Sweet Potato Chili – In the Oven or Slow Cooker!

The title says oven or slow cooker…ya’ll know EXACTLY where I’m throwing this recipe!  Slow cookers are my jam right now.  I’d like to think if I had a working oven, or even a sliver of a counter top available to me, I’d use the oven but I think that would be a total lie.  This is the season of making breakfast, then throwing together dinner.  Coming home and the whole house smells like a comfort food.  The season of set it and forget it.

When it comes to chili, this is my all-time favorite way to make it.  Let me just take out those beans (isn’t that like the only healthy part of chili?!) and sub in with delicious, filling sweet potatoes.  Super easy, super delicious, and my all-time favorite chili recipe!

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

2 cups yellow onion, peeled and diced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and diced

2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2″ pieces

1 cup red pepper, diced

2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

3/4 teaspoon cumin

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 cup low-sodium beef broth

Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional Toppings:  Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped cilantro, crumbled cornbread

Oven Recipe

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large skillet, brown ground beef in an even layer, about 8-10 minutes.  Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the skillet.  Add the onions, garlic, bell pepper, and sweet potatoes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook for about 3-5 minutes, until vegetables are all softened.  Stir in spices and cook for about 1 minute.  Add in the crushed tomatoes and beef broth.  Bring to a strong simmer.

Place large skillet into the center rack of your preheated oven.  Bake for about 40 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.  Serve in bowls, topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and chopped cilantro.  Yum!

Slow Cooker Recipe

Brown ground beef in a skillet or place in slow cooker on high for 20-30 minutes until beef is cooked through.  Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the skillet.  If cooked in skillet, place ground beef in slow cooker.  Top with all vegetables, spices, crushed tomatoes, and beef broth.  Mix together to allow all ingredients to marinate together while cooking. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.  Serve in bowls, topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and chopped cilantro! Enjoy with your fall candles and football in the background! 🙂

3