a jalapeno and used chipotle chili powder and fresh canned tomatoes -im loving the jist of this dish! Excellent:)
Let me know how it turns out for you!
I tried this at home recently, i made it in my 2nd attemp. The steps were well explained and it really helped me alot.
Thank You
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoyed it!
The perfect slow cooker recipe! I love the sweet-and-savory combo of adding sweet potatoes to dinner. So, so good! I need to make this ASAP. 🙂
Katie
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Katie! Thanks for the review.
I really enjoyed reading this post, I always appreciate topics like this being discussed to us. Information very nice. I will follow post Thanks for sharing.
thanks for the sharing the ingredients and instruction. Gonna try it this weekend with some rice.
Hope you enjoy it!
Does anyone have the original recipe , PLEASE ??
This is the original. Are you looking for another recipe?
This recipe is fantastic! I was leery while making it. I did leave out the cauliflower and used a few shell noodles in the base. Topped with cheese, sour cream, and cilantro! The cilantro took it to the next level. I can’t wait to have more for lunch!
OMG so trying with GF noodles! GOod call Ann!
I just made something super similar to this last week. It was sooooo delicious and flavorful
OH yay! What was in it?
I love a good spicy kick and this is a wonderful use of leftovers! I got me some purple sweet potatoes – I wonder if they’d work as well as sweet potatoes? Hmmm…something to ruminate on…
Hope you and your family have a happy happy happy Thanksgiving sweet friend!
It’s one of the best recipes of Sweet Potatoes. I am loving it Cotter!
Does this work to cook on low, and for how long? Thanks.
Are you going to add meat or keep it vegetarian? I would say try low for at least 5 hours. Check meat then if you are using it. And keep on low for a few more hours until meat is cooked. If you are not using meat, then it might just take 5 hours. Hope this helps! 🙂
sweet potato is my favourite. This is going to be loved by everyone.
Hey Cotter!
I am drooling over this! Definitely gonna try this, thanks.
Thanks, Vic! Keep me posted. Enjoy!
There are no words that can express my thanks to you. If words could be hugs I would send you pages. Thank you for this amazing post. We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives. Once Again Thank You So Much!
Thanks so much!
Thank you for this amazing post, it’s a very informative post for us, I appreciate what you did, I have value for you and respect your opinion. Really I like it. Once again I wanted to take the time to thank you.
The cooking time needs to be longer than 3 hours. If it’s cooked longer ,sits in the fridge a few days to let the spices cultivate it is amazing. It’s a healthy chili but very good.
Thanks for the feedback! How long did it take yours to cook?
this recipe is so rare. Will surely try this..
Silly question, do you use just chicken broth?
There’s never a silly question. 😉 I used organic chicken broth but beef or veggie works too! 🙂
Just wondering what you reccomend for those of is that are anti-microwave? Roasting the sweet potatoes in a sheet pan or can i just throw in slow cooker with raw meat and cookk on low foe 7-8 hours?
Sure, you could roast them in the oven until tender. And be sure to cook the meat first so you can drain it before adding into the slow cooker. Let me know if you have any other questions.
I really wasn’t sure how sweet potatoes and cauliflower would be in a chili, although I love both vegetables! My husband and I absolutely loved it! This now
is our go to chili on a cold night. We didn’t even need all the other stuff we usually add to chili; like crackers, cheese etc. It was perfect right out of the crock pot!
Yaayy! So glad to hear that this was a big hit for you and your husband! Thanks, Judy!
What kind of broth is used beef or chicken
I used organic chicken broth, but beef or veggie works too.
Do you usually buy the broth or make it yourself?
I usually buy it.
Can you give some guidance as to how to convert cooking time/preparation with a instant pot? ?
Lovely,
Helena
what type of instant pot? New one or standard version? How big?
This looks amazing and I would love to try it but I’m definitely a baby when it come to spicy. Is it okay to cook without the chipotle or is there something else I can use that isn’t spicy? Cant wait to add cauliflower and sweet potato though!!
