Lightened up with ground turkey and laden with lots of veggies, this Instant Pot Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili is bright and robust and ready in just 30 minutes. It is easy, comforting, full of simple healthy ingredients, and also kid-friendly in terms of spiciness. Feel free to add some more spice if you like a kick in your chili. Leftovers reheat well for packed lunchboxes, and it is also freezer-friendly, which makes it the perfect meal-prepping dish.
There is nothing better than an easy recipe that the kids gobble up without complaint. This Turkey Chili is one of those meals, and as well as my Lightened-Up Sundried Tomato and Salmon Alfredo Pasta Bake it is on regular rotation in this house.
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Instant Pot Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili
Let me start by saying that this Instant Pot Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili is not, in any sense of the word, traditional.
I apologize to those purists that enjoy their traditional hot and spicy chili, you will not find what you are looking for here.
Instead, you will find a lightened up, veggie and chickpeas laden instant pot chili alternative. It is bright and robust, and using the Instant-Pot means it will take a grand total of 30 minutes to make from start to finish!
Yes please!
Plus it is made with pantry staples and ingredients you will likely already have on hand in the fridge which is a huge bonus!
You will need:
- olive oil: or other cooking oil of choice
- onion: I use brown onion, but you could get away with using a red onion
- garlic: fresh is best, but pre-prepared will work just fine. I would not recommend garlic powder as you won't get the depth of flavor needed. We use 4 in this recipe, but feel free to add an extra garlic clove or two if you are a garlic fan
- ground turkey (turkey mince): you could also use ground chicken, pork, beef or ground meat of choice in a pinch with no hassle
- diced tomatoes: I use canned tomatoes, but you could use chopped fresh tomatoes
- tomato sauce or passata: if you only have tomato paste simply use a heaping tablespoon in place of the tomato sauce
- canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans): you can sub in kidney beans, black beans, cannellini beans, or pinto beans if that's what you have on hand
- red bell peppers: you could also use yellow bell peppers or orange bell peppers if that is what you have. A green pepper can be used in a pinch, but they have a slightly more bitter taste, so I would not recommend them
- sweet potato
- vegetable stock or vegetable broth: you can also use chicken broth if preferred
- ground cumin
- ground paprika
- ground chili powder: you can use more or less depending on taste. I find ½ teaspoon is good if serving this up to kids or non-spicy lovers. If you are a lover of spice you might want to add some fresh chili. You can also try adding some chipotle chiles for a bit of a change in flavor.
Can I Double This Recipe?
This is a great recipe to double.
I usually make a double batch and serve one for dinner and freeze the other for a day when I know I will be super busy.
To double the recipe simply:
- double the ingredients;
- follow the rest of the instructions as they are written;
- add one more minute to the cooking time.
And yes it freezes well too. Simply follow the instructions for cooking the turkey chili and then pop it in an airtight container or a Ziploc bag and into the freezer for around 2-3 months.
Pull it out of the freezer the night before (or morning of) the day you would like to eat it to allow it to thaw completely and re-heat on the stovetop.
How To Make On The Stovetop or Crock Pot
I have included the instructions for making this sweet potato chili using an Instant-Pot, on the stovetop, or in a crock pot in the recipe card for your convenience.
The end result is the same so don't worry about that. The instant pot method is just preferred simply because it is a lot quicker.
On the stovetop simply bring everything to a gentle simmer in a large pot or large dutch oven over medium heat and allow to simmer for about one hour.
In the crock pot simply sauté the onion, garlic, and turkey mince before adding the rest of the ingredients and cooking on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours.
Serving Suggestions
There are lots of options for serving up this turkey chili. Use your favorite chili toppings to make it work for you and your family.
I like to change it up from time to time and these all work great:
- with long grain, brown or wild rice;
- over riced cauliflower or riced broccoli;
- with some tortilla chips;
- with sour cream, chopped cilantro, a sprinkling of finely chopped red onion, a squeeze of lime juice, and some tortillas.
If you like spice then add some more chili flakes, chili powder, or hot sauce. I always add some extra spice to mine and leave it out for the kids.
This chili heats well the next day, which makes it perfect for lunchboxes and meal prepping.
Storing Leftovers
Leftovers should be allowed to come to room temperature before being transferred to a fridge or freezer-friendly container.
It can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Freeze without the chili toppings.
TIP: Allow to come completely to room temperature before storing.
More Instant Pot Recipes?
Well of course you do, once you start using it there is no going back! I can help you with that:
- Instant Pot Lasagna Soup
- Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Soup (Instant Pot and Stove Top Instructions)
- Garlic and Herb Cauliflower Mash in The Slow Cooker or Instant Pot
- Super Moist Whole Chicken In The Instant Pot
- 13 Healthy Homemade Soup Recipes Made In The Instant Pot
- Or if you are looking for a completely different style of Chili then why not try this Over The Top Chili from Cook What You Love.
