Sweet potatoes are basically my love language, so naturally I had to build an entire bowl around them! These BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Bowls are my go-to when I want a dinner that feels seriously impressive but comes together with minimal effort, and trust me, my family requests them on repeat!
Just like my Twice Baked BBQ Turkey Sweet Potatoes, these bowls combine the flavor of sweet potatoes with the tangy, smoky deliciousness of barbecue sauce!
A Quick Look: BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Bowls
- ✅ Recipe Name: Sweet Potato BBQ Chicken Bowls
- 🕒 Ready In: About 50 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 4
- 🍽 Calories: ~620 per bowl
- 📋 Protein: ~50g per bowl
- 🥬 Main Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, chicken breasts, BBQ sauce, coleslaw, avocado, feta
- 📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free, high-protein
- 🥣 Best For: Weeknight dinner, meal prep, family meals
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: Smoky, sweet, creamy, and totally satisfying, all in one bowl!
Healthy BBQ Chicken and Roasted Sweet Potato Bowls
These BBQ chicken bowls are the ultimate weeknight dinner, and I genuinely cannot stop making them. They have smoky BBQ shredded chicken piled on top of perfectly caramelized roasted sweet potatoes (my personal fav!), creamy Greek yogurt coleslaw, avocado, and salty crumbled feta on top. Talk about delicious! They’re packed with protein and nutrients, and even my pickiest little eaters enjoy these.
To make things extra easy, the chicken and sweet potatoes roast in the oven at the same time, and while they’re doing their thing, you throw together the coleslaw. That’s it!
If you’re into delicious dinners like this, you’ll also want to check out my Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls, Hot Honey BBQ Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken and my Beef Burger Bowl for more options.
Table of contents
- A Quick Look: BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Bowls
- Healthy BBQ Chicken and Roasted Sweet Potato Bowls
- Why You’ll Love This BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Bowl Recipe
- Ingredients Needed
- How to Make BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Bowls
- Erin’s Expert Recipe Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!
Why You’ll Love This BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Bowl Recipe
- High-protein and nutrient-dense. Between the chicken, Greek yogurt coleslaw, and sweet potatoes, you’re getting a seriously well-rounded meal in every bowl.
- Everything cooks at the same time. The sweet potatoes and chicken both roast at 400°F simultaneously, making cleanup and timing a total breeze.
- The homemade BBQ sauce is a game-changer. It takes just a couple of minutes to whisk together and brings so much more flavor than anything from a bottle.
- Great for meal prep. Store the components separately and assemble throughout the week for easy lunches or dinners.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s a little bit about everything that goes into these BBQ chicken sweet potato bowls:
Bowls:
- Sweet potatoes: They roast up caramelized and tender. Look for large, evenly-sized potatoes so they cook uniformly.
- Olive oil: Helps the sweet potatoes roast up beautifully golden. Avocado oil works great here too.
- Chicken breasts: I used chicken breasts here, but chicken thighs are a great swap if you prefer.
- Avocados: Be sure to slice right before serving so they don’t brown.
- Feta: Salty, crumbly, and absolutely perfect here. You can sub with goat cheese or even cotija for a similar vibe!
- Cilantro: If you’re a cilantro skeptic, fresh parsley works too!
BBQ Sauce:
- BBQ sauce: Use your favorite store-bought brand as the base! I like to doctor it up with some extra ingredients, but you can skip that if you prefer.
- Honey: Adds sweetness and helps the sauce caramelize on the chicken in the oven.
- Apple cider vinegar: Balances the sweetness with a little tang. White wine vinegar works in a pinch.
- Spices: You need chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to season up the sauce.
Coleslaw:
- Coleslaw mix: A 16oz bag of pre-shredded coleslaw makes this so easy. You can also shred your own green and purple cabbage.
- Plain Greek yogurt + mayo: This combo creates the creamiest, most luscious dressing while sneaking in extra protein.
- Red wine vinegar: Gives the slaw that classic tangy punch.
