Sweet Potato Skillet with BBQ Chicken (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 (about 14 oz total)
02 - 1 cup BBQ sauce (gluten-free, if needed)

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 large sweet potatoes (about 1.3 lbs), 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)
08 - Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

→ Dairy

09 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (about 6 oz)
10 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 oz)

→ 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 Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F if using an oven-safe skillet for finishing.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add diced sweet potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until just tender and lightly golden.
03 - Add red onion, red bell pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Sauté for 3–4 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 temp 165°F), about 6–8 minutes per side. Shred or dice the cooked chicken.
05 - Toss shredded chicken with BBQ sauce until well 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 8–10 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 Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything happens in one pan so you spend less time washing dishes and more time eating
  • The sweet potatoes get these crispy edges while staying creamy inside like magic
  • Its the kind of meal that makes people ask whats that amazing smell
02 -
  • A cast iron skillet really is the MVP here because it goes from stovetop to oven seamlessly
  • Let the skillet rest for about 5 minutes after baking, otherwise the cheese slides right off when you try to serve it
  • Using a rotisserie chicken cuts the prep time down to like 15 minutes total
03 -
  • Don't crowd the sweet potatoes when theyre initially cooking or theyll steam instead of getting those nice crispy edges
  • Check your BBQ sauce ingredients if youre feeding someone with gluten sensitivities, not all sauces are created equal

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