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Keeping things comforting, but healthy with my Healthy Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins. Kind of like cheesy nachos, but instead of chips, we’re substituting crisp sweet potatoes skins…so better! Made simply with sweet potatoes, chicken, chipotle chilies, spices, a touch of lime, spinach, and a generous amount of sharp cheddar cheese. Each homemade, oven-baked, sweet potato skin is delicious…and pretty healthy too. Think crisp on the outside, soft on the inside. Stuffed with sweet and spicy chicken that’s full of protein and perfectly balanced. Each sweet potato skin makes for the perfect weeknight dinner that easily doubles as lunch the next day.

overhead photo of Healthy Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins

What I love so much about fall food is that it’s comforting, cozy, warming, and typically on the heartier side. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a good salad (though I do prefer warm, roasted salads over cold salads). But I think it’s obvious that I really shine when it comes to cozy, comfort food. In fact, I want one of my upcoming cookbook titles to be Half Baked Harvest Cozy. What do you think…cookbook #3…before cookbook #2 even rolls out? Yeah, I have issues.

Point is, I love cozy recipes. I even love the word cozy. And I really just love fall food.

BUT, sometimes fall recipes can get to be a bit on the heavy side. I prefer to lighten them up a little and get back to a more balanced, healthy dinner. To me, that still includes cheese, but also includes plenty of vegetables, lean chicken, and flavorful spices to keep us warm and our metabolism running quickly.

sweet potatoes after baking

chipotle chicken and chickpeas in baking dish

Enter in my go-to, healthy yet comforting, fall dinner – Healthy Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins

These are SO GOOD.

I’ve been making a version of these for years and years, but this year I added a few things. Things like crunchy chickpeas (because I’m obsessed with them), a touch of onion, and I also kicked up the spices.

I could not love these skins more. And? They are so simple and easy to make. They do take some time, because baking sweet potatoes just takes patience. But all the prep and hands-on time is under 20 minutes. Easy.

overhead photo of Healthy Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins before baking

To make these sweet potato skins

Start with the sweet potatoes themselves. I like to bake the sweet potato whole, directly on the oven grates. Cooking the potatoes this way allows them to soften in the center, but also keeps the skins from getting soggy.

While the skins are baking, also bake the chicken and the chickpeas together in the same baking dish. As the chicken cooks, the chickpeas crisp. I do want to note two things here…

First, if you don’t like chickpeas, you can very easily omit these from the recipe entirely. Most of my family really dislikes any kind of bean, so I never even add the chickpeas when they’re around.

Second, if you are vegetarian, you can leave out the chicken and use double the amount of chickpeas. The cooking times will be the same. Also? Black beans would be equally delicious, but they will not crisp like chickpeas.

overhead photo of Healthy Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins on baking sheet after baking

Now, and this is key, the chicken is where all the flavor is at. It’s seasoned with chipotle chiles, garlic, and spices like oregano, cumin, and chili powder. I also threw in some lime zest for a little citrus zing.

It’s that sweet and spicy combo that I love so much.

During the last few minutes of cooking, toss some baby spinach in with the chicken. I love the added greens and the spinach pairs well with the flavors happening in these sweet potato skins.

overhead close up photo of Healthy Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins

Next, scoop some of the sweet potato flesh out of the skin. Bake another 10 minutes until the skins become crisp, and then stuff the chicken into the sweet potatoes. Then add as little or as much sharp cheddar cheese as you’d like and bake. About 10 or so minutes later your kitchen will smell heavenly and your skins will be ready for eating. The smell of sweet potatoes baking is truly the most comforting smell and so very “fall”.

These are best enjoyed warm. Preferably with cilantro and a dollop of plain Greek yogurt. Super simple, but so delicious. Between the sweet potatoes and the cheese, this is one of the coziest fall dinners. And it just so happens to be healthy, score!

Kind of like cheesy nachos, but instead of chips, we’re substituting crisp sweet potatoes skins…so better!

side angled photo of Healthy Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins with beer in background

These skins are great any night of the week. But they feel especially great for Thursday, Sunday…or Monday night football.

And the biggest bonus…the leftovers. They make for such a delicious lunch the following day.

Love a two for one recipe!

overhead photo of Healthy Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins with skins broken in half to expose the filling

If you make these healthy chipotle chicken sweet potatoes skins be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Healthy Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 709 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork. Bake directly on the rack until tender, 50-60 minutes. Allow to cool.
    2. At the same time, cook the chicken. Place the chicken, and chickpeas - if using, in a baking dish. Add the olive oil, garlic, chipotle chiles, chili powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, lime zest, and a pinch each of salt and pepper, gently toss to coat. Transfer to the oven and bake 20-25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, scatter the spinach over the chicken and cook 5 minutes, until wilted.
    3. Shred the chicken using 2 forks, then toss with the chickpeas, spinach and any oil left in the baking dish.
    4. Scrape the sweet potato flesh out of the peel, leaving 1/2 inch thick layer of sweet potatoes. Brush the skins with a little olive oil and bake for 5 minutes, until crisping. Remove skins from the oven and stuff with the chicken. Top with shredded cheese. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Serve with fresh cilantro and greek yogurt, if desired.
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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I LOVE this recipe. It’s such a hit for anyone I make it for and makes plenty of leftovers if you’re just feeding two. It’s even better as leftovers, and if you have extra chicken you can eat it on top of the extra sweet potato you scooped out. One of my HBH faves!

    1. Hi Margaret,
      Happy Wednesday!🌈 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner!

  2. 5 stars
    These were fantastic and will be added to the dinner rotation. I deviated a bit from the recipe based on the ingredients I had, but they still turned out yummy. I used ground turkey instead of shredded chicken breasts, omitted the chickpeas and spinach, and used poblanos and onions instead. Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Hey Callie,
      Happy Friday!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! ❄️

  3. I am excited to make these this week! Do you have a video showing how to remove the flesh from the sweet potatoes? I’m just wondering if you slice them completely in half as well as how much you scoop out. Thanks!
    Allison

    1. Hey Allison,
      Sorry, I don’t have a video for this recipe, you are going to cut all of the sweet potatoes in half and scrape just some of the sweet potato out, just enough to fill with the chicken. I hope this helps! xx

  4. 5 stars
    Tieghan,
    Once again this is another delicious recipe! It was so easy to make, and had SO much flavor. I loved how I was able to get leftovers out of it. This is a perfect meal for a college student because of how hearty it is. I will most definitely be making this again and trying out your other recipes.

    1. Hey Monica,
      Happy Sunday!!🎃 I truly appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed!

      1. Hey Katie,
        Happy Wednesday!!👻 I truly appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed:)

  5. Good morning! This recipe looks delicious! I was wondering if you put any olive oil on your sweet potatoes and wrap them with foil before you put them in the oven? Also, what kind of dish do you bake them in? Thanks!

    1. Hi Simone,
      Nope, I just prick with a fork and bake directly on the rack as stated in step 1. A square or 9×13 baking dish is great to use, whatever you have:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xxT