This easy Slow Cooker Paleo Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili recipe is perfect for Fall, football games, and chili season!
Paleo Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili Recipe
This delicious, hearty, bean-less chili recipe made in the slow cooker with ground chicken, ground beef and sweet potatoes – the perfect combination. Also great in the pressure cooker (directions provided for both)!
From Juli Bauer’s Paleo Cookbook, this might be the easiest slow cooker chili recipe I’ve ever made because it’s very little prep! Just throw all the ingredients into the slow cooker – no need to brown the ground meat or any of the other ingredients first. After the meat cooks, you then break it up with a wooden spoon – genius! I wasn’t sure how this would turn out, so I did break the meat up in the slow cooker with my hands so it wasn’t a big chunk of meat. After it cooked, I broke it up some more and as you see in the photo below it worked out great.
This was pretty spicy, the original recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes plus two jalapeños. Next time I make this (yes there will be a next time) I’m cutting back on the red pepper flakes, or leaving it out altogether. The jalapeños have enough heat for my wimpy taste buds. I topped mine with diced avocado and just a little goat cheese (totally optional) which helped balance the heat. This makes a lot, leftovers can be frozen for future meals when you’re to busy to cook.
And since so many are asking, although I have and love my Instant Pot, I still love my slow cooker! I have the 6 Quart Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker (affil link). I love it because you can adjust the time you want it to cook, and it automatically turns to warm when it’s done. It also has a probe for meat that automatically shuts off when done. I hated my old crock pot, it burnt everything and my food had a weird taste. This slow cooker is so great, I actually own several!
Slow Cooker Paleo Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 jalapeños, seeds removed
- 1 large sweet potato, 14 oz
- 1 lb 93% lean ground chicken
- 1 lb 95% lean ground beef
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 14 oz can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
- chopped scallions, for garnish
- 8 oz diced avocado, from 2 small haas
- 4 oz goat cheese, optional leave out for whole30
Instructions
Slow Cooker:
- Place all the ingredients except the scallion, avocado and goat cheese in the slow cooker and cook on low 8 hours. When done, break up the ground meat with a wooden spoon and add half of the goat cheese if using.
- Serve garnished with scallions and avocado on top.
Instant Pot:
- Place all the ingredients except the scallion, avocado and goat cheese in the pressure cooker and cook high pressure 25 minutes. When done, break up the ground meat with a wooden spoon and add half of the goat cheese if using.
- Serve garnished with scallions and avocado on top.
Last Step:
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Love this recipe. I used the instant pot method but didn’t want the sweet potato to fall apart so I set the time for 21 minutes, broke up the meat, added the sweet potato and gave it all a stir. Recovered and cooked for 4 more minutes to cook the sweet potato. So good!
This was great! Lots of great flavor without being too spicy. We really liked the combination of the chicken and beef. This will definitely going into our chili recipe rotation. And lots of yummy leftovers for lunch.
My husband is allergic to beans, so we love this no bean chili. I took it to a potluck and everyone loved it. Thanks for a great recipe.
Could you swap the sweet potatoes for butternut squash?
Made this in the IP last night while camping on a gorgeous fall night. It was absolutely delicious and came together very easily. A keeper recipe for sure.
I’ve been waiting on a cool snap just so I can make this!
This is one of my go-to fall recipes– I like to halve an acorn squash and use that as the bowl for extra vegetables!
This has been my favorite chili for years. It is truly the best!
Thanks Kimmie!
This is my new favorite chili recipe. The goat cheese and avocado hit it out of the park. Such great flavor.!
This was so easy and delicious!! Thank you!
This is excellent! So much flavor. I did make on the stovetop in my dutch oven. Last time I made something with jalapeños, they were not spicy at all and I was disappointed. So I added more jalapeños than this recipe called for and it was super spicy!! I was worried, but the addition of the goat cheese plus a bit of non-fat greek yogurt I added, helped tone it down. Will definitely make this one again!
Omg I LOVED this chili!! I love chili on cool day and sometimes it’s nice to mix it up with something a little less traditional. I was slightly worried about missing the beans, but didn’t at all. The sweet potato gives you all the starchyness you need. I made it in the slow cooker and added the sweet potato at the end as some of the others suggested. I used the goat cheese as a topping along with cilantro, scallions and avocado. Putting this in the regular rotation. Thank you skinnytaste!!
Could you do this with butternut squash instead of sweet potato? (Zero points on WW vs points) thanks!
Made this on the stove top as many others suggested and it was amazing! Sautéed all the veggies and browned the meats separately while breaking it up before combining them together with all other ingredients. Simmered for about an hour, it came out soo good! Accidentally bought feta instead of goat cheese and it was still delicious!
This is sooo delicious! I made it on the stove and simmered one hour. I used ground turkey instead of the chicken and beef mixture and topped it with a few tortilla strips. Such a yummy meal.
Hello….Am I chopping the jalapeno and sweet potato?
