Recipe Background
Yummy Harvest Chicken Bake is vibrant and easy with sweet potatoes that practically caramelize.
The year was 1998, and I had just landed my very first apartment—a snug little space with barely enough room for an oven. My friend Hal threw me a housewarming party, bringing along his single greatest contribution: a retro, teal casserole dish that inspired the evening’s creation. After a week of frozen dinners, finding farmers' market sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts in my fridge felt like a culinary jackpot. The smoked paprika and cumin made it feel adventurous, reminiscent of Hal’s stories from his travels through Spain. Meanwhile, the cranberries and cheddar cheese balanced the dish with comfort and familiarity.
As I tossed everything together with some avocado oil, I remembered Hal's advice on letting the vegetables caramelize slightly before adding anything else, guaranteeing they’d hold their own against the heartiness of the chicken. The very first bite, shared among friends sprawled on the mismatched floor cushions, was a revelation—the dance of textures and flavors as sweet, savory, and tart met they ended with cheesy goodness. The dish became the star of many more gatherings to come, symbolizing my first steps into adulthood and the unexpected joy of a well-done bake. That night taught me the magic of having an easy go-to recipe and the beauty of sharing it with those who mean the world to you.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts trimmed and quartered
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil divided
- kosher salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 pounds chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- parsley to taste, chopped, for garnish
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a 9x13-inch baking dish, add the sweet potatoes, the Brussels sprouts, the garlic, the onion, the paprika, and the cumin.
- Drizzle the veggies with 1 tablespoon of the avocado oil and season with the salt and the pepper. Toss well to coat.
- Pour the broth over the veggies and cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake the veggies until they are fork-tender, about 22-25 minutes.
- While the veggies are baking, in a large skillet, heat the remaining oil.
- Add the chicken pieces, the salt, and the pepper to the oil and sear them until golden-brown on all sides and almost cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.
- Transfer the veggie mixture to a wire rack and stir in the chicken pieces and the cranberries, then sprinkle with the cheese.
- Bake the casserole, uncovered, until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and the juices run clear, about 10-12 minutes.
- Serve the chicken bake garnished with the parsley.
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