Recipe: Chipotle BBQ Chicken-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Serves 4.

Note: Baked sweet potatoes make a healthy and delicious vehicle for any number of stuffings. Microwaving the sweet potatoes while the oven is preheating shortens their baking time considerably, making this a quick, easy and delicious weeknight dinner. Find chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce in a can in the ethnic section of your supermarket. From Meredith Deeds.

• 4 medium sweet potatoes

• 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided

• 1 small onion, minced

• 1 to 2 chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce, minced (see Note)

• 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated

• 1 tsp. dried oregano

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 2 c. shredded cooked chicken breast (rotisserie chicken is fine)

• 1/2 c. barbecue sauce

• 1/2 c. sharp white Cheddar cheese, grated

• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro, for garnish

• 1/4 c. low-fat sour cream, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is heating, wash the sweet potatoes and prick them a few times with a fork. Place in the microwave on a microwave-safe plate and heat on high for 5 minutes. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until fork-tender. Raise oven heat to 450 degrees.

Remove the top 1/2 inch from the sweet potatoes. Scrape the sweet potato flesh out of the peel, leaving a 1/2-inch layer of flesh inside with the peel (reserve the remaining flesh, for another use) and place in a baking dish.

Brush the skins with the remaining oil and bake for 5 to 10 minutes until crisp. Remove skins from the oven and stuff with the chicken mixture, top with shredded cheese and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the skins are hot and crisp. Garnish each potato with a tablespoon of cilantro and sour cream and serve hot.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories425Carbohydrates42 gProtein29 gFat16 gSaturated fat5 gCholesterol77 mgSodium840 mg

Calcium204 mg