I saw the graphic and it looked like the jalapeno was minced, and the sweet potato was diced into 1/2 in cubes. It’s the third photo from the bottom.
I made this tonight and took the recommendations regarding the slow cooker/instapot. I made it in my Dutch Oven, softening the pepper and onions then browning the meat. Once combined, I put in the sweet potato and let simmer on the stove for 3 hours. So damn delicious. The goat cheese and avocado are a must!
Can you cook this on high for 4 hours?
Here is a fun story….i added 114 oz of tomatoes instead of ONE 14 oz can of tomatoes. So, that should be interesting tonight. My husband and I cannot stop laughing. The funny thing is that I HAVE MADE THIS BEFORE! It’s a family favorite
Oh my!!!
Loved this recipe! I changed a lot because of taste restrictions in the house and being forgetful while grocery shopping, but it’s different than any chili I would have normally made and I love it. Will definitely be making this again 🙂
Replaced red pepper with corn, used a combination of ground turkey and chicken (instead of beef and chicken), and added an extra can of tomatoes for extra volume.
We also used light tex-mex cheese, instead of goat cheese. And topped with 0% plain greek yogurt, instead of avocado (which I forgot while shopping). Turned out at 4 blue SP per serving (if dividing in 6).
Greetings! I made this in the slow cooker and Hubby and I love it! Just wondering about the goat cheese. Two questions: 1). The recipe says when done, add half of the goat cheese. What about the other half? Is it used as a topper? 2) Is the 4 oz of goat cheese counted in the nutritional info?
Would appreciate a response back. I am trying to accurately count macros! Thanks in advance!
Love this recipe. I would like to double it, but am wondering how I do this with the spices? Do I double the spices too?
Another amazing recipe. Mine did come out a little soupy so I’ll just reduce the broth next time. Other than that this is a keeper!!!!!
Just made this last night in the instantpot – SO EASY other than the chopping. It turned out amazing and my husband love it too. It’s different and delicious.
Can I do this meatless? Any tips or suggestions? I have made it the normal way before and absolutely loved the flavor but am meatless this month. Thanks.
I use lentils a lot, in place of ground meat!
Can I do this in the Instant Pot or Foodi to make it quicker? Or can I do it stove top? If yes what changes do I make?
Sure, use the chili button or simmer until tender on the stove about 1 hour.
Thank you. I totally missed the InstaPot recipe you had below the regular one. Sorry out that!
I really liked this chili for something a little different. I didn’t find the jalapeño + red pepper to be too hot at all and actually topped it with jalapeño slices along with the goat cheese (wonderful with this dish- could swap for feta), scallions, and avocado. I think if I made it again I’d brown the meat first, although I loved the ease of throwing it right in (I did break it up with my hands first) I think it made the liquid a little greasy. Overall excellent!
Can you cook this on high for half the time? Most recipes say 8 hours, and I want to try all of them, but 8 hours is a bit too long for me. Trying to make this on Sunday after grocery shopping!😊
Is it just me or does not browning the mean first weird anyone else out?
i previously have cooked this in my crockpot but recently got an instapot, when it started pre heating I got a “burn” warning and added more stock…but it was a little too liquidy. has anyone else run into this? any suggestions?
I seem to always have this issue in my instant pot. It’s probably why I don’t use it much.
Recipes with tomatoes or lots of tomato sauce will give a burn warning sometime. It’s like the sensor reads that there is not enough liquid to come to pressure. The trick is to add broth or other liquid first and tomatoes and such last, but don’t stir everything together. Just dump it in and stir after it’s cooked.
I make this recipe multiple times each fall/winter. It’s so easy and tastes great, especially with all the garnishes. The only thing I have changed over time is I add the sweet potatoes the last hour so they hold up and don’t disintegrate into the meat. I also kind of mix everything together when I put it in initially. Yum yum!
Loved it. Except for the sweet potatoes, it looked exactly like the photo and tastes great.
Instead of the chicken, I used an extra sweet potato and a can of drained black beans (not paleo, but I don’t do that so whatevs). Sautéed the beef and veg in the Instantpot and used 3 tsp of all the spices (except the crushed red pepper.) Also didn’t have a full 4 oz of goat cheese, so used a few triangles of Laughing Cow Cheese. The sweet potatoes disintegrated, but they thickened the soup nicely. This was really good!
This is the first of many recipes I tried that didn’t amaze me. The flavors were good but I did tweak a little more to our preference. I used the Instapot and to be honest the sweet potatoes disintegrated and the meat was too hard to break up without destroying the potatoes completely. I LOVE the overall flavor and ingredients, but next time I’ll try it in a crock pot, but think I’d definitely have more control just doing a stove top version. I’m still putting this one in our regular rotation for fall and winter, but I need to make it work better for me and my skill level using the instapot. LOL (I’m on the struggle bus with liking vs. “eh” using the Instapot so far. Seems I can do some things just as fast on the stove top.)
OMG this was one of the best chili’s I have had. Thank you so much for the great recipe. Super easy just had to find the 8 hours but it was completely worth it!
