Fall-inspired ingredients including tender sweet potatoes, juicy chicken, red onions, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds topped with a honey apple cider vinaigrette!! A HEARTY and COMFORTING salad that makes a big batch perfect for planned leftovers!!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time35 minutesmins
Total Time50 minutesmins
Course: Sides, Salads & Vegetables
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken and sweet potato recipes, chicken sweet potato salad, fall green salad, fall salad, fall salad ideas, meals with sweet potato and chicken, roasted sweet potato salad
Servings: 6
Calories: 747kcal
Author: Averie Sunshine
Ingredients
Salad
2.5poundssweet potatoespeeled and diced into 1 to 1.5-inch chunks
kosher saltto taste
freshly ground black pepperto taste
4tablespoonsolive oildivided; or as needed
1.50 to 2poundsboneless skinless chicken breastscut into bite-sized pieces
1large red onioncut into large chunks
1teaspoonpaprika
1teaspoonground gingeror to taste
1teaspooncardamomor to taste
12ouncesspring greens or your favorite lettuce mixture
½cupdried cranberriesor to taste
½cupshelled pistachio or pumpkin seedsor to taste
Honey Apple Cider Vinaigrette
¼cupolive oil
¼cuphoney
¼cupapple cider vinegar
2teaspoonsmustardI like either dijon or honey mustard
¾teaspoonkosher saltor to taste
¾teaspoonfreshly ground black pepperor to taste
Instructions
Salad:
Preheat oven to 425F (use Convection if you have it, you don't have to reduce the temp) and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easier cleanup (recommended).
Add the sweet potatoes, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, generously season with salt and pepper, and toss with your hands to coat evenly. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove sheet pan from the oven, flip and toss the sweet potatoes, and push them to one side of the sheet pan.
To the other side of the sheet pan, add the chicken, red onion, evenly drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, generously season with salt and pepper, and toss with your hands to coat evenly.
Evenly season everything on the sheet pan with the paprika, ginger, cardamom, and return the sheet pan to the oven and roast for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender. Cooking time will vary based on the thickness of the chicken, if you used 2 full pounds, the size of your sweet potato chunks, and being that this is quite a hot oven, check starting at 15 minutes and check often so you don’t overcook the chicken which can dry out quickly. I recommend rotating your baking sheet midway through roasting to ensure even cooking, especially if you're using a convection oven.
Add the lettuce mixture to your bowl (either individual serving bowls or a very large family-style bowl, top with the roasted sweet potatoes, chicken, and red onions.
Evenly sprinkle with the cranberries, nuts/seeds, and top with your favorite dressing or vinaigrette.
Honey Apple Cider Vinaigrette:
In a small glass jar or container with a lid, add all ingredients, put the lid on and shake vigorously until combined; taste vinaigrette and tweak as necessary to taste. Drizzle over the salad and serve.
Notes
If you're making this with the intention of planned leftovers, I recommend storing the roasted sweet potato, chicken, and red onion mixture in individual airtight plastic containers and storing in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. When you're ready to eat, add the salad greens, cranberries, nuts or seeds, and top with the vinaigrette. The vinaigrette will easily keep airtight for at least 10 days in the fridge. The chicken mixture will keep airtight for up to 5 days in the fridge or for up to 4 months in the freezer.