Healthy Crockpot Chili With Sweet Potato and Kale

You’re going to loooove this healthy crockpot chili recipe!

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One of my mom friends text our group chat, asking for dinner ideas that are healthy and come together quick. This is what I sent her…

I wanted to come up with a chili recipe that had a few more ingredients and flavors than your traditional recipe, so I gave adding sweet potato and kale a whirl and I love how it turned out.

Also, I wanted it to be a crockpot chili recipe with minimal prep.

That way, it’s a perfect recipe for busy weeknights or weekends when we’ve been running around all day.

So, if you’re looking for a healthy crockpot chili recipe that’s hearty, nourishing, flavor-filled AND easy enough for busy weeknights, this recipe is for you!

And if sweet potato and/or kale aren’t your thing, this chili recipe is a great as is or as a base recipe for you to add anything you’d like!

To make my life easier, I like to keep all ingredients (minus sweet potato and kale) in my pantry and ground beef in my freezer so I have all ingredients on-hand for when I’m in a pinch or for when we come home from vacation. You can leave out sweet potato and kale – this chili is also so good on its on.

Crockpot Chili Recipe + Steps

Ingredients

• 7-8 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
• 2 large or 3 medium sweet potatoes
• ½ (2 cups, packed) bunch of green curly kale (I use the rest to make a salad, just massage with olive oil first to soften)
• 1 – 15oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 – 15oz can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 – 15oz can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 30 oz diced tomatoes (do not drain)
• 30 oz tomato sauce
• 8 oz diced green chilis (do not drain)
• 4-6 garlic cloves, finely chopped or diced
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 3 Tbsp salt
• 2 Tbsp pepper

Optional Ingredients (but highly recommended)

• 1-2 Tbsp Magic Unicorn Salt
• 1-2 Tbsp Hot Steve Salt
• 1/4 cup Mama Lil’s Peppers (they may carry this at your grocery store)
• 5 Tbsp Secret Aardvark Hot Sauce (they may carry this at your grocery store)

Toppings (Honestly, I think this chili is delicious on its own, but here’s what we like…)

• Sour cream
• Jar of sliced jalapenos
• Cheese (I recommend a sharp cheddar or Unexpected Cheddar from Trader Joe’s)
• Cilantro

Cooking Instructions

1. Add 3 Tbsp olive oil to skillet and sauté onion on medium heat until soft. Add meat and sauté until cooked.
2. While onion and meat are cooking, rinse, drain, and add beans to 7 quart Crock-Pot. Then add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and diced green chilis to Crock-Pot.
3. Add meat and onions to Crock-Pot, and stir everything together.
4. Next add garlic, garlic powder, dried oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and any of the optional ingredients.
5. Turn Crock-Pot on high if you plan on eating in 3-4 hours or on low if you plan on eating in 6-8 hours
6. 30 minutes before you want to eat, preheat oven to 350, cube sweet potato and put in oiled casserole dish or skillet. Cook for 15 minutes, or until sweet potato is fork-tender.
7. Turn off Crock-Pot.
8. Tear curly green kale from stalk and tear into small, 1-inch pieces. Stir in kale into chili.
9. Stir in sweet potato.
10. Serve immediately. Add any toppings or enjoy as is!

Notes

1. You can use any combination of beans, as long as you are using a total of 45 ounces (3 cans).
2. To make my life easier, I like to keep all ingredients (minus sweet potato and kale) in my pantry and ground beef in my freezer so I have all ingredients on-hand for when I’m in a pinch or for when we come home from vacation. You can leave out sweet potato and kale – this chili is also so good on its on.

Crockpot Chili with Sweet Potato and Kale

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 6 hours

Additional Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

If you're looking for a healthy crockpot chili recipe that's hearty, nourishing, flavor-filled AND easy enough for busy weeknights, this recipe is for you!

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Ingredients

• 7-8 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
• 2 large or 3 medium sweet potatoes
• ½ (2 cups, packed) bunch of green curly kale (I use the rest to make a salad, just massage with olive oil first to soften)
• 1 - 15oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 - 15oz can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 - 15oz can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 30 oz diced tomatoes (do not drain)
• 30 oz tomato sauce
• 8 oz diced green chilis (do not drain)
• 4-6 garlic cloves, finely chopped or diced
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 3 Tbsp salt
• 2 Tbsp pepper

Instructions

1. Add 3 Tbsp olive oil to skillet and sauté onion on medium heat until soft. Add meat and sauté until cooked.
2. While onion and meat are cooking, rinse, drain, and add beans to 7 quart Crock-Pot. Then add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and diced green chilis to Crock-Pot.
3. Add meat and onions to Crock-Pot, and stir everything together.
4. Next add garlic, garlic powder, dried oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and any of the optional ingredients.
5. Turn Crock-Pot on high if you plan on eating in 3-4 hours or on low if you plan on eating in 6-8 hours
6. 30 minutes before you want to eat, preheat oven to 350, cube sweet potato and put in oiled casserole dish or skillet. Cook for 15 minutes, or until sweet potato is fork-tender.
7. Turn off Crock-Pot.
8. Tear curly green kale from stalk and tear into small, 1-inch pieces. Stir in kale into chili.
9. Stir in sweet potato.
10. Serve immediately. Add any toppings or enjoy as is!

Let me know how you liked this recipe!