Sweet Potato Skillet with BBQ Chicken & Cheese (Printable)

Hearty one-pan meal with tender sweet potatoes, smoky BBQ chicken, and melted cheese ready in 45 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 14 ounces total)
02 - 1 cup BBQ sauce (gluten-free if required)

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 large sweet potatoes (approximately 1.3 pounds), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
04 - 1 red onion, finely diced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 2 green onions, sliced for garnish
07 - 1 jalapeño, sliced (optional garnish)
08 - Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional garnish)

→ Dairy

09 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (approximately 6 ounces)
10 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (approximately 2 ounces)

→ Spices & Seasonings

11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F if using an oven-safe skillet for finishing the dish.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add diced sweet potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes until just tender and lightly golden.
03 - Add red onion, red bell pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are softened.
04 - While vegetables cook, season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Grill, bake, or pan-sear chicken until cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F), approximately 6 to 8 minutes per side. Shred or dice the cooked chicken.
05 - Toss shredded chicken with BBQ sauce until evenly coated.
06 - Spread BBQ chicken evenly over the sweet potato mixture in the skillet. Sprinkle cheddar and mozzarella cheese over the top.
07 - Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
08 - Remove from oven and garnish with green onions, jalapeño slices, and fresh cilantro if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Its essentially loaded baked potato flavors but with sweet potatoes and way less effort
  • The whole family gets excited when they see that bubbly cheese coming out of the oven
  • You can prep everything in advance and just bake when youre ready
02 -
  • Dont skip the step of cutting sweet potatoes into even 1/2-inch cubes or some pieces will be raw while others are mushy
  • Letting the chicken rest before shredding keeps all those juices inside instead of on your cutting board
  • The dish can go from perfectly melted cheese to dried out surprisingly fast, so have your toppings ready before you bake
03 -
  • Cast iron skillets create the best crust on the sweet potatoes, but any oven-safe pan will work
  • Let the skillet rest for about 5 minutes after baking so the cheese sets slightly and makes serving easier

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