Sure! Maybe replace the chipotle sauce with a bbq sauce or taco sauce and bell peppers! Keep me posted
Love, love ,love this recipe!I have brought it to several family functions since going Paleo and always get so many compliments on the smell and of course flavor. You really did nail it! Thanks for the delicious goodness!
I’m so glad, thank you Chelsea! Glad to hear it’s been such a hit:)
I think the sea salt is also known as rock salt. Does it add any extra flavour or benefit in the recipe compare to regular salt? I love spicy , hope to try this recipe this weekend .
They are actually a bit different! Rock salt is found in a solid form and then mined. but sea salt is produced when sea water evaporates! Sea salt contains more minerals than table salt, so we prefer to use sea salt and/or kosher salt. But table salt can definitely be used. Keep me posted on how it goes!
This recipe was so yummy, and is sure to be a favorite around here. Please fix the sweet potato instructions, though – 90 seconds is not long enough to soften them. We ended up microwaving our servings a couple minutes, then slow cooking the chili for another hour to get them soft enough. But I will definitely fix again, thank you!
Oh thank you! I meant to update that. Will do now!
You’re welcome! I’ve been eating this for leftovers every day this week. I can’t get enough of it. Makes me a little sad that spring is (finally) here and chili weather is over. I’ll probably fix it anyway, though!
I actually use the base (no broth) in taco salads for warmer weather too! It’s good!
I will try that. Thanks!
I have one of the pickiest kids ever… he will not eat chili, most meats, etc. I doubled this recipe as I have a large family. I expected with mr picky and some family members not being home that it would easily give us dinner for 2 nights doubled. I was WRONG. Mr picky ate it for dinner and brought it to school the next day for lunch. I left it in the crockpot all day as I live out of town… it was cooking on low for 9 hrs and then “keep warm” until I got home.. .possibly a little mushier than it would normally be, but it tasted great. Managed to get 2 lunch sized portions out of the leftovers. Will definitely be making again!
Thank you for sharing, I am so glad that Mr. Picky enjoyed it!❤️
thank for sharing.I need to try these with my kids. They adore marshmallows. I didn’t even know you could make them so easily!
Delicious!
Thank ya, friend!
Your serving size says 1 – how many does this actually feed? I plan to cook it this week for two and have leftovers for lunch!
Thanks!!!
Sorry about that. Serves around 6. It should say that up top of recipe. But I’ll update! Serving is around 1 1/2 c
Thank you so much for commenting, it is lovely and really makes my day!
This was amazing!!! A bit too spicy for the kids but it will be going into the rotation here for sure!
Oh yay! glad it worked out! ya it’s spicy! haha, you can totally omit chipotle sauce if needed. Thanks for feedback Korinna
I am SO making this when I get back to Nantucket…PERFECT for a cold night!
Super spicy for me! I’ve used chipotle peppers in Adobe before, but maybe this was a spicier batch? How can I tame this so we can eat it this week?
Oh strange. Could be the batch! Maybe add less of the sauce and chipotles from the can. Replace with a salsa or just a tomato sauce. Does that make sense?
Sorry, I wasn’t clear. I already made the chili, what can I add to it to bring down the heat?
I would try to spoon out the chipotle peppers and maybe add more cooked diced cauliflower or potato. You could also add a bit of yogurt or sour cream (if you can handle dairy) when serving. Or add more broth. Hope this helps!
Sounds amazing! I don’t have a Crock Pot… anyone ever made it on the stove, or in an Instant Pot?
Can you give some guidance as to how to convert cooking time/preparation with a instant pot? 🙂
sure thing friend! I would saute (brown) meat first with sweet potatoes and onions. Maybe 5 minutes? Then add the rest of your seasoning and vegetables and broth. Switch to manual and pressure cook for 15 minutes, slow release. I haven’t tried that yet but I think it would work! keep me posted.
