Crockpot Turkey Sweet Potato Chili

It's 80 degrees in the middle of September, but soon enough Fall will be here for good and we will need as many Crockpot recipes as we can get our hands on. And I have a real keeper here!

This Crockpot Turkey Sweet Potato Chili is a deliciously lightened-up version of an old classic. It cooks low and slow all day long so that when you get home, you are greeted by a big pot of happiness and your home is guaranteed to smell of amazing fall flavors!

We will start by browning a diced onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil - and honestly, is there any better way to start a dish? Lean ground turkey joins the party next until it's cooked and crumbled, and that's all we need to do before throwing everything into our slow cookers. Dreamy, right?

Along with our turkey we need, not surprisingly, a peeled and diced sweet potato to join the Crockpot party. Diced tomatoes, tomato paste, black beans, white beans, and chopped bell peppers are very necessary. To keep the chili interesting, spice things up with the classics--a bunch of chili powder, paprika, cumin, red pepper flakes and oregano--plus a few dashes of something a little different--cinnamon! Trust!

What do I love about this chili? Well, it's easy. Super duper easy as any Crockpot meal should be. The turkey and sweet potatoes become incredibly tender and just melt in your mouth. The chili spices along with the cinnamon and tomato paste are warming and comforting. Extra bonus: this recipe freezes beautifully so you can make a batch ahead of time and store it in an airtight container for a day when you need a tasty meal in a hurry.

It may still be hot outside, but this chili is going to keep you warm and happy on the inside. So let's break out those slow cookers and get cookin'!

Here's what you need for Crockpot Turkey Sweet Potato Chili* (Print Recipe!)

1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 14.5-ounce cans no salt added diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinse
1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
dash crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
1 cup chicken broth or water
salt and pepper, to taste
cilantro and chopped scallions for serving

Here's what you do

Swirl 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium frying pan and warm over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to brown. Add the turkey, breaking up and stirring until cooked and crumbled.

To the bowl of a slow cooker, add the turkey and onion mixture along with all remaining ingredients except the cilantro and scallions. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with fresh herbs OR allow chili to cool completely before transferring to an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to one month. If freezing, thaw in the refrigerator the day before you plan on cooking it then bring to a simmer in a large pot.

*Gas Stove Girl Original Recipe