Fall Sweet Potato Harvest Bowl (Printable)

Vibrant autumn bowl with roasted chicken, sweet potatoes, apples, kale, almonds, goat cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette.

# Components:

→ Protein

01 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (14 oz)

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (18 oz)
03 - 4 cups kale, stems removed, chopped (4.25 oz)
04 - 1 large apple, cored and thinly sliced

→ Dairy

05 - 3.5 oz goat cheese, crumbled

→ Nuts

06 - 1/3 cup sliced almonds (1 oz), toasted

→ Dressing

07 - 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
08 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 teaspoon honey
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ For Roasting

12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
13 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
15 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss diced sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spread on half of the prepared baking sheet.
03 - Drizzle chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place on the other half of the baking sheet.
04 - Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping sweet potatoes halfway through, until potatoes are tender and chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from oven and let chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
05 - While roasting, whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until combined.
06 - Place chopped kale in a large bowl and massage with a drizzle of vinaigrette for about 1 minute until slightly softened.
07 - Divide massaged kale among 4 bowls. Top each with roasted sweet potatoes, sliced chicken, apple slices, crumbled goat cheese, and toasted almonds.
08 - Drizzle each bowl with remaining balsamic vinaigrette and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything roasts on one sheet while you whisk the vinaigrette, so cleanup is faster than the cooking.
  • The kale massage trick makes it tender without wilting it into mush, keeping that fresh bite you actually want.
  • Sweet potatoes caramelize into crispy edges that taste like candy but keep you full for hours.
  • You can swap proteins or add grains without rewriting the whole recipe, which saved me on busy weeks.
02 -
  • Crowding the sweet potatoes on the pan will steam them into mush instead of crisping them, so spread them out even if you need two pans.
  • Massaging the kale really does change the texture, skipping it leaves you chewing through tough leaves that nobody enjoys.
  • Letting the chicken rest before slicing keeps all the juices inside instead of running out onto your cutting board.
03 -
  • Use a rimmed baking sheet instead of a flat one so the sweet potato juices do not run off and smoke up your oven.
  • If your goat cheese is too crumbly, freeze it for 10 minutes before breaking it up so it holds its shape better on the warm bowl.
  • Taste the vinaigrette on a piece of kale before dressing the whole batch, it is easier to adjust seasoning early than after everything is mixed.
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