I liked the heat so did the jalapeños and red pepper flakes 🙂
I’ve made this recipe twice now, once in the slow cooker and once in the pressure cooker. It is so tasty! At first I was hesitant about just throwing in the raw meat without browning it but was so easy! The only thing I would change is to break the raw meat up some before cooking. The ground chicken ends up as little strings that look like worms, and when I broke up the ground beef after cooking it also kind of smashed up my sweet potatoes so they were mashed into the soup instead of chunks. This is a keeper!
I just made this recipe for dinner and my husband called it “miraculous.” I made it in the Instant Pot and browned the meat first, then drained the fat before adding in everything else. I cooked it on the meat/stew setting for 20 minutes, let it natural release for 10 minutes and then quick release. There was still a lot of pressure left at that point, so I think letting it natural release entirely would have taken FOREVER. It was a little bit soupy so maybe next time I’ll only use 3/4 cups broth, but it was a great recipe and I will definitely make it again. Thanks, Gina!
Quick release or natural?
Thanks!
I made this but omitted the red chili flakes. It’s very mild. I regret adding the goat cheese (unless I read the recipe wrong), as it muddied the flavors and made it even more mild. As a garnish it would have been better. I may add some shiracha sauce to spice it up a bit. I’m not into spicy foods but it needs a little bit more heat.
Used Instant Pot, browned meat and veggies and used 3/4 c broth to reduce total liquid when done. Reduced pressure cooking time to 20 minutes since partially cooked due to browning. Wonderful comfort food. Thanks for really good recipes.
I sauteed the meat with a little salt first, then added everything else. Pressure cooked for 15 mins and then allow 10 mins before quick release. Came out perfect.
Got an instant pot for Christmas, and I’m TOTALLY in love ~ this is the first recipe I’ve tried that wasn’t out of an “instant pot” recipe book. Oh…my…goodness…!!! Fabulous!!!! Thanks Gina!!
simply delicious!
I made this tonight for dinner in my slow cooker, I followed the recipe exactly. It was so good with the avocado. My husband even liked it even though he does not normally eat anything that was in it execept the meat and the jalapeno. I made it in a 6 quart slow cooker.
This was an unfortunate fail. I made it in the instant pot under pressure for 20 minutes. It was incredibly soupy, the meat was nearly impossible to break up, and the sweet potatoes disintegrated. Ended up chucking it and went out for dinner. Bummer.
Love this recipe – have made it several times always using a crockpot! I noticed that the sweet potatoes kind of disolved each time so the last time I made it (this past weekend now that it’s fall weather) I added the sweet potatoes for the last 2 hours and it was perfect! They were soft but held their shape.
Just curious if this would taste good if I substituted the sweet potatoes with butternut squash? And would the cook time in the Insta pot be the same. Thanks.
Hi Stacey! I just made this with butternut squash and it is so delicious! I did not have sweet potatoes, but I think I am going to keep making it with the squash because it is so good! I don’t have an Instant pot, so sorry I can’t answer that part. I made it on the stovetop. I love this recipe!
I have loved 100% of your recipes but I’m sad to say this is not one of them. It lacked flavor and was bland compared to your barbecue chicken chili and buffalo chicken chili’s (which I love)
I made this tonight but cooked it on the stove top since I had limited time. It was FANTASTIC! ?
This turned out fantastic! I browned the meat before adding it to the crockpot. I used one lb of ground chicken and a can of black beans. It needed more chicken stock but I think most recipes you should adjust the liquid depending on the amount of ingredients and your personal preference. 8 hours on low and it was perfect. Full of flavor with some kick. Thanks for the recipe inspiration!
I have this in the slow cooker as I type. It smells and looks delicious but it is very soupy. Has anyone tried this over noodles or rice?
Delicious! I made it in the slow cooker. I used ground turkey and a can of mixed beans. Omitted the broth as the canned tomatoes brought plenty of liquid. So good!
I cooked this for 8 hrs on low and the hamburger is still pink. The slow cooker automatically turns to warm so I feel like this is ruined now. Why wouldn’t the meat be browned before making the soup?
I’ve made this recipe almost 10 times using a slow cooker. I don’t even cook it the full 8 hours because I always find the meat to be cooked by 7 hours. Maybe something is wrong with your slow cooker?
I wonder if the discrepency is instant pot versus slow cooker users? I did this in the instant pot and it was delicious but very watery. Usually there’s some adjustment for instant pot recipes bc you don’t lose any liquid (in fact you gain some from the veggies and meat breaking down). I may try draining the canned tomatoes next time to see if it helps.
I have probably made at least 50% of all of the recipes on this website and this one is BY FAR my favorite. It is like a family recipe to us now! My aunts, cousins, parents, boyfriends parents all make it. I’ve been waiting for fall to come around again to make it and I can’t wait! This is also amazing when you’re on Whole 30 because it has so much flavor. MAKE THIS YOU WON’T REGRET IT!