If you don't have an instant pot or another pressure cooker then go on ahead and grab one for yourself. They free up so much time and make busy weekdays so much more manageable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes.
Yes. Follow the instructions in the recipe card for these options.
This turkey and sweet potato chili is a great meal prep option. It can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for around 3 days, or it can be frozen and simply thawed and reheated when needed.
I hope you loved this sweet potato chili recipe as much as we do. Be sure to leave a star rating on the recipe card or leave a comment.
Happy Eating
xx
Recipe
Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili in the Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 medium brown onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb organic turkey minced
- 1 can (14.5oz ) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (14.5oz ) tomato sauce
- 1 can (14.5oz ) chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped into rough 1cm squares
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped into rough 1cm squares
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder (more or less depending on taste. I find ½ teaspoon is good for kids)
- salt and pepper to taste
- cooked brown rice or riced cauliflower, chilli flakes, diced avocado, sour cream, grated monterey jack cheese and cilantro to serve
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot (or alternative pressure cooker) to sauté. Add oil, and once hot add in the onions and sauté for about 3 mins. Add in the garlic and sauté for a further 1min. Add in the turkey mince and cook until browned.
- Once turkey has browned, add in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, garbanzo beans, ½ of the chopped red bell peppers, chopped sweet potatoes, vegetable stock, cumin, paprika and chill powder. Salt and pepper to taste and mix everything well.
- Seal the vent. Set to High pressure for 9 mins. Once 9 mins is finished, Quick Release and open lid. Add in the rest of the red bell pepper and stir to combine.
- Serve over some cooked brown rice or riced cauliflower for low-carb. Add a dollop of sour cream, some diced avocado, grated cheese, chopped cilantro and more chilli flakes to serve.
Stove Top Directions
- Complete step one and two (above) in a large saucepan. Once you get to step 3 simmer for about 30 minutes before continuing with the directions as above.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Kat says
I made this recipe with ground pork instead of turkey and it was insanely good. Even my toddler had seconds, so it's definitely being added to the rotation. Thank you!
Donna says
So happy to hear that 🙂 It's always a hit with my little ones too!
Amanda says
Such a huge hit with my family and toddler. I used a mix of ground Turkey thigh and breast. Then my favourite brands of Italian canned tomatoes. Loved the addition of chickpea and sweet potato. Thanks!
Donna says
Yay, glad to hear 🙂 Always a hit with my kids too!
Britney says
Just made this, and it is easily my favorite chili I have ever made. I read a few reviews and drained my diced tomatoes just to avoid extra water. I did sauté it for an extra 5 minutes after pressure cooking just because i like my chili a bit more on the thick side and it came out perfect. I will for sure be making this again 😋
Donna says
So glad you enjoyed Britney, thanks for taking the time to pop back and leave a comment 🙂
Holly says
Mine came out really soupy. I think you should drain the diced tomatoes? I sautéed in the Instantpot to get rid of some of the liquid after the fact.
Donna says
Oh no, I am sorry that happened to you Holly! I can't count the number of times I have made this, and it has never come out soupy. The only thing I can think that could be different is the amount of liquid in your can of tomatoes? The brand I use isn't very watery...I guess not all brands are the same? Glad sauteeing in the pot worked for you afterwards 🙂
Robin Fitzgerald says
I’ve made this a bunch of times, thank you so much for the delicious recipe. My husband is pescatarian so I’m trying it tonight with Beyond Meat Plant Based Ground tonight and it smells so good! This will definitely be a hit with him, me and my 2.5 year old daughter.
Donna says
Ooh yum, enjoy!! We are eating a lot less meat these days as well, so I have been meaning to make a vegetarian version of this for a while now, thanks for reminding me!!
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
This will be a sure hit for dinner!!
Lindsay Cotter says
Comfort food dinner for the win! Love the ease of this recipe!
Andrea Avery says
We made this tonight and it was wonderful! We were oit of chili powder, so we used a teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning along with the other spices. Served it over long grain and wild rice. Perfect!
Donna says
Oh yay, I am so glad you enjoyed!! It's on repeat every month over here 🙂
Kiki Johnson says
As I don't own an instant pot, I will try this on the stove top! It's just what I have been craving lately! Also, I wanted to say that I really love the pictures!
Donna says
Oh thank you Kiki! It works great on the stove top too, just takes a little bit longer 🙂
Courtney says
I love making chilli in my Instant Pot - it tastes like it simmered all day. This sounds like a great fall recipe!
