Is there such a thing as the perfect dish? If there is, this might be a contender. Why? Well, it tastes amazing, which might just be enough. But also, the components are mostly pantry-staples, and even better: you can assign different parts to different kitchen helpers, making this a great everyone-pitches-in sort of a meal. And did I mention it tastes great? Definitely one of our current favorites.
If you have a favorite Mexican-inspired seasoning blend, feel free to use that instead of the herbs mentioned below.
Mexican-spiced Spicy Sweet Potato & Chicken Bowl
Serves 5 - 6
Ingredients
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch(ish) chunks
2 large heads of cauliflower, cut into florets
olive oil, for greasing and frying, plus more for seasoning the chicken
500 grams skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch(ish) chunks
1 tsp chipotle pepper powder, plus extra for sprinkling
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
ground pepper
2 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 red onion, finely diced
400 g canned chopped tomatoes
2 ripe avocado, pit removed and flesh cut into chunks
Sour cream, optional
Handfuls of fresh cilantro, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. For easier clean-up, line two baking sheets with foil.
Add sweet potato chunks to one pan. Drizzle and toss with olive oil, season well with salt and pepper and chipotle pepper (to taste). Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes.
Add cauliflower to other pan. Toss cauliflower with olive oil, and season with salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of chipotle (to taste). Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken chunks, 1/4 cup olive oil, chipotle pepper, paprika, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and ground pepper (to taste). Set aside until ready to cook. (You can do this step up to 4 hours in advance, if you'd like).
When ready to cook, heat a small amount of oil in a saute pan over medium heat, add the garlic and red onion and saute gently until softened. Add the chicken breast chunks, lightly season with paprika and a pinch of salt and pepper and brown the chicken for 10 to 15 minutes or until browned on most of the surfaces.
Add the chopped tomatoes, then leave to simmer for 20 minutes until thickened.
To serve, pile sweet potatoes, cauliflower and chicken in your bowl, as desired. Top with cubes of avocado, dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!