This sweet potato skillet is a delicious layered one skillet meal baked with tender BBQ chicken, roasted vegetables, and plenty of cheddar cheese. This is perfect for a no-fuss, filling weeknight dinner.
If you like this recipe, you will love Bacon Cheeseburger Salad with Special Sauce, Bun less Sloppy Joe's or BBQ Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.
I'm a big fan of skillet meals and I love sweet potatoes so this recipe is a win-win! If you can't get enough of the superfood then you are in for a real treat with this sweet potato skillet dish!
Wondering how to cook sweet potatoes in a skillet? They are roasted in the oven as other ingredients are gradually added. With the roasted sweet potatoes and BBQ chicken, the flavors pair well and provide a sweet and savory taste.
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Why You'll Love This Sweet Potato Skillet Recipe
- Convenient. Each ingredient cooks in one large skillet. The prep is only about 15 minutes, and the cooking time is under one hour.
- Great for Meal Prep. This stores and reheats well so you can enjoy it throughout the week.
- Versatile. Don't like an ingredient or don't have it? Swap it for something else in your fridge or pantry. This recipe is totally chill and really hard to mess up.
- Nutritious. This is a healthy, balanced meal made with plenty of wholesome ingredients including vegetables, herbs, and chicken.
Chicken Sweet Potato Skillet Ingredients
So, what's in this sweet potato skillet? Aside from sweet potatoes and chicken,
- Sweet Potatoes. Cut them into bite-size cubes.
- Olive Oil. Use avocado oil or another neutral oil as a substitute.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts.
- Sauce. I use BBQ sauce with sriracha for some added heat.
- Red Onion. Diced.
- Broccoli. This adds fiber and a delightful crunch.
- Cheddar Cheese. Who can say no to a gooey, cheesy topping?
- Seasoning. I season with salt, pepper, and cajun seasoning.
- Fresh Cilantro. For fresh, herby flavor.
- Bacon (optional). This adds a salty, savory, mouthwatering quality.
- Pickled Red Onion. I pickled red onions on hand and topped the finished skillet with a bit of tanginess that really brought the flavors together. You can find the quick and easy recipe for pickled red onions here!
How to Make a Sweet Potato Skillet Meal
This sweet potato skillet is filled with chopped sweet potatoes, but it does not stop there. After the sweet potatoes are layered, seasoned BBQ chicken breasts are added, chopped red onion, fresh broccoli and cheddar cheese is baked until bubbly and golden.
Prepare the Ingredients
Clean and roughly chop the sweet potatoes and chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Then chop the red onion, cilantro (optional) and broccoli. If you are adding pickled red onions, prepare those too!
If you are adding crumbled bacon, prep bacon slices on a lined baking sheet and bake until crispy. Drain and set aside.
Now, measure the BBQ and sriracha sauce and shred the cheddar cheese. Altogether, all ingredients are prepped, and you can begin assembling the skillet.
Bake Sweet Potatoes
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a cast iron skillet (or oven-safe baking dish), pour in the cubed sweet potatoes. Next, drizzle olive oil over the sweet potatoes, add salt and pepper, and mix until everything is coated. Then bake the sweet potatoes for 15 minutes.
Add BBQ Chicken to Skillet
While the sweet potatoes are baking, prepare the BBQ chicken. In a medium sized bowl, add the clean and diced chicken breasts, cajun seasoning, BBQ and Sriracha sauce. Stir until chicken breasts are coated thoroughly with seasoning and sauce.
By the time this step is complete, the skillet should be ready for the next step!
Remove the parbaked sweet potatoes from the oven and place them on an oven safe mat. Then pour the coated chicken breasts over the parbaked sweet potatoes and spread the chicken breasts evenly over the layer of sweet potatoes. Bake the chicken breasts for 20 minutes at 425 degrees.
Add Veggies
Next, it is time to add the chopped broccoli and red onion. Evenly spread the broccoli and red onion on top of the parbaked chicken breasts and ensure the ingredients are layered and evenly spread throughout the cast iron skillet.
Bake again for 15 minutes until broccoli is fork tender but still has texture.
