Using less than 10 real food ingredients and made all in one dish, this recipe comes together fast. Our Sweet Potato Chicken Bake with Broccoli is a simple and delicious recipe that makes a darn good and easy weeknight dinner. You’ll love the leftovers, too. They reheated very well and are an easy and health solution for the next day’s lunch.
a delicious weeknight meal
Sweet Potato Chicken Bake with Broccoli is a well-balanced, one-dish meal. It includes a healthy source of protein from the chicken, quality fats from the olive oil and nuts, and fiber-rich carbohydrates from the sweet potato, broccoli, and onion. Sweet Potato Broccoli Chicken Bake will be a sure-fire favorite for you and your family. We love to serve it in bowls topped with a sprinkle of fresh grated Parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice to really make the flavors pop.
Ingredients for Chicken Sweet Potato Bake with Broccoli
Calling for less than 10 ingredients, this recipe come together fast and with flavors that are loved by families everywhere. The sweet potatoes and dates add a touch of sweetness that complements the chicken and veggies perfectly.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs – we prefer boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe, but breasts will work great, too
- Broccoli florets – you can also cut up the broccoli stems
- Sweet potato – scrub them clean or peel them, then cut into ¼-½ inch cubes
- Red onion and garlic cloves – you’ll need a medium red onion and 2-3 garlic cloves (or 1 tablespoon minced garlic)
- Chopped dates – may substitute raisins or dried cranberries
- Olive oil or avocado oil
- Dried Italian seasoning – feel free to change up the seasonings. We like to change the flavors of this dish by adding a pinch of chili powder and cumin in place of the Italian seasoning
- Fine salt and black pepper
- Chopped pecans or walnuts (or both) – toast the nuts to bring out the crunch and flavors
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Shredded Parmesan or Manchego cheese – optional for garnishing, but delicious
- Lemon or lime wedges – a squeeze of citrus helps brighten all the other flavors
For the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition information, listing kcals, protein, carbohydrates, cholesterol, fiber, sugar, sodium, total fat, and more per serving.
How to Make Sweet Potato Chicken Bake with Broccoli
Follow these quick steps to get this easy one-dish dinner on your table tonight:
- While the oven is preheating, in a 9×13 dish combine the chicken, broccoli, sweet potatoes, red onion, garlic, dates, oil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Toss until everything is coated evenly with the oil and seasoning.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the foil, stir, and continue to roast for another 15-20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Meanwhile, toast the nuts by placing a small skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the nuts to the skillet. Toss the nuts occasionally, cooking until the pecans and/or walnuts give off a nutty aroma, 4-7 minutes. Watch them carefully so they don’t burn. Remove the nuts from the heat.
- Sprinkle the nuts over the Sweet Potato Broccoli Chicken Bake just before serving. Serve and top with cheese and/or a squeeze of lemon juice or lime and garnish with fresh thyme leaves, if desired.
What Makes Sweet Potato Chicken Bake Healthy?
Not only is the recipe easy to make, it’s also incredibly wholesome. Below we highlight why we think this dish is so great from a nutritional aspect.
- Broccoli – is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, fiber, and antioxidants. A half cup of cooked broccoli supplies 84% of the recommended daily value for immune-boosting vitamin C
- Sweet Potato – a top source of both soluble and insoluble fiber (great for digestion!), vitamins, and minerals. Beta-carotene, found abundantly in the orange varieties of sweet potatoes, is converted to vitamin A in your body, which may help improve eye health and also build a strong immune system
- Chicken – a healthy source of quality protein that you can count on providing you with lean, lasting energy, and essential nutrients like amino acids, niacin, selenium, and vitamin B6. Curious how to select the best chicken for you? Read this post for detailed info on what to look for on poultry labels
- Walnuts and olive oil – both are wonderful sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which help promote healthy cholesterol levels and also provide antioxidants
How to meal prep this recipe
This sweet potato chicken recipe is make-ahead friendly. There are two ways you can prep this recipe ahead.
Prep the recipe entirely.
- After the chicken and veggie bakes comes out of the oven, allow it to cool and then transfer it to an airtight container, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, return the cooked ingredients to an oven-safe or microwave-safe dish. Add a little water or chicken broth, cover it with foil, and bake in a 350-degree preheated oven until hot, 6-8 minutes. Or, reheat portions (uncovered) in the microwave set at 70% power. Start with 2 minutes and add time as needed.
Prep the recipe up to the point of cooking to make for an easy weeknight meal.
- Pre-chop, slice, and mince the broccoli, sweet potato, onion, garlic. Store the veggies together in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Pre-cube the chicken; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Chop the dates and toast the nuts. Store in separate containers.
- When it comes time to make this dinner, these steps taken ahead of time will make it all come together quickly and easily on a weeknight!
how to store leftovers of chicken and veggie bake
Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat in an oven, place the cooked ingredients in an oven-safe dish. Add a little water or chicken broth, cover with foil, and bake in a 350-degree preheated oven until hot, 6-8 minutes.
