BBQ CHICKEN STUFFED SWEET POTATOES

Feb 27, 2012

smitten ⋅ appitizer, bacon, chicken, gluten free, hearty dinners, sides, slow cooker, vegetarian ⋅ bacon, bbq, cheese, chicken, dinner, Gluten free, slow cooker, sweet potato ⋅ 3 comments

•This is a set it and forget it kind of a recipe.  Chicken is cooked in the slow cooker and the sweet potatoes are baked in the oven, heck even had time to make my own bbq sauce.  It’s a great combination with the tanginess of the sauce and chicken, sweetness of the potatoes, salty bacon, crispy potato skins, sharp cheddar flavor and finally the crunch and freshness of the red onion and cilantro on top.  Can be made as appetizers, a side dish or a main course.

inspired from Natalie’s Killer Cuisine BBQ Chicken stuffed in a loaded baked Sweet Potato recipe

 

6 medium sized sweet potatoes-round ones work the best

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used frozen) or use rotisserie chicken, shredded

1/2 red onion-sliced (will used other half below)

2 cloves garlic-roughly chopped

1 1/2 cup tangy honey bbq sauce or your favorite bbq sauce (I doubled the recipe so had a little more to throw around at the end)

5 slices bacon

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 can black beans-drained and rinsed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tsp olive oil- for brushing

1/2 red onion-chopped

fresh cilantro-roughly chopped

 

makes 12 stuffed sweet potatoes

prep and cooking time-9 hours

400°

 

In a slow cooker, add sliced onion, garlic, chicken and 1 cup water.  Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper and set on low for 8 hours.  After 7 hours shred the chicken with two forks or tongs and mix in 3/4 cup tangy honey bbq sauce or your store bought bbq sauce.  Let continue to cook for a hour while you start on the potatoes.

    

Preheat oven to 400°.  Lay out the bacon on a foil lined rimmed baking pan and bake in the oven 15-20 min until it’s done to your liking.  Without losing any of that glorious bacon fat, transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.  Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise.  On the same baking pan you cooked the bacon on, carefully roll the potatoes around in the bacon fat.  Sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt and pepper, and then lay them cut side down on the baking sheet.  Bake for 30-35 min, or until soft.  Once finished, let cool until you can handle them.

    

Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out sweet potato flesh, leaving just the slightest bit in the skin.  Mash the potatoes with 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper.  Taste for seasoning and mix in the black beans. 

    

Take the potato skins and place them bake on a baking sheet cut-side down, then brush or spray the skins with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper if desired. Cook for 10-15 min, then flip and cook for 4-5 min more.  You are looking to make these babies crispy.

Remove skins from the oven and fill each with about 2-3 tbls of the cheddar, sweet potato, and black bean mash.

Spoon over bbq chicken,  crumble the bacon over, and 1/2 cup of the remaing bbq sauce.

Sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup cheese.  Place back on the baking sheet, repeating with remaining potatoes.  Bake for 4-5 min more, until cheese melts. 

Serve hot and top with cilantro, chopped onion, remaining 1/4 bbq sauce and hot sauce♥Enjoy

•You can prep up to the “crisping up the skins step”, fill and enjoy.  If using rotisserie chicken from the store adjust the seasoning accordingly.

•Can be vegetarian-leave out the chicken and bacon (even though every vegetarian I’ve met has bacon as the “one” exception) and follow the rest of the directions accordingly-might have to adjust salt.

 

shared on these linky parties~come join the fun!