{Nourish} Build-Your-Own Smokey Chicken and Kraut Stuffed Sweet Potato
Taco Tuesday got a make-over and I am loving it. Sweet potatoes and tacos make regular appearances in our house so the first time I stumbled upon a build-your-own stuffed sweet potato, I was eager to recreate it. Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, this Chicken and Kraut Stuffed Sweet Potato is festive and easy to create. With mix-and-match toppings, everyone can build-their-own adventure and the leftovers, they’re as good, if not better, than the first bite.
How to Roast Potatoes
Roasting potatoes is super easy. I tend to do this step ahead of time during my early week meal-prep because my oven is already on, though you can bake or roast them on their own as well. My motto, “If my oven’s on, use it”. So, when I’m baking chicken, vegetables or a frittata, I add some whole potatoes to the fray so I am maximizing my oven use and planning ahead for the rest of the week
Roasting Instructions
For small to medium potatoes, which you will want to use in this recipe, preheat your oven to 425. Using a fork, poke holes in the sweet potato and place in a baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on it’s size. You’ll know it is ready when it’s squeezable, a very technical term. In others words it will be soft. You can test this by inserting a knife through the center – there should be little resistance.
Try this
Japanese Sweet Potatoes are my latest obsession. White on the inside and less sweet than a traditional sweet potato, they roast up beautifully and taste divine.
Swap
Don’t like sweet potatoes, you can use a traditional russet baking potato and the recipe will be just as yummy!
Create Your Taco Base
The nice thing about a recipe like this is that there are so many variations available. You can swap the ground chicken for pulled or diced chicken, beef, pork, or even fish.
Vegetarian Tacos
Skip the meat and opt for a traditional base like rice and beans or get creative with a southwest seasoned crumbled tofu that would be delicious with the seasonings in the recipe below.
Taco Toppings
Toppings make any dish better, don’t they? This is the fun part. Here are a few of my favorite taco/potato toppings that you could use for this recipe. I’m envisioning a stuffed potato party with a table full of toppings for everyone to choose from! Wether you are cooking for yourself or a group, you can make it feel fun.
- Ground chicken, turkey or beef
- Rice and Beans
- Salsa
- Guacamole or sliced avocado
- Shredded Cheese
- Plain Greek Yogurt or Light Sour Cream
- Cilantro or Scallions
- Peppers and Onions
- Radishes
- Cabbage Slaw, Kraut or Pickled Vegetables
Health Benefits of Kraut
Let’s be clear, the kraut I used in this recipe is a far cry from the version your grew up eating on your hotdog at a baseball game. Crunchy, and bold in flavor, this is the good stuff, people! Plus it’s teaming with healthy bacteria. Lacto-fermentation creates many of the same strains of good bacteria (probiotics) naturally found in your gut, making live culture fermented foods like sauerkraut, miso, kefir and fermented vegetables some of the best sources of probiotics. A diet rich in probiotics can contribute to a healthy microbiome (the community of trillions of bacteria that live within and around us). Plus, sauerkraut or fermented vegetables are naturally rich in prebiotic fiber, which feeds the healthy bacteria so they can thrive.
Health Benefits of Probiotics
While we still have a lot to learn, we now know that our gut health is directly related to our overall health. Here are a few compelling reasons to support the colony of healthy bacteria in your digestive tract:
o Regulate immune system and prevent disease
o Boost energy production & support a healthy metabolism
o Assist with absorption of vitamins and minerals
o Improve digestion
o Aid in brain and mood funtions
About Farmhouse Culture Brand
Farmhouse Culture, a brand I am thrilled to be working with, crafts organic, naturally fermented food and beverages, from bold-flavored Krauts, Fermented Vegetables and Gut Shots, to first-of-their-kind probiotic-rich Kraut-based tortilla chips (Kraut Krisps). To explore products, learn more about probiotics and gut health, or find your nearest store provider, visit www.farmhouseculture.com.
Meal Prep Tips
This Chicken Taco and Kraut Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe was made for meal prep. Here are a few tips to get your started.
- Roast potatoes or sweet potatoes ahead of time and store in the fridge for 3-4 days
- Cook the taco meat and store in the fridge for 3-4 days
- Make the salsa and store in the fridge for 3 days. No time to make salsa, buy it!
- Chop herbs and vegetables and store in the fridge for 3 days
Build-Your-Own Smokey Chicken and Kraut Stuffed Sweet Potato
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 4 Servings
Ingredients
- 4-6, small sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup diced yellow onion
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1-pound ground chicken
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½-3/4 cup Farmhouse Culture Smoked Jalapeño kraut
- ½-3/4 cup pineapple mango salsa (recipe below)
- 2-3 radishes, sliced
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork and place them in a baking dish. Bake until soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the size of the potato.
- When the potatoes are almost done cooking, heat the oil in a medium sized sauté pan at medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and pinch of salt and cook, stirring regularly, for 2-3 minutes, or until softened.
- Add the ground chicken and cook, breaking up the chicken, for 3-4 minutes. Season with cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook an additional minute or until browned and cooked through.
- Using a sharp knife, make a lengthwise slit in each cooked potato and push ends of each potato toward each other to open.
- Fill each potato with ½ cup ground chicken. Top with salsa, kraut, radishes, avocado and fresh cilantro. Serve.
Pineapple Mango Salsa
- 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple, diced
- ½ cup fresh mango, diced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- ½ jalapeño or Serrano pepper, finely chopped
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Serve.
Katie, this recipe is absolutely delicious. I also share the motto that if my oven is on use it! I think if I didn’t I wouldn’t get anything prepped ahead of time. I love setting up “bars” so everyone can customize to their liking. So yummy!
Hi Holley! I agree, setting up DIY bars so much fun!
Katie,
You managed to combine two of my favorite foods on earth – tacos and sweet potatoes. This bar looks so inviting and delicious. Love all of the toppings and the smoked jalapeno kraut is easily my favorite from the Farmhouse Culture line.
Hi Marisa, glad to know we share the love of sweet potatoes and tacos, and Farmhouse Culture Kraut! Their products are so good!
This looks so colorful and full of flavor! I love sweet potatoes, and this looks like a great new way to enjoy them!
Thanks, Brittany!
I love all the colours and flavours in this dish! Looks like a lot of fun to prepare 🙂
Definitely fun to prepare!
I’m just starting to experiment with sauerkraut. It’s surprisingly good with just about anything (PB + kraut on crackers?! yes!). I’m pinning this to try soon!
PB + Kraut?! Cool! Thanks for the pin. Enjoy!
I love Farmhouse culture! They are local to me and create the best kraut. totally going to make this.
That’s awesome! Lucky you to have FHC local to you!
“Build-Your-Own” recipes are some of my favorites.. so easy to customize! Loving all of the flavors that are packed into this sweet potato!
They really are so much fun! Thanks, Kara!
These look so flavorful and amazing! Love all of the fun ingredients – pinning for this weekend!
Awesome! Thanks for the pin, Charlene. 🙂
Wow this looks delicious!! Borderline obsessed with pineapple mango salsa.
Thanks, Stacey! The salsa is SO refreshing! 🙂