Top with Cheese
Finally, evenly sprinkle the cheddar cheese and bake until the cheese is bubbly and melted. Then top with additional BBQ sauce, fresh cilantro, crumbled bacon and pickled red onion.
Tips and Tricks
- The chicken will release moisture during the baking process, if this happens, be sure to drain any excess liquid after the chicken has baked for 20 minutes.
- Make sure the broccoli florets are chopped "small" enough to be eaten in bite sized pieces.
- Oven temps and times may vary, be sure to check each layer of ingredient after baking time.
BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Skillet Variations
- Chicken. Use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. Chicken breasts typically dry out quickly, and chicken thighs are able to hold more moisture. You can also use ground chicken or even ground beef instead.
- Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet. For a leaner option, top the diced sweet potatoes with ground turkey instead of chicken.
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Skillet. Don't limit this recipe to just lunch or dinner, add your favorite savory breakfast options (fried egg, crumbled sausage/bacon, etc.) to transform this skillet meal into a sweet potato hash!
- Potatoes. You can certainly use "white" potatoes such as russet, Idaho, Yukon or new potatoes instead of sweet potatoes!
- Veggies. Add more veggies! This recipe requires fresh chopped broccoli, but you can add more veggies such as zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms, kale, asparagus, green beans, or even spinach.
- Cheese. Try a variety of cheese. This recipe calls for cheddar cheese and I had smoked gouda left over and it paired perfectly. Try mozzarella, gouda, or even gorgonzola cheese!
- More Great Additions. Make this vegetarian by swapping the meat for black beans. Other ingredients include green onion and hot sauce for a little kick of spice.
How to Store Leftovers
Store the skillet in an airtight container. Skillet can be consumed for up to 3-4 days.
FAQ
Can I make BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Skillet in advance?
Absolutely! This recipe stores well in the fridge and is easy to reheat.
How long does it take to cook sweet potatoes?
It takes about 45 minutes to roast diced sweet potatoes.
What pairs well with sweet potatoes?
Sweet potatoes pair well with chicken and variety of vegetables including broccoli, green beans, and bell peppers.
I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS CHICKEN SWEET POTATO SKILLET RECIPE!
If you try this one pan recipe, I'd love to see it! Share it with me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb Sweet Potatoes
- 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
- 1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
- ¼ cup BBQ Sauce
- ¼ cup Sriracha Sauce
- ½ cup Red Onion
- 1 cup Broccoli
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese
- 3 slices Bacon optional
- 3 tablespoon Cilantro
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a cast iron skillet (or oven safe baking dish), pour in the cubed sweet potatoes.
- Next, drizzle olive oil over the sweet potatoes, add salt and pepper and mix until oil and seasonings are coated.
- It is important to note if you are adding crumbled bacon, prep bacon slices on a lined baking sheet and bake until crispy. Drain and set aside.
- Bake potatoes for 15 minutes.
- While the sweet potatoes are baking, prepare the BBQ chicken.
- In a medium sized bowl, add the clean and diced chicken breasts, Cajun seasoning, BBQ and Sriracha sauce.
- Stir until chicken breasts are coated thoroughly with seasoning and sauce.
- By the time this step is complete, the sweet potato skillet should be ready for the next step!
- Remove the par baked sweet potatoes from the oven and place on an oven safe mat.
- Now pour the coated chicken breasts over the par baked sweet potatoes and spread the chicken breasts evenly over the layer of sweet potatoes. Bake the chicken breasts for 20 minutes at 425 degrees.
- Next, it is time to add the chopped broccoli and red onion. Evenly spread the broccoli and red onion on top of the par baked chicken breasts and ensure the ingredients are layered and evenly spread throughout the cast iron skillet.
- Bake again for 15 minutes until broccoli is fork tender but still has texture.
- Finally, evenly sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Skillet and bake until the cheese is bubbly and melted.
- Top with additional BBQ sauce, fresh cilantro, crumbled bacon and pickled red onion.
Wilma says
We so enjoyed this meal !! Your recipe was easy to follow. Waiting on your next one!!! Yum 😋 yum 🤤