The combination of tangy salsa and sweet potato tortilla chips in this Gluten Free Mango Salsa Chili takes this easy vegetarian slow cooker dish to a whole new level. Try it for a simple, slow cooker weeknight meal.
I like simple.
I like easy.
I REALLY like healthy.
And I sure do like tasty.
And you know what? I’m a huge fan of vegetarian too. I think it’s important that we try and eat vegetarian meals on at least a weekly basis. Our family tends to eat 2-3 vegetarian meals a week. I’d like to say that’s because I’m so conscientious about eating that way, but half the time I just haven’t planned enough in advance to have bought or defrosted meat for cooking.
However, I find that even when I am making these last minute vegetarian meals, I hardly ever miss the meat; especially in dishes like chili where it’s chalk full of other healthy, hearty ingredients. Leaving out the meat is like loosing your child in the midst of a river of chaos. You don’t even notice they’re gone until you sit back, relax, and come to your senses. Then you might freak out a little…about your missing child, not the ground beef.
My go to vegetarian meals usually consist of some type of noodle dish (whether it be a macaroni-type pasta, spaghetti, or lasagna), soups, enchiladas, baked potato bars, tacos/fajitas (just ramp up the sauteed veggies and add lots of black or pinto beans), or salads. All are great options to go meatless.
One of my personal favorites are sweet potato bars. My family isn’t a huge fan of sweet potatoes. They’d rather have a good old russet potato instead, but every once in a while I make them eat my way. Whenever I make baked sweet potatoes, meatless or not, salsa is always on my ingredient list. I LOVE salsa on sweet potatoes!
Not only is salsa a healthy topping option, but it adds loads of flavor and a substantial portion of vegetables to your meal. And if you really want fresh, make your own salsa.
But really, a sweet potato topped with black beans, salsa, sour cream, a blend of Mexican cheeses, and chopped cilantro is my version of a perfect vegetarian weeknight meal. If I really want to go crazy I add fresh grilled corn and a squeeze of lime. Limes are expensive here!
So it was a no-brainer when Food Should Taste Good sent me some of their Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips to sample that I was for sure going to pair it with something salsa related. Mango salsa to be exact.
It was another one of those busy days. I was low on ingredients, and I knew I wouldn’t have much time to make dinner after dance and gymnastics classes. So I did what everyone else does on a day like that…no, I did not go through the drive-thru at McDonald’s…I busted out the slow cooker.
After a few minutes of peeling, chopping, sauteing, and mixing, my family was ready to enjoy this slow cooker Gluten Free Mango Salsa Chili with Sweet Potato Chips.
The relief on my starving children’s faces when we returned home from our evening activities only to find that dinner was already ready was worth the 15 minutes of my early afternoon.
Now you could even skip the sauteing vegetables part and throw them right in the slow cooker, but you will have to cook it longer and you definitely will not get the same depth of flavor. Partially cooking your veggies first is a key step in enhancing the flavor of your stews, soups, and chilis. Trust me. But do what you will.
You can also use your favorite salsa in exchange for the mango salsa. I just love the slight sweetness with the mild heat. But whatever salsa you enjoy will work perfectly fine in this recipe.
What I really love is the mixture of tender sweet carrots with the green peppers and jalapeno. A little sweet. A little spice.
And mix all this veggie goodness together with soft, creamy northern and pinto beans? Score!
But here is the real punch. As good as this chili is solo, it’s magnificent paired with these Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips. These crispy, lightly salted, thick cut chips are substantial enough in flavor and texture to hold their own against this chili.
Plus it combines that flavor profile I love so much (salsa and sweet potatoes) by adding just a handful of chips.
You can dip.
You can scoop.
You can dunk.
Heck, you can even crush and spoon if you’d like.
It really doesn’t matter how you enjoy these chips, just know that YOU WILL ENJOY!
I have to say that I was super impressed these chips actually taste like sweet potatoes. You know how you try foods that are supposed to taste like something and they totally don’t??? Yeah, that’s what I expected with these. Boy was I wrong!
The first bite of these chips and you get this undertone of sweet potato flavor paired with just a hint of salt. It’s glorious. And you know what? My family loved them, too!
Yes, my sweet potato shaming family ate the entire bag in a matter of two days.
So thank you Food Should Taste Good. Because really, your food DOES taste good.
What would you make with sweet potato tortilla chips?
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or other cooking oil
- 2 cups carrots, diced
- 2 small green bell pepper, diced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- salt
- pepper
- garlic powder
- dried oregano
- 1½ tablespoons gluten free taco seasoning
- 1 cup peach or mango salsa
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 can BUSH'S cannelinni beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can BUSH'S black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- Prepare veggies by peeling and dicing carrots into bite sized pieces. Seed and dice green bell peppers and jalapeno. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil over medium heat in a skillet. Once oil is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles, add carrots and stir. Reduce heat to slightly below medium. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning. Add bell pepper and jalapeno. Season with more salt and pepper. Lightly season with garlic powder and about ½ teaspoon oregano. Stir and cook 3-5 minutes more or until vegetables are slightly tender.
- Remove from heat and scoop into crockpot. Add 1 cup salsa of your choice, diced tomatoes with juice, northern beans, and black or pinto beans. Add 1½ tablespoons taco seasoning. Stir to incorporate all ingredients.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 4 hours. Season to taste before serving.
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