Lol thanks Lexi!
Do you stir the ingredients together before turning on the slow cooker? Or just sort of layer them in and then stir at the end. I imagine as everything cooks down it will get combined, but just wondering what works best. Thanks.
Hi,
Just made this yummy recipe. Not sure if I did the last step correct. Was the goat cheese supposed to go into the cooked chili or just used as garnish??
Thank you!
Jane
Garnish!
This recipe was amazing!!! My entire family loves it and unfortunately, there were no leftovers! I added a can of white beans because my family loves chili with beans and it was delicious. Thank you for sharing your recipe!!!
My food came out extremely watery and my sweet potatoes disappeared! I think maybe 25 minutes was too long! I was also confused why we don’t sauté the meat. Anyways, I’ll have to pass on this.
Similar experience for me for the instant pot setting! The flavours are there but if I were to redo I think 20 mins would be good, and brown and break up the meat beforehand.
Love this recipe have made it many times. I love love love the goat cheese with the sweet potato and ! Such a great flavor combo. I garnish with cilantro and goat cheese. I also add in a can of white beans, it makes for such a filling and delicious meal!
OMGoodness.
I made this while looking for some easy to prep Whole30 meals for me and my husband (if it’s not easy, we’ll end up sneaking into old habits)!
After one time of making it, my husband and I are OBSESSED! This is not only one of the best paleo meals I’ve made, but it’s probably the best slow cooker chili recipe I’ve found! Highly recommend
Thanks Genay!
I’ve made this 5 times now. My new go to recipe!
Love this recipe. Have made it twice now!
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Made this as my friend altered it with 2/lbs of ground turkey instead. Yummy!!
This was absolutely delicious! I made this chili last night and added shredded chicken over the ground chicken. Followed the recipe fully other than that one substitution and was thrilled with how it turned out. I did add the goat cheese to the top and it was the icing on the cake. So glad I have plenty for left overs! Happy to enjoy this meal a few more times.
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This was amazing!!!! My husband kept talking about and how it’s his new favorite!!!
I think I am going to put mushrooms in mine!! Can’t wait to try 🙂
We LOVE this chili – it’s a nice break of something a bit different vs. the usual types of chili I make. I usually make it in the crockpot, although most of the time it ends up on high for 3-4 hours. Last night I made it in the instant pot. I did saute everything first and then put it on soup mode for 30 min. Also delicious, but think I like it better in the crockpot.
BTW – in the instant pot, I mostly did natural release…..got impatient and let some steam off though.
I was so excited to make this after reading the reviews, but unfortunately my chili turned out VERY soggy/liquidy. I followed the recipe exactly (with the exception of substituting ground beef with another pound of ground chicken). The taste is there, but the weird consistency makes it almost inedible. Did this happen to anyone else?
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Can I make this on the stove top?
This is the first Skinnytaste recipe I haven’t enjoyed. Admittedly, I used ground turkey instead of ground chicken. I think using poultry and not browning the meat first gave the recipe a sweet and gamey taste I did not enjoy. My husband didn’t mind the taste. Nothing overtly wrong with the recipe, just not my preference!
Is this the same amount of smart points for the new freestyle program?
What can you do if you don’t have an instapot or pressure cooker?
You can simmer it on the stove!
Can I make with ground turkey instead of chicken?
Sure
do you cook the meat first? or ground beef & chicken go in crock-pot uncooked?
Thanks,
Ashley
it goes in raw
Does this fill the instant to the rim or could it be doubled in the pot? Would one recipe feed 7 adults?
Quick release or natural for instant pot?
Hi Gina,
Does the 7 SP count include the goat cheese or do I need to calculate that separately?
Thanks,
Mike
Not included Mike!
Thanks for confirming! I thought that, but wanted to be sure.
I made this last night on high in the crockpot. I used water instead of broth. It was really good and sooo easy. Love that it has the sweet potato in it for extra vitamins. I cut them up small because my husband doesn’t eat sweet potatoes and he didn’t even notice. I added kidney beans to it also.Yum.
What about cooking it on high? I can’t wait 8 hours! LOL
Lol, 4-6 hours.
I just started Whole 30 and this is delish. No goat cheese for me, but a fried egg on top is to die for. Thanks for your great recipes.
Yum! This is chili has great flavor! I was thinking about adding beans next time, but I did like how it was a lighter feeling chili without the beans!
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Best chili ever!!
Thanks!
What would the directions be for the instant pot?
I would use the chili button for timing.
Does anyone knows the ww smart points for this if we just use ground chicken?
Could you make this with 2 lbs ground chicken instead?
If you wish.
Do you know the smart points value if you use all ground chicken instead?
Could shredded chicken be used in place of ground chicken?
yes
Could you make this in the instant pot?
Sure!
How long in the instant Pot, what settings? Thank you
Chili setting.
I brown the meat first using the saute button. Then once it’s broken up (even if a little pink), I add all the other ingredients and select Meat/Stew for 30min. It’s my favorite chili recipe!
