Pesto Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Easy and healthy pesto chicken stuffed sweet potatoes. Packed with protein, essential nutrients, and antioxidants, these are perfect for dinner and make great leftovers for lunch the next day.

These pesto chicken stuffed sweet potatoes have become one of my all time favorite dinner or meal prep recipes! It’s simple enough to meal prep for the family, but fancy enough to serve when you have friends over.

One thing that I love about this recipe is that all the work can be done while the sweet potatoes are baking. Here’s what you’ll do after you throw the sweet potatoes in the oven:

1. Whip up your pesto - I highly recommend making your own. It only takes 10 minutes to make, and you will notice a huge difference in freshness between homemade and store bought pesto. Check out my dairy free pesto recipe here.

2. Make the shredded chicken - I’ve included directions for my favorite way to make shredded chicken by boiling it. This creates incredibly juicy and tender chicken. I use this method when I add shredded chicken to soup, make chicken salad, etc.

3. Mix the pesto and shredded chicken together.

4. Once the sweet potatoes are done, stuff them with the chicken mixture.

   
   
   

Tips and modifications

• If you’re short on time, buy pesto instead of making it.
• Use an organic rotisserie chicken instead of making your own shredded chicken to save additional time.
• If making your own shredded chicken, make it last so that it’s done right before the potatoes come out of the oven. That way it will still be hot when you stuff the sweet potatoes.
• Make a double batch of pesto and use it on sandwiches/wraps, as a veggie dip, or as a pizza sauce.
• Not a fan of sweet potatoes? The chicken pesto mixture is great on it’s own. Eat it on a sandwich, with crackers, or just plain!
• Not a fan of sun dried tomatoes? It’s perfectly fine to leave them out of this recipe or replace them with pine nuts for an extra crunch.

How do you tell when sweet potatoes are done?

The juice from the sweet potatoes will be bubbling out and the skin will wrinkle up when they’re done. Quickly squeeze the sides of the potatoes to check for doneness. Be careful because they will be hot! If the potatoes still feel hard, they aren’t quite done yet. You can also insert a knife or a fork in the top of the potatoes. The potatoes are done if the knife/fork easily inserts.

Health benefits of eating sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are nutrient dense and a great source of vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6, as well as iron, potassium, and magnesium. They also contain fiber and antioxidants that are important for gut health. Lastly, they are rich in beta-carotene (the antioxidant that makes sweet potatoes orange), which can support eye health.

Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 6

Ingredients

• 6 medium sweet potatoes

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil

• Pinch of salt and garlic powder

• 1lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

• ¾ c dairy-free pesto

• ¼ c packed sun dried tomatoes, diced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Coat the sweet potatoes with coconut oil. Place them on the baking sheet and sprinkle salt and garlic powder over them. Bake the potatoes for about 50-60 minutes or until they are soft and bubbling.

3. Meanwhile, make the pesto (if making homemade) and set aside.

4. Next, make the shredded chicken. Place the chicken breasts in a large pot and season with salt and pepper. Cover the chicken completely with water (the water should be about 1-2 inches above the chicken).

5. Bring the chicken to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken breasts. Make sure to check the temperature of the chicken often starting at the 10 minute mark so the chicken doesn’t overcook and become dry. The chicken is done when it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. Immediately remove the chicken from the pan and shred using two forks or a hand mixer.

7. Combine the shredded chicken, pesto, and sun dried tomatoes in a mixing bowl. 

8. Once the sweet potatoes are done, slice them in half lengthwise (without cutting all the way through) and generously stuff them with the chicken mixture. Serve immediately.