- Celery seed: The secret ingredient for that authentic coleslaw flavor. Don’t skip it!
How to Make BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Bowls
Step 1: Roast the sweet potatoes. Preheat oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Toss diced sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread on one sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, flip, and roast another 20 minutes.
Step 2: Make the BBQ sauce and bake the chicken. Whisk together all BBQ sauce ingredients. Coat chicken breasts in half the sauce and place on the second baking sheet. When you flip the sweet potatoes, slide the chicken into the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes until cooked through.
Step 3: Make the coleslaw and shred the chicken. While everything bakes, toss the coleslaw mix with Greek yogurt, mayo, red wine vinegar, honey, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Once the chicken is done, let it cool slightly, then shred and toss with the remaining BBQ sauce.
Step 4: Assemble the bowls. Layer sweet potatoes, shredded chicken, and coleslaw. Top with avocado, crumbled feta, cilantro, and an extra drizzle of BBQ sauce.
Erin’s Expert Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip flipping the sweet potatoes. Flipping halfway through ensures they get golden and slightly crispy on all sides instead of just steaming.
- Time the chicken with the sweet potato flip. Add the chicken to the oven right when you flip the sweet potatoes, they’ll finish at roughly the same time.
- Use a stand mixer to shred chicken. It’s the fastest, easiest way to shred a big batch of chicken breasts with zero effort. Just drop them in and use the paddle attachment on low for about 20 seconds.
- Storing leftovers: Keep all components stored separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The sweet potatoes, chicken, and coleslaw reheat well; just add fresh avocado when serving. To freeze, store the chicken and sweet potatoes separately for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some common sweet potato BBQ chicken bowl questions. Don’t see the answer you’re looking for? Leave a comment at the bottom of this post!
Yes, chicken and sweet potatoes are a match made in heaven! The natural sweetness of the potatoes perfectly balances savory, seasoned chicken, and together they make a nutrient-packed meal.
You can, though in this recipe I recommend using separate pans so the sweet potatoes have enough room to roast and caramelize rather than steam. Plus the timing works out perfectly with each on their own sheet!
You sure can, just make sure it’s one you love since it’s the star flavor of the dish. I recommend adding the honey, apple cider vinegar, and spices even to store-bought sauce to give it a little extra depth but you can skip that!
If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas in a Bowl
- Ground Chicken Teriyaki Bowls
- Sticky Salmon Rice Bowls
- Fall Harvest Bowls
If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!
BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Bowls
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 400F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add sweet potatoes to one baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, then flip, then roast another 20 minutes.
- While sweet potatoes are cooking, make BBQ sauce by whisking together all ingredients.
- Pour half of BBQ sauce over top of chicken and toss to coat. Add chicken to prepared baking sheet, spooning leftover BBQ sauce on top of breasts. Bake for 20-25 minutes. I like to add the chicken to the oven once I have flipped my sweet potatoes so the timing is similar.
- While chicken and sweet potatoes are baking, prepare coleslaw. In a large bowl, add coleslaw mix, then top with greek yogurt, mayo, red wine vinegar, honey, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine until well coated.
- Once everything is cooked, take chicken out of oven and let cool slightly before shredding. You can shred with a kitchen mixer or by hand, or cut into small chunks.
- Add remaining BBQ sauce to cooked chicken and toss to coat.
- Prepare bowls. Layer sweet potatoes, shredded chicken, coleslaw, avocado, and crumbled feta. Sprinkle with cilantro and more BBQ sauce if desired!
Nutrition
Notes
- Don’t crowd the sweet potatoes. Spread them in a single layer so they roast and caramelize instead of steam.
- Flip the sweet potatoes and add the chicken at the same time. They’ll finish cooking together — easy timing!
- Use a stand mixer to shred the chicken. Paddle attachment on low for 20 seconds and you’re done.
- Save half the BBQ sauce for after. Tossing the shredded chicken in fresh sauce at the end keeps it extra saucy and flavorful.
- Add the avocado right before serving so it stays fresh and doesn’t brown.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
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