Description
These BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Bowls are a wholesome and flavorful meal combining tender, smoky BBQ chicken with naturally sweet and fluffy baked sweet potatoes. Topped with fresh avocado, black beans, corn, and a zesty lime squeeze, this recipe is perfect for a nutritious weeknight dinner packed with protein and vibrant flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes
- 2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed and pierced several times with a fork
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
BBQ Chicken
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup BBQ sauce (your favorite brand!)
Toppings
- 1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- 1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges, for serving
- Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional)
- Jalapeños, sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to get ready for baking the sweet potatoes.
- Prepare Sweet Potatoes: Scrub the sweet potatoes clean and pierce them several times with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Season Sweet Potatoes: Mix olive oil, salt, and black pepper together and rub this mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes for flavor and to help crisp the skin.
- Bake Sweet Potatoes: Place the sweet potatoes directly on the oven rack or on a baking sheet and bake for 45 to 60 minutes until a fork slides in easily, indicating they are tender inside.
- Cool Slightly: Once baked, let the sweet potatoes cool down a bit so they can be handled safely for the next step.
- Prepare Chicken: Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes to ensure even cooking and easy mixing with seasonings.
- Season Chicken: Toss the chicken pieces with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper to evenly coat and infuse the meat with bold flavors.
- Cook Chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken cubes in a single layer, cooking them in batches if necessary, for 5 to 7 minutes until fully cooked and browned on the outside, stirring occasionally to cook evenly.
- Add BBQ Sauce: Lower the heat to low, pour BBQ sauce over the cooked chicken, and stir thoroughly to coat. Let it simmer for a few minutes to thicken and meld the flavors.
- Keep Warm: Remove the skillet from heat and keep the BBQ chicken warm while preparing the rest of the bowl components.
- Prepare Toppings: Dice red onion, avocado, and chop cilantro. Rinse and drain the corn and black beans if using canned or frozen.
- Cut Open Sweet Potatoes: Slice the baked sweet potatoes lengthwise down the center and fluff the inside with a fork to create a bed for the toppings and chicken.
- Assemble Bowls: Spoon generous portions of the BBQ chicken into the opened sweet potatoes, ensuring even distribution.
- Add Toppings: Top each bowl with corn, black beans, red onion, avocado, chopped cilantro, and any optional toppings like shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, or jalapeños as desired.
- Serve Immediately: Serve the bowls immediately with lime wedges to squeeze over the top for a fresh, zesty finish.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken breasts with thighs if you prefer a juicier texture.
- For a spicier bowl, add extra chili powder or sliced jalapeños.
- Use gluten-free BBQ sauce to keep the recipe gluten free.
- Sweet potatoes can be baked ahead of time and reheated before serving.
- Optional toppings like cheese and sour cream can be omitted for a lower-fat or dairy-free version.