Is it also 7 points if the goat cheese is left out?
Would it be OK to cook this on a 6 hour slow cooker setting?
Sure!
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This chili is quite nice and easy to prepare. I added one can of black beans plus extra chopped tomatoes, which rounded out the ingredients nicely. I like spicy chili but my husband doesn’t, so I added less red pepper flakes per Gina’s suggestion. The result was good, but a bit mild for my tastes—he liked it though! If I were to make this for myself, I’d add a 1/2 to one chopped canned chipotle chili in adobo to boost heat and flavor (rather than pepper flakes). This is a nice alternative to Gina’s turkey chili recipe, which I love.
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Oh my gosh! This is unbelievably good!! I followed the recipe except I used butternut squash (bc I love it) and added black beans (bc my fam doesn’t love squash and I wanted them to have some substance in case they picked it out) and I also added some shredded carrots bc I had them in the fridge. Delish!! Normal chili is so heavy on the tomato sauce, this is a great lighter variation! Definitely will be making this one again and again!!
Thanks Stephanie!
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If I wanted to use quinoa instead of ground meat in this chili, how much quinoa should I use?
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With the ground beef… Would it be ok to use chicken breast instead of ground chicken? Or should I use ground turkey instead? I don’t have ground chicken. Thanks!
You could use ground turkey or ground chicken.
This recipe makes me SO nervous! Made it for hubby and I yesterday and cooked from 2pm until 11pm in order to get the sweet potatoes softer. I still don’t understand how you can put RAW ground beef and chicken in a crockpot on low for that long and still have it cook properly and safely. I got on a safe temperature website and it stated the temp should get up to at least 140 degrees within 2 hours (or preferably much sooner) in order to be safe so I had to bump my slow cooker up to medium for about 45 minutes (after cooking on low for an hour and 20 minutes) to get it that warm! I turned it back down to low for the rest of the evening and temps stayed close to 140-150 but a Slow Cooker for Dummies site said that ground beef and chicken should be cooked around 160-165. I’l leery to eat it now, to be totally honest.
no beans?
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This is TO DIE. I’m on Whole30 and will definitely make this after I wrap the program. It’s SO good.
This is not low carb. It’s 15g per cup on the net side. Not good for anyone doing keto
It’s not tagged as low carb.
This was so delicious!! I had chicken breasts in the freezer (instead of ground beef and ground chicken) so I ended up shredding it around 6 hours and letting it cook. It was spicy but my husband LOVED it too! Definitely making it again this week 🙂
Can you do this in the instapot?
Yes, use the chili button.
Wow, this recipe is great. I think I will use it to receive the family during Christmas!
I just made this tonight exactly as you wrote. It was delicious!! It was not spicy to us but then again we like spicy ???? ????
I will make this again!!!
I prep all the veggies the night before which made it so quick to put it together in the morning. The house smelled so good!!
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Can I just add a can of sweet potato puree?
Sure
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I’m not sure what happened but my chili did not turn out well! It was sort of… mushy? My ground beef was 93% because that was the closest I could find. I also mixed the meat in before it cooked, as opposed to breaking it up after. Any ideas what went wrong?
I would love to make this in my instant pot do you have any suggestions on how I should adapt the recipe? Can the sweet potatoes cook as long as the rest of the ingredients? Should I brown the meat or saute the onions and peppers first? I love your blog, thank you!
I think they would and sure!
Forgot ground beef at the grocery store. What do you think about spicy ground pork? I know pork is more finicky in its cooking times. Thanks 🙂
Haven’t tried it let me know if you do!
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This was so good I didn’t get to have leftovers for lunch. My daughter ate 4 bowls. She weighs 70 lbs. . .
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If I use higher percent fat ground meat, but rinse and drain (maybe towel drying if I feel like extra work), how does that effect the nutrition? Do you think for flavor it’s better to buy the lowest percent fat and not drain?
Hi,
I’m from Australia and my family and I are LOVING your recipes! So far, I’ve tried 5 and every one of them had been delicious and family friendly. . Its the way I like to cook, fresh and full of big flavours!
Just a quick question, would this recipe be too spicy for kids? My kids are ok with a little heat.
Thanks and keep those amazing recipes coming, please!
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I forgot to buy an onion 🙁 I love onions. I put everything else in before work.. If I grab an onion after work do you have any ideas of how to cook it quick then add it in and let cook for the remaining hour? Also never knew how bad my hands would burn after cutting a jalapeño lol ????
You could saute the onion then throw it in. Yes jalapeno can be hot! You should wear gloves and make sure you NEVER touch your face!
Is it possible to cook this on high for 4 hours rather than the 8 hours on low as suggested.
Should be ok
Hi! This looks delicious, but I wondered about the amount of ground meat. Just 1 bell pepper, 1 onion, 1 sweet potato on that much meat, seems like I would be eating just meat and just a little bit of the rest. Now I am hesitating wether I should make this or not! Can someone help me?