I just came across this recipe. I believe my family would like it but my family and friends all believe chili should have beans. Can you add beans and if so what kind?
sure! I would add canned black beans or pinto beans. You might have to cook it longer if you add uncooked beans. Does that make sense?
I’ve tried making this without reducing any recipes, but I think it’s still too spicy. Hehe.
I rarely make anything in my crock pot because I’m away at work longer than I can leave it on! Could you make this in a soup pot? I’m thinking I would need to dice and roast the sweet potatoes and cook the meat first. Really want to make this for dinner one night this week!
Sure! That shouldn’t be a problem. I would brown meat first, then remove. Add seasoning, onion, sweet potato and sauteed, then add broth, meat, cauliflower, chipotle. Bring to boil then simmer for maybe 30 min?? Or until meat and sweet potatoes are done. Try that! Keep me posted. <3
Honestly, you’ve shared a really scrumptious recipe here and oh my gosh I’m totally drooling over it right now!
I am gone rate this 4/5, presentation looks amazing, and i sure it will be delecious as it looks.
I loved everything about this recipe except the chipotle adobo, smokey flavor. What could you use as a substitute?
totally understand. YOu could try a bbq sauce or salsa. Does that make sense? maybe 1/3 cup or so
wow, this dish looks delicious, i also want to try it, thank you for sharing the way.
Can this be done in an Instapot? How much time would you think?
I think so! Just brown your meat first. DO you want to use it in slow cooker mode or pressure cook? If pressure cook, I say brown meat first, drain grease, then add the rest of ingredients. Pressure cook for 10-12 minutes and slow release after that. Let me know if you try that!
Have you ever tried freezing this recipe? I am looking for some freezer meals, and this looks so dang delicious! If so, any tips? Amateur here .. 😉
Thanks!
Sure! We freeze this a lot. Just use freezer bags. No prob
I love this fun twist on traditional chili. Perfect for these cold winter nights!
for sure! It’s my go-to recipe in the winter.
YESSS! You can never have too many Instant Pot recipes
LOVE the chipotle flavor here!
The ultimate winter meal!
You’d love lexi!
Yes please!
this looks epic and I can only imagine how it tastes!!!
Looks amazing as always!
Thanks amy!
Hey Lindsay….! am also reads your post but this is one of my favorite recipe, these recipe looks sooooo nice, and i love your photography, i will trying to making this. Thanks for sharing and keep shared your new ideas….!
Wonderful. Thanks Samantha
Yum! Thank you for sharing. My husband had something similar to this once and asked me if I knew how to make it. Now I just might! 🙂
How much is in the serving size?
About 1 1/2 to 2 cups. Hope that helps!
Definitely not type A personality so I’m sure I’ll be running around like a headless chicken when the holidays kick in. Only hope, I have a bowl of this chilli waiting for me!
I’ve been using my crock pot a lot lately and this looks like one my while family will love!
Loved it!! A keeper
I so agree!!
This was DISGUSTING. Tasted like meat and vegetable water with some adobo mixed in. I suggest adding more tomato purée an tomato paste no beef broth. It was so watery and not at all chili like.
Oh no! so sorry to hear that. I’ve made this so many times and always get great feedback from others. I truly am sorry you didn’t like it. I wonder if it was the adobo sauce you used? I’ll definitely add in the tomato sauce suggestion vs broth. Thank you!
This was excellent! I did sneak in a tablespoon of brown sugar to cut the acidity. I used half ground beef, half ground pork. Just delicious and bet it’s going to be even better today!
oh that’s a great idea! I will have to add that next time! Thanks Michelle!
Hi Lindsay,
Honestly, you’ve shared so many amazing recipes here and oh my gosh, I just want ALL of them. I’m totally drooling over here!
