Paleo chicken and sweet potatoes recipe
Chicken and sweet potatoes are a match made in heaven if you ask me. And this paleo version is not only super delicious but it’s also filled with good for you ingredients. It also fits well into a paleo diet.
Paleo sweet potato with chicken
This recipe stems from my time working for Paleo Magazine here in the Netherlands. And while I made tons of recipes at the time, this is definitely one of my favorites. I made this with chicken thighs but if you don’t like that you can easily substitute for chicken breast or even shredded chicken or ground chicken. Whatever you choose, it is the combination that makes this special. And definitely a recipe that the whole family will love. It’s an easy weeknight dinner if you’ve prepared the chicken in advance.
How to make this chicken recipe
For this easy recipe you do not need a lot of ingredients. I marinate the chicken first so get that done before you start anything else. And keep in mind that you can actually do this overnight. The flavors have more time to soak in and you don’t have to wait half an hour before continuing to the rest of the recipe. The best way to add the marinate is actually in a plastic bag. You add the olive oil, crushed garlic and the lemon juice into the plastic bag, add the chicken legs and rub the marinade in. Pop in the fridge for at least half an hour to let the flavors soak in.
Of course you can also use a large bowl to do the same.
Pop into the oven
After the chicken is marinated you take a large skillet or cast iron skillet (as long as it is ovenproof) and you place it on high heat with a bit of olive oil or coconut oil. Fry the chicken until it is golden brown on the outside and then pop into the oven while placing the oven rack in the middle of the oven and bake them for about 15-20 minutes until the legs are cooked through and have crispy skin. If you’re more of a bbq chicken kind of person you could brush over some hot sauce or buffalo sauce while baking in the oven to give it an extra twist.
Sweet potato puree
For this particular recipe I chose to make a sweet potato puree, but this would also work really well with sweet potato fries (have you tried the sweet potato tempura fries yet?) or any other sweet potato bake. But I love making it into a puree as that works delicious with the burned orange.
I chop the sweet potatoes into smaller cubes and place them in a pot of water on medium heat. Cook until they are soft, drain and let them steam a bit to release moisture. Now use a potato masher to make it into a puree or you could use a stick blender as well if you prefer a really smooth result. I haven’t added anything else to the sweet potato but you could use a bit of coconut milk to greater a silkier result.
You can season the puree with salt and pepper or additionally add some garlic powder or a little bit of chili powder to give it a kick.
Baked orange
There is something utterly satisfying about burning orange. And the combination with sweet potato is perfect with the chicken. I slice the orange in thin slices and heat a pan with coconut oil. I bake the orange until it is starting to brown. Serve the slices of orange with the chicken and the sweet potato puree.
Variations
If you’re a fan of sheet pan meals, it is definitely possible to change this great recipe into a tray bake version. You follow the same steps but instead of the puree you place all the sweet potato cubes on the baking tray and pop everything in the oven together. Instead of the thin slices of orange you slice the oranges in half and add them to the baking tray with cut side up. After browning the chicken first (don’t skip that step) you place the chicken on top of the sweet potatoes and roast everything in the oeven for about 20-25 minutes or until everything is cooked through.
It’s the perfect dinner recipe and of course it is gluten free and lactose free.
Once the tray bake is out of the oven you could sprinkle it additionally with some green onions.
If you like paleo recipes, check here for more!
Paleo chicken and sweet potatoes recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken drumsticks
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 sweet potatoes
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 1 orange sliced
- Start by marinating the chicken. First sprinkle the chicken with salt. Next, make the marinade by mixing 2 tablespoons of lemon juice with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the garlic.
- Place the chicken in a bowl and rub with the marinade. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes, but overnight is fine.
- When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200˚C. (400˚F)
- Heat a frying pan with coconut oil and fry the chicken legs until golden brown. Discard the remaining marinade.
- Place the chicken in the oven to roast for about 18-20 minutes. During the last five minutes, add the rosemary sprigs to the pan.
- Peel and dice the sweet potatoes. Boil the potatoes, drain and mash with a masher. Season with salt and pepper.
- Fry the orange slices in a pan with a little oil until golden brown and caramelized.
- Serve the mash with the chicken legs and orange slices.
Nutrition Information per portion
Disclaimer
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
