Easy, healthy, Paleo and Whole30 friendly Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes! These make a GREAT weeknight dinner -bake the sweet potatoes ahead of time – the chili is done in 20 minutes!
Happy 2017! As I mentioned a few days ago in my 30 Days of Whole30 meal plan post, a Whole30 is ON this month for Adam and I. I originally had zero plans to complete a Whole30 myself, in truth.
Adam originally wanted to do the Whole30 in February and I hadn’t really even considered whether I’d join in. But, after traveling and going way off the healthy eating rails, he decided to move his Whole30 up to January. Since I, too, have been a bit off the rails the past few months – working a ton, snacking on lots of treats and not prioritizing my own meals and health as much as I’d like to – I decided it was the right time to jump on board.
Although it might not be nearly the shock to my brain and body that it was over 3 years ago when I completed my first one, it’s STILL a project in meal planning, remembering that treats aren’t the be-all-end-all and focusing on nourishing, filling, and BIG meals.
Even though I eat 90% paleo, the Whole30 makes me slow down and consider HOW I eat in addition to WHAT I eat. As I’m writing this post the night before the big 30 days begins, I’m sort of excited, and sort of nervous to see just how I’ll handle the meal planning, cooking, and, of course, the lack of chocolate, muffins, and cookies in my life!
What you can expect to see here on the blog this month are simple Whole30 recipes that I’ll be making for myself, Adam, and (sometimes) the kids!
Even though they’re not always on board with all things Paleo (which is fine by me) they do happen to love many of the easy Whole30 friendly dinner recipes I’ve made, including these chili stuffed sweet potatoes. You can easily adjust the spice level, so I make sure to go very mild for them, while spicing it up just a bit for the grownups (yes, I do actually separate out the portions to accomplish this!)
The key to making these stuffed sweet potatoes an easy and FAST weeknight dinner is baking them ahead of time, in my case, that usually means either the night before, or during the day while I’m working/cooking for the blog.
You can even do this a couple of days before while you’re meal prepping, refrigerate them, and them reheat them in the oven (I use 400 degrees F) while you make the chili. The chili comes together in just 15-20 minutes, so getting dinner on the table fast is completely possible. 
With these chili stuffed sweet potatoes, you can a healthy, filling and flavor-packed meal that’s fun to eat and easy to double if you want leftovers for the next day.
I absolutely love eating these over some fresh spinach and topped with scallions and my homemade ranch sauce! The ranch is one of my favorite dips/dressings while doing a Whole30 since it’s crazy delicious and very versatile. Anyway you decide to serve these will be a success, no doubt!
Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes {Paleo & Whole30}
Easy Paleo Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes {Whole30}
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 Tbsp cooking fat of choice
- 1/2 small onion diced
- 1 lb 80-85 % lean ground beef
- 3/4 cup diced tomatoes from a can, no salt added
- 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
- 1/2 - 1 tsp chipotle chili powder I used 3/4 tsp
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Optional toppings - Paleo & Whole30 compliant ranch dressing plus thinly sliced scallions
Instructions
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First, bake your sweet potatoes* - preheat your oven to 400 degrees and wrap each potato in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until completely soft in the center. The size/shape of your potato will affect the baking time!
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While you bake (or reheat) your sweet potatoes, make the chili. Heat a med/large skillet (I used this cast iron one) over medium heat. Add your cooking fat, then diced onions and stir to coat. Once softened, add the ground beef, breaking up lumps to evenly brown.
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Add the salt and spices and stir, cooking the beef until browned - about 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 5-10 more minutes, lowering the heat to avoid burning.
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Cut open your sweet potatoes, stuff, top with ranch dressing and scallions if desired, and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*You can do this ahead of time and then simply reheat the potatoes in the oven while you make the chili.
Nutrition
What I Used to Make My Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes:
Want more easy Paleo and Whole30 ready lunch and dinner ideas? Try one of these!
Easy One Pan Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Lamb Burgers with Dairy Free Tzatziki Sauce
Tell Me!
Favorite way to stuff a potato?
Any favorite quick and easy Whole30 dinner ideas?
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I admire your ability to convey such detailed information in an accessible way.
These Paleo Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes look amazing! I love how simple and healthy the recipe is.
This recipe looks delicious and easy to follow! I love how it’s Whole30 compliant and uses simple ingredients. The combination of sweet potatoes and spicy chili sounds amazing. Can’t wait to try it with the optional ranch dressing and scallions for extra flavor. Thanks for sharing!
Once, I was making a massive pot of chili for a party and realized too late that I was out of cumin. The panic! Scouring the pantry, I found a strange blend of Mexican spices – something similar Slither io to what my aunt uses. Turns out, it saved the day, adding a totally unique and delicious kick.
I wish my kids would eat baked sweet potatoes—they’re too spoiled by baked fries! At least this chili tastes great with those, too.