Description
Hearty Crustless Chicken and Sweet Potato Delight combines comforting Southern flavors in one skillet meal. Juicy chicken nestles with caramelized sweet potatoes, creating a protein-packed dinner you’ll savor with complete satisfaction.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3–4 cups shredded chicken (cooked)
- 1.5 cups sweet potatoes or Yukon potatoes (1 medium), cut into small bite-sized cubes
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup milk (skim, 2%, or whole)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2–4 cups baby spinach, chopped (optional)
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 large carrots, sliced into coins
- 2 large celery sticks, sliced
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1–2 tbsps butter (unsalted preferred)
- ⅓ cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour (gluten-free flour if needed)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1–2 tbsps fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Flavor Foundation: Melt butter in a dutch oven over medium-low heat. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery until softened, approximately 6-8 minutes. Add minced garlic in the final moments to create an aromatic base.
- Texture Enhancement: Sprinkle flour over softened vegetables, stirring to coat evenly. Briefly toast the flour to eliminate raw flavor and develop a subtle nuttiness.
- Liquid Harmony: Pour chicken stock and milk into the vegetable mixture, whisking consistently to prevent lumps. Introduce sweet potatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer until potatoes become tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Final Assembly: Remove from heat and incorporate cooked chicken, frozen peas, parsley, and optional spinach. Gently fold ingredients together, returning to low heat to warm through and meld flavors for an additional 5 minutes.
- Finishing Touch: Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Allow the dish to rest briefly before serving, enabling flavors to fully integrate and develop a rich, comforting profile.
Notes
- Prevent Lumps: Whisk stock and milk slowly and steadily to avoid creating unwanted flour clumps in the sauce.
- Sweet Potato Timing: Cut sweet potatoes into uniform 1-inch cubes to ensure even cooking and consistent tenderness throughout the dish.
- Low and Slow Technique: Maintain a gentle simmer when cooking to preserve vegetable texture and prevent scorching the bottom of the pot.
- Flavor Melding: Allow the dish to rest 5-10 minutes after cooking to let seasonings and ingredients fully integrate, enhancing overall taste profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg