Sweet Potato BBQ Chicken Haystacks

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I love sweet potatoes. My husband? Not so much. So, I try not to overdo it in our dinner rotation—but I had a serious craving, and BBQ Chicken Haystacks were born. And lucky for me, even he ended up loving it!

This recipe layers together seasoned sweet potatoes, roasted broccoli, cheesy BBQ chicken, and fluffy white rice—then gets topped with creamy avocado, green onion, cilantro, and a drizzle of extra BBQ sauce. It might sound like a wild combo, but it just works, and is so dang good. It’s filling, healthy-ish, and full of flavor. If you prefer a healthier twist, feel free to swap in brown rice or quinoa—but we personally stick with classic white rice.

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Yield 2

Author Rachel Madsen

Prep time

15 Min

Cook time

40 Min

Total time

55 Min

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Sweet Potato BBQ Chicken Haystacks

These BBQ Chicken Haystacks are layered bowls packed with roasted sweet potato, broccoli, BBQ chicken, and rice—then topped with avocado, cilantro, and green onion for a fresh finish. It’s a comforting, healthy-ish dinner that comes together easily with a mix of oven, stovetop, and Instant Pot cooking.

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Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato
• 10 oz chicken breast
• 3 cups broccoli1/3 cup bbq sauce + 2 tablespoon (I use Sweet Baby Ray's)
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup rice (cooked)
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 2 green onions

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Cook the chicken: Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Cut chicken into thick cubes and cook for ~3 minutes per side. Add 1/3 cup BBQ sauce and cook for 1–2 more minutes until coated. Set aside.
3. Prepare veggies: Peel and dice the sweet potato into 1-inch cubes. Chop broccoli into bite-sized pieces.
4. Roast sweet potatoes & broccoli: Spread sweet potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Spray tops with cooking spray and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip. Add broccoli to the pan in a single layer. Spray and season. Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are fork-tender. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over potatoes and bake 5 more minutes until melted.
5. Cook the rice (Instant Pot method): Spray the Instant Pot insert. Add 1 cup white rice + 1 ½ cups water. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Seal and press the "Rice" button (or cook manually for 12 min). Let naturally release for 5–10 min for softer rice (or quick release for firmer texture).
6. Assemble the bowls: Dice chicken into bite-sized pieces. In each bowl, layer rice, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and chicken. Drizzle with remaining BBQ sauce. Top with diced avocado, chopped cilantro, and sliced green onions. Enjoy!

Notes

• Feel free to swap sweet potatoes for regular potatoes or cauliflower if you’re not a fan.
• You can use rotisserie chicken for a shortcut—just toss in BBQ sauce and warm it up.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

1638

Fat

28 g

Sat. Fat

7 g

Carbs

295 g

Fiber

17 g

Net carbs

277 g

Sugar

151 g

Protein

52 g

Sodium

5448 mg

Cholesterol

113 mg

*Nutritional Facts are an estimate based on ingredients listed.

https://www.rachelmadsenstudio.com/recipes/sweet-potato-bbq-chicken-haystacks

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Quick & Easy Dinners

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