This Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Chicken Chili recipe is warm, hearty, and filling. It's easy to throw in the slow cooker and have ready at dinnertime!
This is the time of year that chili just begs to be made! It's been a few months since I posted a chili recipe so I felt you were overdue.
You're welcome!
After Thanksgiving, my mother-in-love made this chili one evening for us. It was a really cold night, I believe it was raining (typical Oregon weather), and my family was just getting over a weird little virus. This Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Chicken Chili was what the doctor ordered, let me tell you!
Ever since I had it back in November, I've been drooling for it. There is something about beans, potatoes, and chicken that is addicting and makes me want to just sit in front of the TV and stuff my face with this good stuff! But I would never do that. #OhyesIwould
Now that I'm sitting here writing this post, I'm completely regretting the fact that I sent my hubby to work with leftovers. What was I thinking with the beans, potatoes, and chicken? It's a good thing this chili is an easy one to throw together, and it's a good thing the crockpot does all the work for me, otherwise I might be grouchy and a tad resentful that the hubby got the leftovers. Next time, I get the leftovers and he get the pb&j sandwich.
On second thought, I'll just make more, so then we both get the leftovers.
#winwin

Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato & Chicken Chili
This Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Chicken Chili recipe is warm, hearty, and filling. It's easy to throw in the slow cooker and have ready at dinnertime!
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 (15 oz can) black beans, not drained
- 1 (15 oz can) pinto beans, not drained
- 1 (15 oz can) diced tomatoes
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- ½ tablespoon cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel the sweet potatoes and chop into 1 inch chunks.
- Place the chicken in the crockpot. Layer in the sweet potatoes, beans, tomatoes, veggies, garlic, and seasoning and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and shred the chicken with two forks. Return the chicken to the crockpot and stir the chili to combine everything. Serve with all your favorite toppings. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Ari's Menu
Top with sour cream, tortilla chips, chopped cilantro, and shredded cheddar cheese!
Nutrition information does not include toppings.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 249Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 345mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 5gSugar: 9gProtein: 31g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

margaret blickenderfer says
I have been a long time subscriber to Club 31 Women ( which I love!) and just figured out you also had all of these recipes on this blog! I am so happy! This is my kind of cooking! Thank you and have a blessed day!!
Chelsia Rief says
Thanks for stopping on over Margaret! Yes, there are a ton of recipes on here and some with really bad pictures, lol! I hope you are able to find some things you like and let me know if you try any of them out. I love hearing what people think! :) Have a wonderful day as well!
Bert Reese says
Can you freeze the leftovers?
Chelsia Rief says
Hi Bert! You know, we've never had leftovers of the chili so I've never tried it. You certainly could, but my only hesitation might be that the potatoes get a bit mushy as it defrosts from the condensation of the freezer, since the potatoes are already soft to begin with when you cook them. If you froze the chili, I would try to eat it within a month. The longer it sits in the freezer the more likely the freeze will settle into all the ingredients and make it too soft for enjoying. I hope that helps!
Christine Donaldson says
stumbled across this recipe on tastespotting a few weeks ago when i needed sweet potato inspiration. i have made it three times - it is in the crockpot cooking away now. Great flavors and fantastic healthy dinner - husband and kids loved it as well. Thanks!
Chelsia Rief says
These are my favorite kinds of comments Christine! I love to hear that others have made the recipes and that their families love them! It is such a delicious chili recipe and the sweet potatoes in it really make it! Thanks for letting me know, Christine! You've made my day!
Kristina says
I love this recipe. I've made it four times in less than a month. I make it for my boyfriend and to eat at once a week and then I take it for lunch! I double the cumin, chili powder and tomatoes as well as add 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. In adds to the flavor and makes it pop!! I've overflowed my crockpot a couple of times - so worth cleaning that mess up!
Chelsia Rief says
Yes, it is so so good Kristina! I was thinking about making it next week because the weather is going to be rainy. Sorry, your crockpot overflows, but I agree-it's worth it with this chili!
Bonita says
This was amazing..really really good....
Tammy says
Oh boy! This sounds fantastic!! Going to make it tomorrow :0), My husband not a big sweet potato fan however I get to make them @ least one night a week & this just might be a game changer!
Chelsia Rief says
This is a family favorite and I think that after your husband tries this chili out, he might change his mind about sweet potatoes. :) Let me know what he thinks Tammy.
Tammy says
Really Great! This is the best ever and my husband loved it! This is a keeper for sure ;0)
Chelsia Rief says
Isn't it yummy? I'm so glad everyone loved it. Thanks for letting me know Tammy!
Shanna says
Do you think that I could make this vegetarian?
Joshua Rief says
Absolutely! Just leave the chicken out. I would keep an eye on the sweet potatoes in the slow cooker, to make sure they don't get over cooked without the chicken in there, but otherwise, it should still be great!
Ann says
I would like to try this but was thinking of adding ground chicken instead of shredded chicken. Has anyone ever attempted that?
Ann says
I would like to try this recipe but would like to know if I can substitute ground chicken instead of chicken breast.
Chelsia Rief says
Hi Ann,
I am so sorry for just now getting back to you. For some reason your comment was filtered into our spam box and we just went through the spam and caught your comment. I haven't tried ground chicken in this chili, but I would bet it would be delicious. Probably not as chunky, but just as yummy. When your browning the ground chicken, I would probably add a few more seasonings to it in the skillet so it has a bit more flavor tho. Maybe some cumin and chili powder? Again, so so sorry about not seeing your comment until now. Happy New Year's Eve!
Joco says
Followed the recipe exactly. Bland, almost inedible. Half a tablespoon of chili powder looked unusual but I didn't question it. I would have used three tablespoons. Perhaps that would have given this have some flavour.
Joshua Rief says
Hi, Joco -
Thanks for your feedback. I have to say, we've made this recipe many, many times, as have many readers of Catz, and no one has ever reported it to be bland. Most of the flavor comes not from the chili powder, but from the garlic, red peppers, sweet potatoes, onions, and cumin. All of those ingredients have strong flavors, and when melded together for hours, result in a deeply flavorful chili. As you can see above, Christine, Kristina, Bonita, and Tammy all echo our family's feelings about the great flavor of this dish. Kristina did have some great ideas for spicing it up with chipotle peppers, if you wanted to try that.
I'm not sure what went wrong for you, but I am certainly sorry to hear that you had a ruined batch - that is always the worst! This is a tried and true recipe for us, though - a family favorite that we'll keep making again and again!
Better luck next time, and, again, our apologies that things didn't go well!
bonita says
I have made this several times however last night everything was cooked for 8 hrs & I went to serve the sweet potatoes were not cooked...they were in small cubes & everything else was perfect..what happened? Bonita
Chelsia Rief says
That is a bummer! I'm so sorry!
I have two thoughts. If the potatoes weren't submerged in the liquid enough, that could be the culprit. I've had this happen before where I didn't stir everything together well enough and I had the sweet potatoes mostly on top. I would say that would be the most likely. The other thing is how old is the crockpot? My crockpot is literally on its last leg (we're actually reading reviews and checking out a new one) and an older crockpot means uneven cooking if it is starting to go out.
I hope one of these solutions help and I'm so sorry that happened to you. It has definitely happened to me before but because of the first reason.
Summer says
Could I cook this on HIGH for 3-4h instead of low for time?
Chelsia Rief says
Yes. I would just keep an eye on the butternut squash so it doesn't fall apart. You want it to still be tender.