Crock Pot Sweet Potato and Quinoa Turkey Chili packs a double protein punch with the addition of both lean ground turkey breast and quinoa.
Recently I made a big batch of Crock Pot Sweet Potato and Quinoa Turkey Chili and, as most chilis do, it got better and better as the week went on. I reheated a bowl for lunch each day and was happy as a clam with a hot and hearty, protein-packed lunch that was pre-made and ready to rock.
Bonus: because this chili is packed with good for you ingredients, I didn’t feel like I needed a nap afterwards!
Crock Pot Sweet Potato and Quinoa Turkey Chili packs a double protein punch from the addition of both lean ground turkey breast and quinoa. A little sweet from chopped sweet potatoes and a can of baked beans, plus a little heat from classic chili spices makes this dish ultra-tasty, healthy, and filling.
Topped with shredded cheese and tortilla chips — it is a treat! Actually, I must confess that making chili always gets me a little giddy as it’s basically an excuse to eat nachos. As if I needed an excuse, but you know what I mean!
How to Make this Recipe
Start by browning 1lb ground turkey breast with 1 chopped shallot in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season liberally with salt and pepper then stir in 3 cloves minced garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.
Add the cooked turkey to the bottom of a 6 quart crock pot then add 1 large peeled then chopped sweet potato (about 1lb) and a bevy of chili-inspired spices including chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and red chili pepper flakes.
Next add a 15oz can of baked beans plus 28oz crushed tomatoes.
Finally add 3 cups chicken broth and 1 cup uncooked quinoa. The quinoa will continue to absorb chicken broth as the chili cools, so make sure you have some extra on hand for re-heating.
Mix the ingredients together then pop the lid on top and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours. That’s it!
Ladle the hot and hearty chili into bowls then top with lots of shredded monterey jack cheese, crushed tortilla chips, and fresh avocado.
Warm, and ultra-filling – I hope you’ll love this chunky chili with loads of good-for-you ingredients!
More Hearty Chili Recipes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb 99% fat free ground turkey breast
- 1 large shallot or 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- salt and pepper
- 3 cups chicken broth, plus extra for reheating
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 15 oz can baked beans
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 large sweet potato, ~1lb, peeled then chopped small
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
- Toppings: shredded Monterey Jack cheese, chopped avocado, tortilla chips, green onions
Directions
- Add the ground turkey and shallot to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper then cook the turkey until it's no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the garlic then saute for 30 more seconds. Scrape the mixture into a 6 quart crock pot.
- Add the remaining ingredients, except toppings, into the crock pot then place a lid on top and slow cook on HIGH for 3 hours, or LOW for 5-6 hours, or until the sweet potatoes and quinoa are tender. Serve with toppings. May need to add more chicken broth when reheating.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
thank you so much for this recipe!!!! I made it recently for my co-workers. It was the 1st week of lent, and needed to be totally meatless. I used vegetable broth, a can of black beans and pinto beans. Then for added flavor, I put in a quarter jar of jalapeño salsa. It was awesome!!!!!
This Chilli is delicious!!! I did make a couple changes~ I used black beans instead of baked beans (I read the recipe wrong, but it was yummy), I also used one additional cup of chicken broth this made it so I didn’t need to add anymore when it was reheated. Last but not least I did double the red pepper flakes. Thanks for sharing this, it is definitely a meal we’ll have again!!
If I was in a pinch for time, could I make this on the stove top instead? Simmer for about an hour??
That could work! :)
I am so glad I found this recipe! And seriously you are so on the mark! I was getting ready to brown the turkey thinking, I don’t want to do this step….and then I read where you said you usually hate crock pot recipes that require it. HA! Still, it was worth it! This was soooo good! I can honestly say one of the best if not my very favorite chili recipe! YUM
Made this today with left-over smoked Thanksgiving turkey and loved it! Delicious! Thank YOU!
Hi! Do you think I could put the ground turkey in the crockpot uncooked? Since it’s supposed to cook for several hours….? Would anything go wrong doing that? Thanks!
Hmm, good question, I’ve never put raw ground meat in the crock pot so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out. Let us know if you try it?
This chili is amazing! Perfect balanced post workout meal! I love all of the healthy ingredients!
Hey Kristin! This recipe looks amazing. My sister already made it and loves it! This may be a dumb question, but I was just wondering if I were to split this recipe in half, does that mean I need to decrease the cooking time as well?
Made this amazing chili for dinner tonight and it hit the spot! My husband liked it better than our standard go-to chili recipe. I love the sweet potatoes and quinoa in this. Thanks for the great recipe!
I keep looking at this recipe because it sounds so good. But I despise beans of all varieties. I’m wondering if it would be OK just to leave them out, or if should add some additional liquid…more tomatoes, maybe?
I might add 1/2 – 3/4 cup extra chicken broth to make up for the liquid in the baked beans.
I stumbled across this recipe on pinterest and my family just gobbled it up this evening. So tasty, it will be a regular in our fall and winter rotation.
Also, I think we are living parallel lives. My almost three-year old son is named Lincoln (we thought we were unique and ahead of the curve with that one), and I love to run (first marathon was last year) and travel too (most recently Italy, Hawaii and California).
Needless to say, I will be following you to keep up with your recipes and adventures. Happy cooking and thanks for putting your culinary ideas out there – it takes guts!
HELLO, I AM NEW TO YOUR SITE. LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF GREAT RECIPES, BUT I AM WONDERING IF YOU HAVE THE NUTRITION INFORMATION ON ANY RECIPES. I AM REALLY NEEDING THEM SINCE I COUNT CARBS AND DON’T WANT ANY SUGAR.
THANKS,
JOAN
I made this last week and everyone loved it! Super easy to put together without a lot of prep. It is super filling so it lasted a long time for lunches and left-overs as well. Great, great recipe.