What would you suggest for cooking time if I wanted to doubled the recipe?
Maybe add 1 hour.
Just made this for dinner. Freaking delicious!!!!!
🙂
I would love to make this but can i freeze the leftover ?
Yes you can. 🙂
We have made this recipe a couple of times now, and each batch has been delicious. This last time we swapped out the sweet potato for butternut squash, and it’s still mighty fine. One of our favorites for flavor and quantity!
Great to hear!
I made this today and we loved loved loved it! The goat cheese and avocado on top really helped with the spicy flavour. Thanks for the healthy and super yummy recipe!
Have been cooking from this blog for a few years now and literally haven’t made one recipe that wasn’t delicious. I made this recipe last night and it was a hit with my husband! I usually don’t make any changes to a recipe the first time I make it but this chili was pretty thick and I prefer a soup-y chili so I just added a little more chicken broth. Flavors were delicious and the goat cheese and avocado really set it off! Thanks for another amazing dish!
Hello. I've cut this recipe in half to make 4 servings and am just wondering about the cook time – do you think it will still need to cook for 8 hours on low with 1 lb. of meat instead of 2? Thanks!
I did not care for this at all. First Skinny Taste recipe I've made that I didn't like. And I make a lot of them because they always turn out delicious! But this recipe lacked texture and flavor. I followed this recipe exactly but the meat was too much, too fine, and too mushy. And for all the spices, peppers, and onions, I couldn't taste any of it. It was basically like meat mush in broth. Definitely won't be making this again.
I made this recently too and find the texture of the meat too fine. I will likely make it again, however I'll brown the meat first, and double the amount of chili powder (I'm a bit of a chili powder nut though).
I made this the first time on the stovetop and it was amazing! Made it the second time in the crock pot and it was barely edible. I think I had the same meat issue, it was too fine, mushy, and the sweet potatoes turned to mush ???? I’ll def make it again in a pot!
I used this basic recipe, but made adjustments for what I had on hand:
I used only 1 lb. ground beef, and no chicken.
Used 2 cans Rotel and juices, instead of chopped tomatoes.
No jalepenos, red pepper or goat cheese.
Used shredded cheddar on the top.
It had wonderful flavor, and the sweet potatoes did not taste sweet. I did have to take sweet potatoes out of crockpot early so they would not get too mushy. Added them back in at the end. Next time would cut in larger pieces.
I will make this again
I used this basic recipe, but made adjustments for what I had on hand:
I used only 1 lb. ground beef, and no chicken.
Used 2 cans Rotel and juices, instead of chopped tomatoes.
No jalepenos, red pepper or goat cheese.
Used shredded cheddar on the top.
It had wonderful flavor, and the sweet potatoes did not taste sweet. I did have to take sweet potatoes out of crockpot early so they would not get too mushy. Added them back in at the end. Next time would cut in larger pieces.
I will make this again
HI!! I've made this twice now, and LOVE IT!!!! Question though… Both times I've made this, it seems to be done at 6 hours. By 8 hours the sweet potatoes were falling apart. Any reason why it's recommended to cook for 8 hours? To blend in flavors perhaps? 🙂
I am making this for a chili cook-off at work. I planned on cooking it overnight, so it will be ready for the next day. I have the programmable crock pot that automatically switches to warm after the timer is up. My question is do you think it would be okay on warm for 4 hours, after the 8 hours cooking on low, or would that compromise the dish?
Made this for lunch today and loved it! I used jarred jalapeños and added jalapeño pickle juice for extra heat. It was delicious!
Just have to tell you that I made this the other day for my lunch and it was delicious. I subscribe to your blog and have tried many of your recipes. I love that your blog is one of the few cooking blogs out there that is both healthy and consistently full of flavor! Thank you!
Couldn't resist this from a post on Facebook, in my crockpot now Happy New Year to me. Substituted butternut squash for sweet potatoes and used all turkey. Can't wait!!!!
Hi. I am guessing that you diced the jalapenos rather than just putting the in whole after taking the seeds out? Thanks,
Yes, it's supposed to be diced.
I made this last week and the husband RAVED about how good it is! I made it exactly as written but chose to opt for Greek yogurt instead of the goat cheese to top it off. I may add another sweet potato next time. Oh yes! There will definitely be a next time!!! I wonder if those who didn't care for it were expecting something like a more traditional chili? I just told hubby it was "Stew". No expectations that way.
hi! can i make this on high for 4 hours
I wish I liked this, but I really don't. I can't point out why I didn't like it, but I think I'll stick to Gina originals. I'm glad I halved the recipe.
I made this yesterday, and felt like it needed a little more body. The flavors were good, but the texture was a bit like Hormel Turkey Chili with no beans. (On a side note…it would probably make FANTASTIC nachos!) I think I'm going to add a little corn and some black beans or pinto beans to the leftovers. I did one jalapeño and a strong 1/2 tsp of chili powder. Ended up adding a little cayenne at the end to give it more kick. I guess the amount of heat depends on how hot your jalapeño is! I didn't have 8 hours, so I did it on high for about 5. I think that was a bit too long, which probably also contributed to the texture issue. The avocado, sour cream and a little low-fat cheddar are great on top!
