Of all the types of pizza out there, BBQ chicken would have to be my favorite. I think I love it so much because it’s a departure from the classic Italian seasoning and red sauce combo. Much like tacos, the more peculiar the flavors and ingredients, the more intrigued I become. For those unfamiliar with the anatomy of a BBQ chicken pizza, here’s the rundown: BBQ sauce takes the place of the pizza sauce, shredded chicken takes the place of sausage and pepperoni, and caramelized red onions and cilantro are added. And why the red onions and cilantro? I’m not sure. But these seemingly random additions just work!
What doesn’t always work for me is downing several pizza slices and feeling not so great about it afterwards. And for this exact reason, I made a healthier appetizer that includes all the BBQ Chicken goodness without the carb-filled crust and mounds off mozzarella cheese.
These BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Skins pack all the flavors of the pizza on a tender sweet potato skin. You could most definitely use regular potato skins in this recipe, but I especially fell in love with the combination of sweetness from the potatoes against the caramelized onion and tangy BBQ chicken.
Use the oven or microwave to cook the sweet potatoes until fork tender. Scoop out the flesh and pile on the shredded BBQ chicken, caramelized onions, and a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese. Place back in the oven to melt the cheese and before serving, garnish with cilantro and an extra drizzle of BBQ sauce.
These BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Skins will be a game day hit! You can also pack up a couple and take them to work for a filling lunch. BBQ Chicken pizza made healthy. Never thought I’d see the day!
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup BBQ sauce (I used Ken Davis brand)
- 5 small sweet potatoes (about 7 ounces each)
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red onion, sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker and pour in the chicken broth. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for up to 8 hours. Alternatively, you can roast or poach the chicken. When cooking is complete, shred the chicken and mix in the barbecue sauce.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a fork, pierce each potato a few times. Place the potatoes on a large baking sheet. Bake for about 40 minutes until a fork can easily be inserted into them. Alternatively, you can place 2-3 potatoes at a time in the microwave and cook on high for 6-7 minutes or until tender. Let the potatoes cool.
- While the potatoes are cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once heated, add the onion and sprinkle with salt. Cook the onions for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they’re softened and slightly caramelized.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthwise. With a spoon, scoop out the inside of the potato, leaving a thin layer of flesh. Fill each potato skin with the same amount of shredded chicken, about ⅓ cup, and the same amount of sautéed onions, about 1 tablespoon. Top each potato skin with 1 tablespoon of shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Place the skins back in the oven for about 3 minutes until the cheese is melted. Sprinkle each potato skin with fresh cilantro and drizzle extra barbecue sauce over the top.
Serving size: 1 sweet potato skin
Nutrition Information (per serving) from Caloriecount.about.com
Calories: 163 Fat: 3.4g Carb: 18.9g Fiber: 2.6g Protein: 13.8g Sugar 7.5g Sodium: 347mg
Hi! I'm Krista, a self-proclaimed vegetable lover who likes to put a creative spin on healthy cooking. Here you'll find a variety of lightened up recipes using fresh and wholesome ingredients! 
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