Savory Moments: Chipotle turkey, apple, & sweet potato chili

Disclosure: This post is sponsored on behalf of #appleweek. Our generous sponsors, Swiss Diamond, Envy Apples, Imperial Sugar, Nordic Ware, Rodelle Vanilla, Flahavan's Irish Oatmeal, Nairn's and The Spice House have provided us with products for recipe creation and a giveaway for our readers. As always, all opinions are my own.

Serving bowl of chipotle turkey apple and sweet potato chili.

A chili packed with sweet potatoes, apples, turkey, black beans, and seasoned with chipotle in adobo, cinnamon, coriander, and more makes for a delicious, hearty, and unique fall meal.

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I am so excited to share this recipe with you! Apples are a huge part of our fall and my husband and I love visiting our local orchard where they have new apple varieties as well as heritage varieties. We go picking every fall and I'm always creating new apple recipes as well as old favorites.

I was soooo happy to be able to receive a box of Envy Apples to try for #AppleWeek! These apples were new to me and to my family, so trying them was a big deal for us. Our kids were sampling them with me as soon as we got the box.

I popped one in my husband's lunch. I gave one to my mom to take home one day, too. The kids and I loved them. My husband texted me saying what a great apple it was. My mom called and asked where she could buy them. They is no question these apples are winners! They are crisp, lightly sweet, and have a delicate apple flavor - plus the skin is so pretty in color and nice in texture.

We will definitely be adding Envy Apples to our favorites now. They are so good for eating out of hand, but they are also terrific for cooking. I knew I wanted to make at least one savory apple dish this week and had long been thinking of adding apples to a chili.

This chili far exceeded my expectations and will be a regular in our autumn meal rotation from now on - trust me, it may sound a bit add, but all the flavors blend together for a perfect one-pot meal!

This recipe will serve about 4-6 people depending on hunger level and any sides. It's great with corn bread or a side of corn chips/tortilla strips for scooping or sprinkling on top.

Bowl of chili topped with sour cream and an apple sice.

Chipotle turkey, apple, & sweet potato chili
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb ground turkey (I use dark meat)
1 small/medium red onion, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced, plus a teaspoon of sauce*
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 cup water
2 cups peeled and diced sweet potato
1 can (14-15 oz.) black beans, drained
1 cup diced Envy Apple, unpeeled
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup minced cilantro
for topping/serving (optional):
extra apple, finely chopped
extra minced cilantro
sour cream
grated sharp cheddar cheese
corn chips/tortilla strips

In a large soup pot warm the olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the turkey and onion along with a good pinch of salt and a couple grinds of pepper and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink. Drain and return the meat to the pan. Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, and parpika and cook until fragrant.

Stir in the minced chipotle pepper plus sauce, tomatoes, and water. Stir in the sweet potatoes and let it come to a boil. Reduce heat to a low boil, cover, and cook, stirring frequently, until the sweet potatoes are fork tender. Stir in the black beans and apple. Check for seasoning and adjust as needed. Continue to cook until heated through then stir in the cider vinegar and cilantro.

Serve immediately topped with extra apple and cilantro and any other toppings of your choice (highly recommend a sharp cheddar which goes so well with apple).

*This will make a mild chili (I'm feeding two toddlers). If I were making it for just my husband and I, I'd probably add a bit more -- adjust the chipotle peppers/sauce to your preferred heat level. You can always add more later if you desire more kick.