Slow Cooker Bison Sweet Potato Chili

This Slow Cooker Bison Sweet Potato Chili is a hearty and healthy meal that’s perfect for serving on a cold day. Sweet potatoes replace the beans in this recipe and make it a great option if you’re following the Paleo or Whole30 way of eating.

In the past week we’ve experienced summer, fall and now winter weather. Yes, winter. It’s only going to be in the 40’s today. Cold, cloudy, rainy and even a chance for some rain/snow mix as they like to call it. As you can imagine, I am not even slightly amused about the possibility of snow, no matter how small the amount, the second week in October.

I went from running in shorts and a tank top at the beginning of last week, to shorts and long sleeves near the end of the week. Now I have to put on the tights, long sleeves, gloves and an ear warmer headband for tomorrow morning’s run. The layering is one of my least favorite parts about cold weather running.

One thing I am glad about is that I made this Slow Cooker Bison Sweet Potato Chili at the beginning of last week and froze a bunch of it. I mostly did it because my dad has been in town the last few days and I wanted to have something ready for dinner tonight so I wouldn’t have to spend much time cooking while he was here.

The freezing weather tonight is just an added “bonus” and a big, hot bowl of chili will definitely hit the spot.

Unlike most chili this Slow Cooker Bison Sweet Potato Chili doesn’t have any beans in it. I can take or leave beans in my chili, but my husband is not a fan of them in his at all. I figured the sweet potatoes would be a comparable replacement for the beans as far as carbs and fiber go. Plus, they add a nice hint of sweetness to the savory and slightly spicy flavors.

I went with bison instead of ground beef one to change things up, but also for some of the nutritional perks. Bison contains less fat and calories than beef, more iron and has a stronger flavor than beef so you might not feel like you need to eat as much of it.

The chili is seasoned with chili powder, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and unsweetened cocoa powder. Don’t worry the cocoa powder doesn’t make it takes like chocolate, it just intensifies the flavor and richness of the chili.

If you’re gluten-free, paleo or following the Whole30 way of eating this chili is totally compliant, just be sure to check the tomato products and make sure they don’t contain any sugar. It’s the perfect meal to serve on game day or a cold day when you need something warm to fill you up. Enjoy!

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Slow Cooker Bison Sweet Potato Chili

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion, yellow or red
• 3 cloves of garlic, grated
• 2 pounds lean ground bison, I used 90/10%
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (approximately 4-5 cups)
• 2 (14.5) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes, undrained
• 15 ounce can tomato sauce
• 4 ounces canned green chiles, undrained
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup water
• Diced avocado, red onion and cilantro for toppings

Instructions

1. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large and deep non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add onion and sauté 3 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté 30 seconds longer. Pour onions into a 6 quart slow cooker.
2. Return skillet to medium-high heat, add in the bison and use a wooden spoon to break it up into crumbles. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the bison has browned (doesn't need to be completely cooked through). Drain the fat from the skillet then pour the browned bison into slow cooker.
3. Add the remaining ingredients (minus the toppings) to the slow cooker and stir everything together until combined. Cover with the lid and cook on high heat for 4-5 hours or low for 6-7 hours or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.
4. Top with diced avocado, red onion and cilantro if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 398Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 750mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 6gSugar: 8gProtein: 30g

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