Hi there! I’m currently on hour 3 of the slow cooker on high and the potatoes are still rock hard. I definitely did the steaming step in the beginning. Adding on another hour in hopes they will soften up! I browned the meat (turkey) before adding it so now I’m afraid it will get dry, but hopefully the broth and liquids will keep it moist.
One thing to note is that the recipe says the cauliflower should be chopped, but the video shows you ricing it (and now I’m realizing the pictures reflect riced cauliflower as well). I didn’t realize this until a few hours into the slow cooker starting and I just chopped my cauliflower into little bit-sized florets, so maybe you could add the word “riced” to the cauliflower in the ingredients list? Maybe I’m the only one who got tripped up on this 🙂
thank you! Just updated it to say finely chopped or riced. Both work though. How did it turn out? Were your potatoes large? Maybe that’s what happened. Hmmm, sorry! The meat should be okay as long as it’s in the broth. If the potatoes are still hard, just turn to low until they are cooked. DOes that make sense?
Yep that makes perfect sense, thanks for your quick response! The potatoes were definitely soft enough by 4 hours in. I’m currently waiting for it to cool a bit before I have a big bowl of it but I had a small taste of a potato and it was good! The cauliflower seems plenty soft. In the future I think I will try ricing the cauliflower and cutting the potatoes slightly smaller. Thanks again for this recipe and your quick response! Perfect for cold weather.
Final verdict is that it was DELICIOUS and I just needed to be patient with the slow cooker 🙂 I’m looking forward to eating this for my lunches this week. Thanks!
Wonderful!!
Anna I had the same issue with my sweet potatoes and they were cute pretty small. I made this last night and put it in the slow cooker on high at 6:00 and by 9:00 we had to give up and eat leftovers. I am going to put it back on tonight for a few hours and hopefully finish up the cooking.
Oh no, really? Did you try steaming them in microwave for 3-4 minutes first? sometimes that helps. Keep me posted on tonight!
On the video Cooke meat is used and then still cooked for 3 hours. I am following the video because I was kind of confused by the end note that said adjust to an hour and add meat last, hopefully it’ll turn out but if you could please clarify for next time.
Oh thanks for reminding me to update that. I will do so! sorry, ive been moving and forgot i needed to fix that. browning meat is optional for shorter cook time. Keep me posted.
Delicious! What are the nutritional values per serving?
I don;t know but happy to calculate that. Will do it soon and add it, for sure!
I’m going to make this today! I’m using ground turkey, which I will cook before adding to the crock pot. I am also leaving out the cauliflower. And I’m going to cook it on low for 5 hours or so. I hope the hubby likes it. He doesn’t really like new things. But he hates beans and loves sweet potatoes, so I’m hoping this chili will be a hit with him!
Keep me posted. It wont’ be as thick without the cauliflower but you can totally add in more veggies!
So pumped to make this recipe tonight – but mine came out very pale and not at all “chili”-like or red like yours! It’s more like a beef and potato soup with so much broth. I only found pre-chopped chipotles so I used several spoonfuls, but everything else was exactly the same as the recipe. Not sure what happened!
Hmmm i wonder if it was the peppers? My are super red and the oil from them made the chili red. I’m so sorry! I’ll adjust the notes. I’d say less broth and just pack in more vegetables. You can also drain the tomatoes so it’s less liquid. How was the flavor?
I am not at all a cauliflower fan – can’t get past
the smell of it when cooking – so can you just
omit it? It seems like it would still be very good
just not as chunky.
Thanks!
for sure! are you paleo? If not you could use corn. Or just use another veggie if you want it thicker. Keep me posted
I made this last night. While it is summer, I have been craving a good soup or chili. This is perfect with the sweet potato. I subbed zucchini for cauliflower because we have about 20 of them on hand at all times from the garden. I definitely recommend using the shallot too. Added chunks of avocado to my 2nd bowl…amazing! Thank you for sharing this.
ohhh good call on the zucchini! will have to try that next. Thanks Andrea!