Donna says
It gives the best flavor doesn't it!
Haley says
I loved this. Although I put the recipe into my fitness pal and it had way more calories. 264.
Donna says
Glad you loved it. Nutritional calculators are so inaccurate and they differ depending on what food brands you use so it's hard to know which one provides the more correct information. I really don't like including it for that reason, but so many people have asked for it, which is why it's included. Use it as a guide only 🙂
Leslie says
I just wish you mentioned the serving size - is it 1 cup or 1.5 cups? that would help alot in estimating calories. I doubled the recipe so there's no way I was going to ladle it between 12 containers to try to estimate calories. Thanks for considering! I love making this recipe as most of the items I usually have on hand so it's easy and so tasty to make.
Donna says
Hi Leslie, next time I make it (which will probably be soon as we have it quite often) I will measure out the serving size for you! When I first came up with the recipe I didn't have a nutritional calculator on the site so I didn't worry about specific serving sizes, I just always go by feel.
Leslie Riggs says
Made this - didn't have bell pepper - and we forgot to peel the sweet potato - and it still turned out great! I won't bother with peeling the sweet potato in the future as there was nothing bad about leaving it on and maybe we actually benefitted from some additional nutrients in the skin. Thanks very much for this great recipe! It's a new favorite for both great taste and ease of preparation.
Donna1 says
Oh yay I am so glad to hear that Leslie! I often leave the skin on a lot of my veg for the extra nutrients, but I never thought to do it with the sweet potato, I will have to try it out next time 🙂
Hi-Def says
Made this for the family tonight, it’s a hit!
Donna1 says
Oh yay 🙂 So glad it was a hit!
Amy says
This is, hands down, THE BEST thing I've eaten in a long time! The only change I made was to up the chili powder to 1 tsp. I haven't had it over rice or with any garnishments, just eat it as is, and I can't get enough. I love how the flavors come together and how fresh it tastes. It's filling, without leaving you feel stuffed. Thank you so much for this recipe, my new fave!
Donna1 says
Oh thank you Amy, you just made my day 🙂 So glad you loved it!!
Meagn says
How much is one serving? Thanks, I will be making this Chili this week!
Donna1 says
Hi Meagn, sorry I don't weigh my servings, I just go based on how many bowls we serve up (adult size, not kid size). So for this recipe, it was 6 bowls of food, and they are largish servings.
robert says
After a few modifications I now have a chili limit per day.
I swapped out the chickpeas for black beans, dropped the chili powder for ancho chili powder but the biggest difference is the addition of 1 tbs of cacao powder, huge flavor boost plus you know it's chocolate!
Thanks, love the recipe.
R
ps on this copy of the recipe you omitted the oil and quantity, i'm curious what you used.
thanks
Donna1 says
Ooh I need to try the addition of the cacao! I have tried a chili with a hint of chocolate in it before, and it was delicious, but not something I have ever tried myself. I tend to use avocado oil for sautéing, and for this recipe I use about 1-2 tsp (I never measure, I am more of a free-pour kinda girl so that is very much an estimate)
Maggie says
I do t have an installer but looking to cook this on the stove or. Do kpot. I saw i. The blog that those instructions were i. The notes section and I didn’t see it. How long so I let it simmer on The stove or what temp in the crockpot? Thanks so much! Can’t wait to try it!
Donna1 says
Hi Maggie (my daughter's name too 🙂 ), I am sorry the stovetop directions must have disappeared when I changed my recipe set-up. I will have to fix that up. In the meantime just do steps one and two in a large saucepan, and then when it gets to step three you will want to simmer for about 30 minutes before adding the red bell pepper, stirring and serving. Hope you enjoy!
Manderson says
Very, very good. I've only made a half dozen recipes in my instant pot and this one has been the only outstanding success. I will bookmark this one and make again!
Donna1 says
Oh yay, I am so glad it was a success for you, we LOVE this dish!! The Instant Pot can be a bit tricky to figure out when you first get started (I know I had some very bleugh dishes to start), keep trying 🙂
Brenda says
I love this recipe! I doubled it, added drained black beans, cooked on high for 18 mins and added fresh spinach to it when it was done cooking!!!
Donna1 says
Ooh yum, love the addition of the fresh spinach, I will have to try that next time!!
Brenda Mann says
We add spinach wherever possible and it is perfect for this chili!! I make it and freeze some to send to our boys at University. My son ate his the first day I brought it to him. This is a healthy comfort food!
Donna1 says
Oh thats lovely, it makes my heart happy 🙂 I need to try adding some spinach next time I make it, seems to be a favorite addition among readers!