Let’s Spice Things Up!!!

You ever open the fridge, faced with a pile of leftovers and think, “Ugh, what am I going to do with all of this?” This morning as I looked in the fridge I was faced with a big uncooked sweet potato, a bowl of leftover corn, and a small container of homemade salsa that was quickly approaching the brink of extinction.  I found a recipe on Pinterest for a Mexican Sweet Potato and Chicken skillet.  Using that as a base I tweaked a few things here and there and ended up with a Chipotle Chicken and Sweet Potato skillet.  I knew it would be hot from the chipotles, so I made a batch of The Pioneer Woman’s Avocado Crema... we had one epic dinner on the table!

Chipotle Chicken And Sweet Potato Skillet

• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces 
• 1 diced yellow onion 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 1 teaspoon chili powder 
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (I used Italian Seasoning, that’s what I had on hand)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste 
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic 
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 
• 1 sweet potato, peeled, par-cooked and diced
• 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained 
• 15 ounce can of kernel corn drained
• 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1/3 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or colby jack cheese 
• 1 lime, juiced

• Cut sweet potato in half and place cut side down in a microwave safe bowl.  Add 1/4 cup of water to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and use a fork to poke a few holes in the plastic.  Microwave for 6-8 minutes so tenpotato is starting to soften but not completely cooked.  When cool enough to handle remove skin and dice into bite sized pieces.  Heat the olive oil in a large (10-12 inch) cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. In a small bowl combine all of the spices. When the skillet is hot add in the onion and sauté until translucent.  Add chicken to the skillet and spread into an even layer, then sprinkle with half of the spice blend. Continue to cook for several more minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Lower the heat to medium and add in the remaining spice blend, sweet potato, black beans, corn, and salsa.  Add the whole can of peppers, including all the sauce, then fill the can with water and add to the skillet as well. Stir together and cook until the potatoes are soft and all is warmed through, about 5-10 minutes.  Give a final good stir then squeeze the lime juice over everything then top with the shredded cheese.  Cover until cheese is completely melted. Serve with Avocado Crema!

Here’s the link for the Avocado Crema... made the recipe as she has, but I did not put in any cilantro as I didn’t have any... it was amazingly good even without it!  Enjoy!!!! 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/avocado-lime-crema-3876987