Description
Hearty slow cooker chicken and sweet potato chili brings comfort and warmth to winter meals. Packed with tender chicken, creamy sweet potatoes, and rich spices, this chili promises a satisfying dinner you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 2 to 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- 1 can (15 ounces / 425 grams) black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 can (15 ounces / 425 grams) kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
Vegetables and Produce:
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed)
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup frozen or fresh corn
- 1 diced bell pepper (optional)
- 1 to 2 diced jalapeños (optional)
Liquid and Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 can (14 ounces / 397 grams) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (8 ounces / 227 grams) tomato sauce
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Lime juice (for serving)
Spices:
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
Instructions
- Transform sweet potatoes into petite, uniform cubes, ensuring even cooking and texture throughout the chili.
- Finely chop onions and garlic, creating an aromatic flavor base for the dish. Optionally dice bell peppers or jalapeños for additional complexity.
- Arrange raw chicken breasts as the foundational layer inside the slow cooker, which will absorb surrounding seasonings during cooking.
- Layer remaining ingredients – sweet potatoes, black and kidney beans, onions, garlic, and corn – atop the chicken, creating a colorful ingredient mosaic.
- Cascade diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken broth over the ingredients. Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper, distributing spices evenly for balanced flavor profile.
- Secure slow cooker lid and allow contents to simmer: 6-8 hours on low temperature or 3-4 hours on high temperature until chicken becomes tender.
- Gently separate chicken into shredded strands directly within the slow cooker, integrating meat seamlessly with surrounding ingredients.
- Crush select sweet potato chunks against cooker’s interior to naturally thicken sauce, creating a robust and hearty consistency.
- Adjust liquid volume by incorporating additional chicken broth if mixture appears too dense, maintaining ideal chili texture.
- Transfer chili into serving bowls and embellish with preferred garnishes like cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, or fresh lime juice. Pair with rice, cornbread, or enjoy independently.
Notes
- Prepare sweet potatoes uniformly to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the chili.
- Consider using boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts for richer, more tender meat that won’t dry out during slow cooking.
- For a vegetarian version, replace chicken with extra firm tofu or additional beans, and use vegetable broth to maintain robust flavor depth.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours (low) or 4 hours (high)
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg