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Slow Cooker Smoky Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili with Cornbread Croutons

Your slow cooker does all the work in this keeper recipe that's a nice change from traditional chili. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add some smoky flavor and a little kick while the sweet potatoes help balance the heat. Make this recipe with the beans of your choice: lima, kidney, white or black beans. 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!
Makes about 4 1/2 quarts or 10 - 12 servings
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 30 minutes
Course: Chili, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chili, chipotle peppers in adobo, cornbread croutons, lima beans, pinto beans, sweet potatoes, turkey
Servings: 10

Equipment

  • 6 quart slow cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 12 oz. can or bottle of Mexican beer
  • 1 cup dried pinto beans
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce more or less to taste
  • 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 medium-size green bell peppers coarsely chopped
  • 1 8 oz. package dried lima beans
  • l large onion coarsely chopped
  • 5 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
  • 2 1/2 cups 1/2-inch peeled sweet potato cubes

Cornbread Croutons:

  • 8.5 oz. box of Jiffy corn muffin mix
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup of milk

Instructions

To make chili:

  • Season turkey with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sauté turkey in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until browned.
  • Transfer mixture to a 6-qt. slow cooker.
  • Add tomato paste to skillet, and cook stirring often, 30 seconds. Add beer, and bring to a boil, stirring to loosen browned bits from bottom of skillet.
  • Boil 3 – 5 minutes; stir into turkey mixture. Add beans and next 8 ingredients; stir in stock.
  • Cover and cook on HIGH 7 hours.
  • Stir in sweet potatoes; cover and cook on HIGH 1 hour or until potatoes are tender.
  • Serve soup with sliced green onions, cilantro, grated Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese, sliced jalapeno peppers, sour cream and/ or cornbread croutons

To make cornbread croutons:

  • Follow the directions on the Jiffy box for mixing. Pour batter into greased 9 x 9-inch pan and bake at 400 degrees or until done, about 15 minutes.
  • Allow to cool and cut cornbread into 1-inch squares. Spread squares out on parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Bake croutons at 350 degrees for 7 or 8 minutes or until toasted and brown. Allow to cool. Store in airtight container until ready to serve.

Notes

  • This 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 limas, use white beans, kidney or black beans.