This looks amazing. I was really looking forward to it. I made it tonight and made the mistake of adding two cans of the chipotle chillis instead of two chillis. It is soooo spicy. What can I add to tame this down? I hate to waste the whole batch 🙁
Just sent you an email! Poor you. Sorry it’s so spicy
I made this last night. It was delicious. Perfect amount of spice. I did brown the meat before adding it in at the end. Overall awesome. Thank you so much.
Ugh good call… I didn’t cook the meat first and it looks soooo greasy!! I hope I can redeem it by scooping it out of the juices 🙁
Yes totally save-able! Scoop out juice or strain a bit. Keep me posted
Also, if you use lean meat or cooked sausage, it doesn’t have grease on top .i should have mentioned that sorry
It said it was lean pork… but who knows! Its a lot better now that I took out the juices! Definitely needed to add more Adobo and some more seasoning… almost there! (Yours still looks prettier though ?)
I just made this and it was delicious! I made it in the pressure cooker- only took 3 minutes on high pressure. Reduced the broth to 2 cups and only used 1 seeded chipotle (I’m a wimp!) Thanks for a great recipe!
oh yay! Now i need to get a pressure cooker. LOL! genius!
Did you cook the meat before putting it in the pressure cooker? I’m thinking about trying this in my Instant Pot and would love to know if you made any other modifications! Thanks!
I did not. It was uncooked. But you could totally brown it a bit before and then place in instant pot. Let me know if you try it Erin!
Also, are you wanting it spicy or not spicy?
I just got an Instant Pot and was going to ask about this being made in pressure cooker. You followed the recipe the same, but cooked on High Pressure for 3 minutes? Was that a mistake, 30 minutes? Thank you!
You cooked all in pressure cooker vs crock pot. Is that correct?
No sorry, that was a question to a comment above where someone wrote that they made this in a pressure cooker for 3 minutes. I was wondering if that was the correct time. Just received my Instant Pot yesterday and was pinning recipes to try! This is on my list but want to get the correct timing. thank you!
I cooked this in an old school stove top pressure cooker. There aren’t pressure variations. I browned and drained the meat in the cooker. I wilted the onions the cooker, then added everything else. I didn’t use cauliflower. I sealed the lid, brought it up to pressure, then cooked for 3 minutes. Then I did a quick release ( removing from heat and running under cold water at the sink). It was fine and tasted great. I left the peels on my sweet potatoes (scrubbed) I like the texture and the added nutrition.
You say to put the shallots in during step 3, but then in step 6 say that they must be added 1 hour before the chili is done. Just wanted to let you and any other readers know. I’m hoping this will not ruin the chili as I can’t take them back out. Smells good though! Thanks!
Oh thanks for the heads up! I will fix that. It should be okay though. Keep me posted!
Didn’t turn out to be a problem. So. Dang. Delicious. A new cold-weather staple!
So glad!!!
Can you tell me what kind of broth is used in this recipe?
I used organic chicken broth but beef or veggie works too!
Hi, I’m planning on making this in the morning, it looks delicious, but I’m curious what needs to be added to the sweet potatoes in the 1st step. It states 1tbsp of .., but that is what I’m not sure on. Thanks
Good catch! I steam them in the microwave with 1 tablespoon of water in the bowl. Does that make sense?
Plan on making this Friday! How long would I need to cook this if I set my crock pot to low instead of high?
are you going to add meat or keep it vegetarian? I would say try low for at least 5 hours. Check meat then if you are using it. And keep on low for a few more hours until meat is cooked. If you are not using meat, then it might just take 5 hours. Does that make sense?
Yes thank you! Can’t wait to make it.
Hi, the recipe says to brown the ground beef before adding it to the cooker. So wouldn’t the meat be all but cooked going in? I’ve heard of browning larger cuts to get a sear on the outside…but I wouldn’t think that applies to ground beef since the pieces are so small. I wonder if you can just skip the browning step? I’m new to cooking so sorry if this is a dumb question.
