Slow Cooker Smoky Turkey & Sweet Potato Chili With Cornbread Croutons

Help yourself to a bowl of Slow Cooker Smoky Turkey & Sweet Potato Chili! 

Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add a little kick and some smoky flavor to this chili, while the sweet potatoes help balance the heat in this recipe. You can adjust the spice in this chili with the amount of chipotle to suit your taste.

This chili recipe calls for a combination of dried pinto beans and lima beans, which add a little Southern flavor. I was able to find the larger size dried limas for this recipe, but if you’re not a fan of pintos or lima beans, use white beans, kidney or even black beans, which would be good as well as pretty, with the color of the sweet potatoes.

Start by seasoning your turkey with salt and pepper and brown it in a large skillet over medium-high heat; transfer your turkey to a 6 quart slow cooker.

Add tomato paste to your skillet, cook, stirring about 30 seconds; add some Mexican beer, and bring it to a boil, stirring to loosen browned bits from bottom of skillet. Bring to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes or until reduced by half then add it to your slow cooker. Next, add your beans, onions, peppers, seasonings and chicken stock to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 7 hours.

Stir in sweet potatoes; cover and cook on HIGH 1 hour or until potatoes are tender.

Cornbread croutons are a tasty addition and easy to whip up from a 50 cent box of Jiffy corn muffin mix to top your bowl! Follow the directions on the Jiffy box for mixing and bake in a 9 x 9 pan until done, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool and cut cornbread into 1-inch squares.

Bake croutons at 350 degrees for 7 or 8 minutes or until toasted.

To serve, top your chili with green onions, cilantro, Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese, sliced jalapeño peppers, sour cream and / or cornbread croutons. Enjoy!

Find a round up of cozy comfort food in a bowl and warming soups, HERE. You’ll find recipes for chili and soup with hearty ingredients like Italian sausage, potatoes and pasta to flavorful veggies that pack some nutrition like butternut squash, kale and spinach.