One pot, protein packed Sweet Potato Paleo Chili with turkey – hearty, healthy and filling! Gluten Free + Whole30 Approved + Bean Free
Originally published October 28, 2015 – Updated August 27, 2018
Right.
Forget everything you know about chili and let me wow you with this paleo, beanless, tomato free chili that you didn’t know you needed in your life….until now at least.
Despite the somewhat lengthy looking ingredients list this paleo chili is actually pretty easy to make and only takes about 30ish minutes of your time. You don’t even have to peel the sweet potatoes if you don’t feel like it and you can easily reduce all those spices seen below by using a pre made or store bought spice blend.
The Turkey Base
The base of this chili begins with a quick browning of the turkey and softening of the onions. Add them to a big pot along with some oil and about half of your spice blend and cook until crumbly and browned. If needed go ahead and add a little bit of the chicken stock to prevent the mixture from drying out too quickly.
Once that’s cooked, remove it from the pan while you move on to the sweet potatoes.
The Sweet Potatoes
In the same pot as you were before, begin browning the cubed sweet potatoes in the remaining oil and taco spice blend. Once the sweet potato begins to brown add the garlic and chicken stock and let it all simmer on the stove top for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Use an immersion blender to begin blending the sweet potatoes into a thick, creamy kind of mixture. You can blend them fully, but I recommend leaving a few larger chunks of sweet potato here and there throughout the chili.
At this point, all you need to do is add the turkey mixture back to the pot and stir it all together to combine. Taste and season with a little more salt and pepper as needed and that’s it!
Serve this over a bed of cauliflower rice, topped up with some homemade guacamole, or maybe even with a side of tortilla chips if you’re not strictly paleo and enjoy!
Quick Questions & Tips for Making this Paleo Chili
What if I don’t own an immersion blender?
- You can still make this using a traditional blender. Just blend the sweet potato mixture in batches making sure not to fill up your blender too much. Remember to be careful when removing the lid off your hot blender – open away from your face.
Do I really need all those spices?
- Yes and no. You need the spices but you can use 3 tablespoons of a pre-made/ store bought taco spice blend if you prefer. Just make sure to check the labels for hidden sugar if your on Whole30 or you need this to be sugar free.
Can I freeze it?
- Absolutely! Freeze in heavy duty freezer storage bags. Use within 6 months for best results. Let it defrost in the fridge overnight.
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Sweet Potato Chili with Turkey
A hearty and healthy Paleo sweet potato chili made with ground turkey and a few ingredients.
Ingredients
Taco Seasoning Blend
- 1 tablespoon chili powder (mild, medium or hot - whichever you prefer)
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper, each
Chili
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 pound (about 500 grams) ground turkey
- 1/2 large white onion, diced
- 2-3 large | 350 grams sweet potatoes , peeled or unpeeled - your preference
- 2 1/4 cups (540ml) chicken stock, aim for a low sodium stock
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt to taste
Instructions
Turkey
- In a small bowl combine the taco seasonings: chilli powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder salt + pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large cooking pot on a medium high heat. Add the onions, ground turkey and half of the taco mix and cook on medium-high for about 5-7 minutes, breaking up the large chunks with a wooden spoon. If needed, add 1/4 cup of the chicken broth to the pan to keep the turkey mixture moving.
- When the turkey mixture is brown and crumbly, remove it from the pan and set aside while you prep the sweet potatoes.
Sweet Potatoes
- Add the sweet potatoes to the same pot you were just using along with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and taco seasoning. Once the sweet potatoes have been browned, add the remaining broth and garlic to the pot and allow you mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes until the sweet potatoes are soft enough that you can easily pierce them with a fork.
- With an immersion blender, puree the sweet potato mixture until you get your desired consistency. I left a few larger chunks of sweet potato in mine, but you can keep blending until it's completely smooth if you like.
- Add the ground turkey and onions to the sweet potato puree and mix until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve with cauliflower rice, topped with guacamole, fresh cilantro or a side of tortilla chips if you're not strictly paleo.
Notes
What if I don't own an immersion blender?
- You can still make this using a traditional blender. Just blend the sweet potato mixture in batches making sure not to fill up your blender too much. Remember to be careful when removing the lid off your hot blender - open away from your face.Â
Do I really need all those spices?
- Yes and no. You need the spices but you can use 3 tablespoons of a pre-made/ store bought taco spice blend if you prefer. Just make sure to check the labels for hidden sugar if your on Whole30 or you need this to be sugar free.
Can I freeze it?
- Absolutely! Freeze in heavy duty freezer storage bags. Use within 6 months for best results. Let it defrost in the fridge overnight.
Joanne says
This chili recipe is a keeper! I so enjoyed the satisfaction of making the taco seasoning blend (which smelled wonderful) and the aroma of the cooking chili permeating my home. Only drawback: only tasted a spoonful because it was so late. Thank you for sharing.
Sarah Nevins says
Thanks Joanne! So glad you’ve enjoyed it so much 🙂