Hi Gina- I loved all of your recipes and I'm obsessed with my slow cooker lately. I'm making this today and I'm a bit confused about the directions with the goat cheese. Is it supposed to be used as a topping only or does it get stirred into the chili at the end? Thank you!
I stirred a little in, then put the rest as a topping.
Cooked this on high for 3 hours and it turned out wonderful! Absolutely fabulous!!
Could you cook on high for 4 hours?
I adore paleo food, because it is healthy and still yummy. So i decided to start paleo diet (this time i mean it). If you were to buy one book to give to a friend on Paleo, what would it be? please please recommend a good one 🙂 Thank you!
I made this last night and it was amazing! I had half of a rotisserie chicken left over from dinner so I used that to make my chicken stock and pulled the chicken off and used for meat instead of ground beef and ground chicken. I will definitely be making this again and again! Thanks for the great recipe!
Can you cook on high for 4 hours?
^ Agree.
Way to much meat in this recipe. The flavors are ok, but it's sweeter than any chili I typically like due to the sweet potatoes. I made this a few days ago, but I'm going to toss it because I can't stomach eating a big bowl of meat with a few fruits/veggies in it. I followed this exactly as written, but its not my favorite meal on Skinnytaste.com I'm afriad.
Loved this recipe! I've made it twice, and my whole family liked it. I browned the meat before adding it to the crockpot, only because I started it later in the day and wanted to make sure the meat was fully cooked. I started the crockpot on high, then turned it down later; perfect texture. I also left out the jalapenos since I have three little kids, but it still had a great flavor. I'll make this chili again and again!
I made this and really enjoyed it – especially how easy it was to just dump the meat in without browning it! My only question is about the sweet potatoes, since mine got a bit mushy over 8 hours. If I wanted to add them near the end of the cooking time, how long do they need to cook? Is an hour enough? Thanks!
I made this yesterday and it came out great! It filled the house with yummy smells all day and now I have healthy lunches ready to go for the week, thanks for another great recipe!
Sounds delicious! Does the calorie count, etc. include the goat cheese?
I made this last weekend while at the beach (I know – sounds odd to have chili on a warm day) but I wanted to set it and forget it while relaxing on the sand. It was delicious! I added extra red pepper flakes but it wasn't very spicy (topped it off with some hot sauce), so maybe my jalapenos were weak. Who knows! But I will be doing this again. I used 2 packages of 99% fat free turkey and had no issues at all. Another Skinnytaste winner!! Excited to try the waffle crusted chicken this weekend and putting apples in my crock later tonight!!
Leave the seeds in the jalapenos or if you really like spicy add a habanero. Yum, we like hot!!!
Great recipe!!! I used all ground turkey and probably closer to 2 cups of broth. I think you could easily substitute chopped chipotle pepper for the jalepeno, but since I have small kids I left the 'heat' out.
I made this today, and it was awesome. I used 80/20 beef and a pound of boneless chicken breast that I already had (instead of ground chicken), along with an extra cup of chicken stock. The fat wasn't an issue at all, even though the meat cooked in the crock pot. Everything shredded well after a few hours. This will definitely be added to the rotation!
So glad to hear someone using boneless chicken breasts. Did you cook the meet before adding it in? I'll be cooking mine stove top, not crock pot. Thanks in advance!
Nope, I threw everything in raw.
I made this over the weekend and it was AMAZING!!! My husband will be requesting this meal often. Delicious topped with greek yogurt!
I made this yesterday. I have to say i was worried about the sweet potato but it is actually really good. Next time I will add a bit more heat to it. I love to make crock-pot meals on Sunday and then I have a week's worth of lunches for myself. I will be making this again 🙂
Can I cook this on high for 4 hours? Will it come out the same? I have this in my crock pot now, but if I cook it on low, it won't be ready until after 8pm.
Loved this chili exactly as written! We love spicy and this was about a "medium spicy" on our scale. And not having to cook meat…skeptical at first but now a believer. No noticeable fat on top, even after spending the night in the frig. A keeper for sure. Thank you again!!!
Wondering if I can omit onions or what would be a good substitute. My hubby can't eat onions. Would love help with this.
Leeks possibly?
I do not eat onions at all – my aversion to them is so strong that it is practically an allergy. So I never cook with them! I just leave them out of every recipe, maybe sometimes add more of other vegetables to make up for it. I know most purists would disagree, but I am here to tell you that everyone from my onion-loving husband to any friends and family who have ever eaten in our home will tell you that they do not miss the onions in any dish I make! So just leave them out!!
If you wanted beans in this, which kind would you recommend? Would you recommend leaving the sweet potato in if you were to use beans? Thanks in advance.
Black beans and sweet potato are a classic combination. I would do both.
