- 1 medium-sized sweet potato* (about 8-10 ounces; could sub baking potato), washed and dried
- 1 cup (about 4 ounces) cooked and shredded chicken
- 2-3 tablespoons barbecue sauce, or to taste (homemade or Sweet Baby’s Ray’s for a favorite store-bought sauce)
- 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese (smoked cheddar is a nice option; may omit entirely for a dairy-free meal)
- Optional toppings: pickled red onions (Link recipe) or minced onion, scallions or chives; hot or sweet peppers; chopped avocado; chopped cilantro
BBQ Chicken Stuffed Potatoes
Yield: 1 serving (easy to multiply for as many servings as needed)
The easiest of meals also happens to be hearty, healthy and endlessly adaptable!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and pierce the potato several times with a fork. Place the potato on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes, depending on size of potato and individual oven, or until a knife can be easily inserted into the center. (Quick prep option: You may microwave the pierced potato until tender, and/or cook more than one when scaling the recipe for a family or for food prep option.)
- In a small bowl, combine the chicken with the BBQ sauce to coat. For sweet potatoes (my personal favorite), I like a light to medium coating of sauce but find a heavier coating works better for baking potatoes to fully moisten their somewhat drier flesh.
- Slice the potato lengthwise and then press the ends towards each other to help open it. (Tip: At this point, I fluff up the flesh with a fork so that BBQ mixture better integrates and flavors the potato. This also expedites cooling, as potatoes tend to really retain heat.) Fill the opening with BBQ chicken, and then top with the shredded cheese. Switch to the broil setting and broil, watching carefully, until the cheese has melted (I broil from the middle rack to avoid burning the cheese), and then serve with toppings of choice.
Notes
*The recipe provides a solid framework but the various amounts can absolutely be eyeballed and adjusted based on size of potato, as there is such a range in sizes. This recipe is also a great way to use leftover or rotisserie chicken. I often use my slow cooker “chicken for the week” prep option (which adds a nice level of seasoning and makes for easy-to-shred meat), but you may start with an uncooked chicken breast, season it to taste, and then sauté or bake until cooked through.
Prep ahead tips: I like to cook chicken in advance, often with the linked slow cooker recipe (but any basic leftover or rotisserie chicken may be used), and then shred, coat with barbecue sauce and refrigerate for convenient use as needed throughout the week. In addition to stuffing the baked potatoes, it makes a delicious barbecue chicken sandwich for another easy meal when served with a green salad, favorite slaw or vegetable of choice. For those who have a microwave at work, the stuffed potatoes can be fully assembled in advance and packaged in a microwaveable container for easy lunches throughout the workweek.