Burrito Bowls With Spicy Sweet Potatoes & Chicken Thighs

I love the combination of spicy and sweet - it's one of those classic flavor combinations that you just can't beat.  When I saw that sweet potatoes were in season, I knew I needed to make something with them this week.  When I thought about what to make, I knew I wanted to roast them with chili and other spices.  I also made some amazing tomatillo salsa last week that I wanted to make again, so I decided to make burrito bowls combining the two.  Funny enough, I didn't even realize that this recipe is super similar to one I made a few months ago.  I guess I know what I like!  This time I added chicken thighs to add a little extra substance to the meal.  

Since I'm back at work (at home) I knew I would need something that could easily be meal prepped and would be filling enough to tide me over for the entire day. This recipe is definitely one of those!  When I prep meals like this, I like to separate my hot from my cold ingredients so I can microwave the hot ingredients - the beans, sweet potato & cauliflower rice - while the avocado, lettuce & tomato remain fresh.  Just keep those in a separate container and combine after you've heated the other ingredients!

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 5

Ingredients:

2 lbs sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes

1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs

2 cups cherry tomatoes

2 cups cauliflower rice

4 cups lettuce, shredded

2 cans black beans

3 medium avocados, sliced or cubed

3 tbs chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp cumin

4 tbs olive oil

Salt to taste

*your favorite salsa - I used my tomatillo salsa

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425° F. 
2. While the oven is preheating, mix the chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, and cumin together in a small bowl.
3. Toss sweet potato cubes with 2 tbs olive oil, 1/2 the spice mixture and salt to taste.  Spread across 2 baking sheets and bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes.
4. While the sweet potatoes are roasting, prep the chicken.  Pat the chicken thighs dry and then generously salt both sides and rub with the remaining spice mixture.
5. Heat a large cast iron pan over high heat for 2 minutes before adding remaining olive oil and adding chicken thighs.  Cook on medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, until chicken has a dark crust and then flip and cook for an additional 4-6 minutes, until cooked through.
6. While the chicken is cooking, add the cauliflower rice to a pan over medium heat and saute, stirring frequently for 4-6 minutes until tender.  Salt to taste and set aside.
7. Once the sweet potatoes and chicken are cooked, create your bowls.  Lay down a base of the cauliflower rice, add lettuce, sliced tomatoes, chicken, sweet potatoes, black beans and avocado.  Top with your favorite salsa and mix ingredients until fully incorporated.