Anyone estimate what size crockpot would be best for this? I have a little 3 qt'er.
I love to share this healthy recipe of yours. My family really loves chili and I would like to make them some using this recipe. Thank you for sharing this.
This recipe is calling my husbands name! Ever since I swapped out his russet potatoes for the white sweet potatoes, he's been hooked. I love using the crockpot on these dreary rainy days up here in the Pacific NW, there's something so cozy about filling the house with the smell of dinner in the crockpot. I can't wait to try it, thank you!
Jolie, where do you find the white sweet poatatoes?
Followed this recipe exactly except i omitted the red pepper flakes but honestly i think I'll put it in next time. This was so delicious! The goat cheese was the star of this meal, imo!
Love love your crockpot recipes..Maple dijon drumsticks and Sesame honey chicken are on my regular rotation and I just made Chicken taco chili last week It was delicious! I will definitely try this one as well. Thanks for the great recipes!
I made this with lean ground turkey only and it was fantastic! I just finished up another helping for lunch with some FF sour cream on top. Thanks for another great recipe – I don't know how you keep coming up with so many winners!
Hmm maybe no jalapenos as all – I have little kids. Looks good but too much heat. Looks delish.
How do you print recipes on this site without printing all the pages of pictures?
Click the "Print-Friendly" button under the recipe, and then you can go through and delete anything you don't want. Pictures, descriptions, nutritional info, etc.
How would you modify cooking time if you wanted to use an electric pressure cooker instead of a slow cooker?
Maybe 30-45 minutes.
Hi Gina,
This looks wonderful although I don't eat beef. I want to try Paleo for a month but I wonder if I can do it on chicken and turkey alone? I don't eat mammals.
Anyway I wanted to let you know that Taylor fixed the PDF button as I already saved this and it worked! Yaaaa!!!
Sure!
Courtney…you can put a can of beans in with all the ingredients. Gina has many chili style slow cooker recipes with beans added from the start. I freeze single servings and they warm up nicely too!
Looks great! Can't wait to try this when the weather cools down. When you say 1 generous cup, do you mean a liquid or solid measuring cup? – Lisa
I used a solid cup, it was a heaping cup.
This looks amazing. I am always looking for new chili recipes!
How would you make this if you didn't have a slow cooker?
I would make it in a Dutch oven or big pot and cook on low about 2 hours covered with a little more liquid. If you do this, I would brown the meat first.
Many crockpot stews, soups, or chilis work just fine on the stovetop. Use a dutch oven (or other large, deep pan), and brown the meat first. After draining away the grease, add the aromatics (onion and, later, garlic), sweet potatoes, peppers and spices, sauteing them for several minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and try two (2) cups of broth since you are cooking on the stovetop. (Crockpot cooking conserves liquid.) Bring to a simmer and then lower the temperature, continuing to cook for two hours or until the sweet potato chunks are fork-tender. Continue with Gina's suggestions for toppings. I hope that this helps!
I just made this. I wanted it this evening so I cooked this for an hour+ on the stovetop. I used ground turkey and a can of pinto beans. I also added frozen corn and some green olives (cause I like them in my chili.) It came out delicious.
Can't wait to make this!
Any idea on the points if you leave out the sweet potato and avocado?
Avocado is 1pp/oz.. so you could reduce the points by 1 per serving, for a total of 6pp per cup!
Could you do all ground turkey or chicken instead of beef?
Sure
I'm intrigued! Interested to see how it works not browning the meat ahead of time… I LOVE slow cooker recipes and can't wait to try it out, thanks Gina!
Won't it be greasy if you don't brown and drain the fat from the ground beef?
At 95% fat free, I would think it wouldn't be bad.
I would use the leanest ground beef or buffalo/bison meat. I'd still drain the fat because it would be greasy and we wouldn't like that.
100 % Grass Fed ground beef has hardly any fat. I love using it for slow cooker recipes because of the no browning and draining.
Just what I was thinking, you can see oil on the surface in the photo. Prefer to cook my meat first
Check your labels and you'll see that grass fed ground beef has more fat content than lean ground beef. I used lean ground beef and ground chicken in mine and had no issues with the amount of fat when it was done cooking. It's delish and my house smelled amazing!! Thanks for another great & easy recipe Gina!!
This sounds good. I assume you could do 2 pounds of ground beef instead of the 1 pound of turkey? I had no idea you could do the beef without browning it first…
Sure, I know neither did I! I broke it up with my hands though before putting it in the pot.
If you were adding beans to the recipe, would you put them in the crockpot with the rest of the ingredients?
Hey Court!
If they're canned beans you could add them near the end to warm.
xx
Aunt Patty
I always add them in the beginning.
What is a good substitute for sweet potatoes? (for family members who are clearly crazy)
Maybe butternut squash
Regular potatoes or delicata squash.
pumpkin
Puree them with some broth or water and add to the chili. I do this with a chicken tortilla soup and it adds a nice consistency to it