One thing I always keep stocked in my kitchen? The potato bowl. Or at least that’s what it’s turned into recently. My hearty produce bowl was completely taken over by an excessive amount of sweet potatoes (pic below for proof) and that’s probably because of my obsession with stuffed sweet potatoes.
Earlier this year we cooked taco stuffed sweet potatoes—which I still make weekly—and last week I switched it up with the buffalo chickpea stuffed sweet potatoes from Don’t Think About Dinner (kindle version still on sale for $2.99 btw!!). It’s the perfect way to SP, so today I’m sharing a brand-new, super-fun version with you.
It’s a classic with a small twist: buffalo chicken kale caesar stuffed sweet potatoes. And they’re a total win—packed with nutrients and flexible enough to make on a weeknight, or prep ahead. It’s sort of like your average “girl dinner” of a salad + sweet potato fries, but a little more filling and fiber-packed thanks to a hearty combination of protein and fiber. We have so much great texture in the form of crunchiness—the chicken is breaded with a walnut-breadcrumb combo (sneaky nutrients!!), which also serves as a topping.
Behind the scenes… I was so excited about the crunchy, crispy chicken that I dropped the entire bowl of diced chicken on the floor while testing the initial recipe 🙃 Kate Eats Goood and I still devoured the safe pieces. I can’t wait for you to try this one for a fun weeknight dinner, or prep it ahead of the best week of lunches!
Prepping ahead? Wait to dress the kale until you’re ready to serve.
Serve as a bowl: Cube the sweet potatoes and bake on a sheet pan at 400°F for 25 to 35 minutes. Serve in a bowl with the dressed kale and chicken.
Chicken too thick? Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of parchment paper on a sturdy counter or cutting board. With a rolling pin, pound the chicken to 1/2-inch thickness, or place a hand on top of parchment paper and carefully slice the chicken in half using a sharp knife. Thin chicken = ultimate crispiness!
Want more crunch? Skip the salad and crisp up your kale on the sheet pan with the sweet potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes. Drizzle lightly with the dressing and sprinkle with cheese.
Not a fan of buffalo? Omit and keep the breaded chicken as-is, or swap for barbecue sauce.
Short on time? Skip the chicken prep entirely and use rotisserie chicken!
buffalo chicken kale caesar stuffed sweet potatoes
serves 4 | prep time: 30 minutes | cook time: 40 minutes | chill time: 15 minutes
gluten-free
INGREDIENTS
For the Sweet Potatoes
4 medium sweet potatoes, halved lengthwise
olive oil
kosher salt
For the Buffalo Chicken and Crumbs
3/4 cup walnuts, divided
3/4 cup gluten-free panko, divided
1/3 cup tapioca flour (or arrowroot starch)
kosher salt
ground black pepper
garlic powder
1 large egg
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced or pounded into 1/2-inch thick pieces
avocado oil, for cooking (or other neutral oil)
1/2 cup buffalo sauce
For the Kale Caesar Salad
4 ounces tuscan or curly kale, very finely chopped
1/2 cup caesar dressing (see notes for my homemade recipe)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, additional for topping (if desired)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two large sheet pans with parchment paper.
Roast the sweet potatoes: Place the halved sweet potatoes on one prepared sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil and a few pinches of salt. Use clean hands to coat the sweet potatoes evenly, then turn them cut side down on the pan. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven until fork-tender and crisp, 28 to 30 minutes. Cook time will vary depending on potato size.
Place the walnuts on a cutting board and finely chop into very small, sand-like pieces, or pulse in a food processor. Reserve about one-third of the chopped walnuts (about 1/4 cup) in a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the panko to the bowl and mix to combine. When the sweet potatoes have 5 minutes of baking time remaining, sprinkle the walnut-breadcrumb mixture around them so they can toast.
Create a 3-part dredging station: To one low bowl, plate, or 1/4 sheet pan: add the tapioca flour and mix in a generous pinch of salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. To a second bowl: add the remaining walnuts and panko. To a third bowl: add the egg and whisk with 1 tablespoon of water.
One piece at a time, coat the chicken completely in the tapioca flour mixture, then move to the egg wash and coat the chicken completely, then move to the walnut-panko mixture and fully coat. Place each piece on the parchment-lined sheet pan. Repeat the process for each piece of chicken. (For easier cooking, place the coated chicken tray in the freezer for about 15 minutes before frying so the coating sticks).
Cook the chicken: Heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat and fill with 1/2-inch of avocado oil. When the oil is hot, carefully add the chicken in a single layer (cook in batches as needed). Cook for about 4 minutes per side, until the panko is golden and crisp and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF. Set aside on a wire rack or tray to cool, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes and add to a mixing bowl. Drizzle with the buffalo sauce and toss to coat.
While the chicken cools, prepare the salad: add the kale to a mixing bowl and toss with the caesar dressing and parmesan until very well coated. Set aside.
Assemble: flip each sweet potato half over and gently mash the insides. Top each one with the salad, pushing it into the sweet potato to stuff it as best as possible, followed by the buffalo chicken. Sprinkle the tops with the walnut-panko crumbs from the sheet pan, plus additional grated parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve.
STORE IT: Refrigerate the potatoes, chicken, and kale in separate sealed containers for up to 4 days. For optimal prep-ahead results, wait to dress the salad until serving.
REHEAT IT: Microwave the sweet potatoes until warm, 1 to 2 minutes. To reheat the chicken, I recommend air frying or baking at 350ºF until crispy and warm, 5 to 10 minutes. Alternatively, microwave the chicken until warm, about 1 minute. Assemble with the chilled salad.
recipe notes
Chill time: Letting the dredged chicken sit in the freezer for about 15 minutes before frying helps the coating stick better when added to the hot oil. Keeping the oil clean is especially key for crispy chicken if you will be cooking in batches.
Vegetarian: Swap the chicken for one 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed. Toss them on a second sheet pan with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and roast alongside the sweet potatoes until crispy. Or swap for one 14-ounce block of extra-form small-cubed tofu, breaded the same, if desired.
Use my tahini caesar dressing recipe: Add 1/4 cup tahini, the juice of 1 small lemon, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1 grated garlic clove, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder to jar or bowl and whisk to combine. Add up to 4 tablespoons of warm water, one at a time, to thin out the dressing to your desired consistency.
roast your sweet potatoes to perfection
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I hope you all have a great rest of your week, and keep an eye out for Friday’s newsletter with a new bonus recipe and dinner plan for the week!
If you prep these stuffed sweet potatoes, let me know and don’t forget to send pics in our chat!
Jenn this was SO good and it’s getting added to the dinner rotation!!
Fam loved this last night! Asked for it again today!