Spiced Chicken and Sweet Potato Skillet

This one-pan dinner cooks chicken thighs with diced sweet potatoes and kale, building flavor through browning, covered steaming, and a brief finish uncovered so the vegetables soften and the sauce clings to the pan ingredients.

By Julienne

Cook time: 28 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 g fine salt divided
• 1 g black pepper divided
• 4 g smoked paprika
• 2 g ground cumin
• 20 ml olive oil divided
• 700 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs trimmed and cut into 4 cm pieces
• 10 ml olive oil divided
• 150 g yellow onion thinly sliced
• 500 g sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes
• 6 g fine salt divided
• 1 g black pepper divided
• 12 g garlic cloves minced
• 1 g crushed red pepper flakes optional
• 180 ml low-sodium chicken stock
• 15 ml apple cider vinegar
• 10 ml maple syrup
• 140 g kale stems removed, leaves chopped
• 8 g fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Season the chicken with 4 g of the salt, 1 g of the black pepper, the smoked paprika, and the cumin. Heat 20 ml of the olive oil in a 30 cm skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes total; do not cook through yet. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Chicken is browned on the outside and still slightly undercooked in the center.
2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 10 ml olive oil, onion, sweet potatoes, remaining 6 g salt, and remaining 1 g black pepper to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the sweet potatoes start to take on color, about 6 to 7 minutes. Onion is softened and sweet potato edges are lightly browned.
3. Add the garlic and, if using, the red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds, then pour in the chicken stock, apple cider vinegar, and maple syrup. Scrape up any browned bits from the pan. The liquid is simmering and the browned bits are released from the pan bottom.
4. Return the chicken and any juices to the skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chicken reaches 74 C in the thickest pieces, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir once halfway through to redistribute the ingredients. Sweet potatoes yield easily to a fork and the chicken is fully cooked at 74 C.
5. Uncover, add the kale, and cook, stirring, until the kale is wilted and the sauce lightly coats everything, about 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust only with additional salt if needed from the remaining seasoning amount already measured out. Kale is wilted and the skillet looks glossy, not watery.
6. Off the heat, sprinkle with chopped parsley if using and serve immediately from the skillet. Finished dish is steaming hot and ready to plate.