- To reheat in a microwave, place a portion in a microwave-safe dish or bowl and reheat portions (uncovered) in the microwave set at 70% power. Start with 2 minutes and add time as needed.
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Sweet Potato Broccoli Chicken Bake
This delicious and healthy chicken and veggie recipe is a one-dish wonder! With a variety of textures, flavors, and nutrients, this well-loved recipe also make wonderful leftovers and is easy to clean up, too!
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 5 cups broccoli florets (may also use the broccoli stems)
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled or scrubbed and cut into ¼–½ inch cubes (2-2 ½ cups)
- ½ medium red onion, sliced (⅔ cup)
- 2–3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup chopped dates (may substitute raisins or dried cranberries)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped pecans or walnuts (or a mix), toasted
- Lemon or lime wedge and/or shredded Parmesan (optional – omit for dairy-free and Whole30)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Mist a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray (may also use a round 10-inch baking dish or any 3-quart baking dish).
- In the dish, combine the chicken pieces, broccoli, sweet potatoes, red onion, garlic, dates, oil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Toss until all ingredients are coated evenly with the oil and seasonings.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the foil, stir, and continue to bake (uncovered) until the sweet potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F, another 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toast the nuts by placing a small skillet over medium heat. Add the nuts to the skillet. Toast until the nuts are lightly browned and fragrant, stirring occasionally and watching carefully so they don’t burn, 4-7 minutes. Remove nuts from heat.
- Stir in or sprinkle the nuts over the Sweet Potato Broccoli Chicken Bake just before serving. Serve topped shredded cheese and a lemon wedge and garnish with fresh thyme leaves, if desired.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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Notes
Sheet Pan Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 °F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- On the sheet pan, combine the broccoli, sweet potato, onion, and garlic. Drizzle with oil, add seasonings, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Spread ingredients in an even layer on the sheet pan, cover with foil, and bake 12 minutes.
- After 12 minutes, remove from oven, remove the foil, add the chicken, toss and replace the foil. Return to the oven for another 8 minutes. Remove from oven again, stir in the raisins and untoasted nuts, and return to oven (without foil) and bake until the chicken is cooked through and sweet potatoes are soft, another 8-10 minutes.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 355
- Fat: 13 g
- (Sat Fat: 2 g)
- Sodium: 560 mg
- Carbohydrate: 16 g
- (Fiber: 4 g
- Sugar: 12 g)
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
Dietary
Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel Cook of Half Acre House.
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Kelly says
Am I going crazy or did this recipe change mysteriously? I feel like it used to have feta and everything was baked all together in a baking dish not a baking sheet? If so, I’d love to see a link to the original as it was a bit simpler. Thanks!!
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Kelly, the feta cheese was optional feel free to add it. As far as the recipe goes, the only difference is that the chicken is added a little later to prevent it from drying out. Feel free to combine everything at once and it can be baked in a baking dish or pan.
Jen says
You’re not crazy, or maybe we both are! Lol
When I first found it the directions were for a casserole dish, and now they are for a baking sheet with parchment. Either probably will be a success, it’s a great recipe! I think it didn’t originally make reference to the cranberries, either, I feel like it was strictly raisins on that line.
It was a big hit here, though!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Jen (and Kelly!),
Neither of you are crazy – Stacie updated the recipe to use a sheet pan for faster cooking time and gave the option of using cranberries in place of the raisins. You can use either and if you prefer the casserole dish over the sheet pan just use what you like best – it will be great either way.
Kerry says
Saw this on Pinterest. It was delicious!! Hubs said he hopes I’ll add it to our rotation. I give it five stars out of five but the recipe itself gets four stars because it took forever to bake!! I followed the recipe to a T. Even measured out the broccoli. I cut the sweet potato very small (about 1/4 in). After the step of taking off the foil and cooking another 5 min, I could see the chicken needed more time but the sweet potatoes were still very hard. I baked another 10 min. Then raised the temp to 400 and put it on “roast” for 12 mun. Then raised the temp to 425 for 12 min. The sweet potatoes were finally done. The broccoli was burnt on the tops. Turns out, I love it that way. I couldn’t understand why the cooking time deviatef so much though.
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Kerry! Thanks for the feedback. That is interesting. I just made this recipe not that long ago. I’ll have to make it again which I’m okay with because I love it 🙂
Rylee says
Can you use frozen broccoli florets?
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Rylee, You may want to serve the broccoli on the side as the frozen broccoli may turn mushy.
Petra says
Can I use cauliflower instead of broccoli? Thanks!
Jessica Beacom says
Yes, you can.
Alison Dykstra says
I would like to make this using frozen grilled chicken and frozen sweet potatoes and broccoli. how Should cooking instructions I adjust the Baking instructions?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Alison,
We’ve not tried making this recipe with frozen ingredients. My guess is that you would need to increase the baking temperature slightly AND increase the cooking time. If you try it – we’d love to hear how you did it and how it turned out. Thanks!