No prob! Browning the meat helps release the flavors in the crock pot, plus you can drain the fat so it’s not sitting in the crock pot after it’s cooked all day. that being said, I’ve totally made this without browning the meat. 🙂
The photos of this recipe are gorgeous!
Oh I’m lovin’ this sweet potato chili, Lindsay! Nice changeup from the regular. No overachiever here. Ha, in my dreams. Hope you had an awesome Thankgiving with your family.
This looks perfect for a day after Black Friday shopping!
This looks incredible!!! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving friend!
thank you friend. MIss you! Hope yours was great!
This chili looks amazing! I love the sweet potatoes in here and also the cauliflower! Sound delicious! Will have to give it a try! 🙂
I just made something super similar to this last week. It was sooooo delicious and flavorful. I love anything with chipotles. So good!
wonderful! YAY! chili lovers unite
I am definitely going to have to try making this. I need a new chili recipe and would love making one with sweet potatoes!
Yay! Let me know if you do Sandra
It’ll be another month till we get the turkey out here, but in advance of that, I’m pinning this recipe now. This would be a fab recipe to use that leftover turkey with! Thanks Lindsay. Happy Thanksgiving, hope you guys are having fun!
wonderful! or you can just come visit and we can make it next week! haha
Ooooh it is perfect chilli weather!! This sounds heavenly!
totally! stay warm up there! <3 Love you!!! xxoo
WOW ! this is soooo gorgeous. I love this kind of a meal. Gorgeous.
thanks simi!
I just showed this to Vegas. We’re making it when we get home. 😉 Happy Turkey Day!!!
wait? where are you now? LOL! ATL?
LOL! I’m not sure where I am anymore. Greenville, SC for the moment. 🙂
I love me some spice. Will have to make this when those temperatures drop down again which is always too soon for me 🙁
it’s like 75F here. haha I am sweating eating this
I haven’t had chili yet this season and I see so many amazing recipes like this one surfacing- time to bust out the crock pot after this weekend! Happy Thanksgiving friend 🙂
This looks incredible! I might need to consider putting Thanksgiving on hold for this one lol!
I say go for it! haha
I am SO making this when I get back to Nantucket…PERFECT for a cold night! I’ll let you know how it goes…XOXO
YES – a change – especially when it comes in a KILLER SMOKEY SPICY SWEET combo that looks as mouthwatering as this is needed and justified! I love a good spicy kick and this is a wonderful use of leftovers! I got me some purple sweet potatoes – I wonder if they’d work as well as sweet potatoes? Hmmm…something to ruminate on…
Hope you and your family have a happy happy happy Thanksgiving sweet friend!
oh purple sweet potatoes would make it even prettier!!! I say yes! go for it
Cauliflower in chili – I didn’t think I could love chili more but that’s a great addition!! I’m all about sweet potatoes in my chili – we rotate between sweet potatoes and butternut squash.The sweet and heat is the perfect combo!
I need a bowl of that asap! This chili sounds amazing! I’m such a fan of sweet potato (or even butternut squash) in chili. Gives it just enough sweetness!
It’s totally man friendly! LOL!
Sweet goodness. I had chili yesterday, and now I want it again. I would make this with chicken, and have my turkey on the side (because you know I loooove it!)
thought of you! yes, turkey chili!!!
Want this and need this! It looks amazing. Reminds me that I need to use my crockpot more!
The perfect slow cooker recipe! I love the sweet-and-savory combo of adding sweet potatoes to dinner. So, so good! I need to make this ASAP. 🙂
I’m liking the no bean aspect here although I have nothing against beans! Happy Thanksgiving friend!
i know you’d love this! <3 happy thanksgiving freind
We’re really in the same page with recipes lately between molasses and chili! I’ll definitely have to try this since I’ve been looking for new slow cook ideas 🙂
which means we need to live closer… sigh