These ground chicken taco sweet potato bowls are exactly what to make when you don't feel like cooking, but still want something warm and nourishing for the whole family. With flavorful ground chicken taco meat and roasted sweet potatoes, dinner's ready in about 30 minutes.
Ever crave something warm and nourishing but don't want a full kitchen production (read: a mountain of dishes)?
SAME.
And that's why these ground chicken taco sweet potato bowls are a weekly recipe in my house. They're cozy, flavorful, and quick enough for busy weeknights... so basically they save the day for a busy household!
I make them with my go-to ground chicken taco meat, which is generously seasoned, simmered with salsa, and packed with that perfect taco flavor (plus, budget-friendly!).
I usually toss in a can of black beans for extra texture, flavor, and protein, but you can totally skip them if you don't have any on hand.
When you're looking for a dinner that's nourishing, high in protein, and the kind of meal you'll actually look forward to - these are the bowls to try. Plus, your future self will thank you when you have these as lunch leftovers for work!
P.S. The ground chicken filling in this recipe is also an awesome substitution for the black bean filling in my stuffed sweet potatoes recipe!
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Watch How to Make this Recipe
Key Ingredients + Notes
- Ground chicken - For juicy ground chicken, I always go with 90-93% lean. Any leaner can get a bit too dry.
- Sweet potatoes - We'll roast up a sheet pan of sweet potatoes in cubes, which will serve as part of the bowl base.
- Salsa - Will go directly in with the cooked ground chicken to make it saucy, juicy and flavorful.
- Taco seasoning - Use your favorite! I love the one by Spice Islands. Note that the amount of salt you use in the recipe will depend on how much is in your taco seasoning.
Swaps
- Base - This recipe uses roasted sweet potatoes and greens as a base, but you can add in rice, quinoa, farro, or any grain you like.
- Meat - Swap in ground turkey or beef for chicken. These air fryer taco chicken thighs are also amazing in these bowls and only take 15 minutes!
- Squash - Roasted butternut squash cubes would also work as a bowl base alternative to the sweet potatoes.
Pro Tip: Roast a double batch of sweet potatoes for easy meal prep lunches later in the week.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Toss sweet potato cubes with olive, salt, and pepper.
- Step 2: Spread the sweet potato cubes in an even layer on the sheet pan, then roast at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
- Step 3: While the sweet potatoes roast, brown the onions and chicken in olive, salt, and pepper. Add taco seasoning and sauté for a few minutes more.
- Step 4: Add the black beans and salsa, and stir to combine. Let that simmer over medium-low until thick and saucy.
- Step 5: Prep all bowl components for assembly, including washing & drying greens, crumbling feta, chopping cilantro, and slicing avocado. Get any other toppings ready, too!
- Step 6: Assemble the bowls! Start with roasted sweet potatoes and greens (and grains if you made them), then top with ground chicken taco meat, avocado, feta, cilantro, and your favorite extras.
The Best Toppings for These Bowls
- Pickled red onions - Adds the best sweet-tangy flavor and crunch.
- Pepitas - For a crunchy contrast and nuttiness.
- Sour cream or yogurt - A little dollop for creamy contrast.
- Cheese - Feta, cheddar, cotija, or pepper jack all work beautifully.
- Tortilla chips - Crush a few over the top for crunch and salt.
Sustainability Tips
- Buy local - Sweet potatoes are one produce item that I can find locally year-round at my local co-op. So I try to buy there when I can! Look at your local options for ingredients in this recipe to see what's affordable.
- Adapt seasonally - The beauty of bowl recipes is the flexibility in ingredients. Swap in seasonal alternatives for the greens (kale, spinach, chard, leaf lettuce) or sweet potatoes (roasted squash). Check out my monthly produce guides to know what's in season!
What to Serve with These Bowls
If these chicken sweet potato bowls made it into your weeknight rotation, we're basically food friends now. 🥰 You can find me sharing more cozy, veggie-forward recipes on Instagram and Pinterest, or hop on my newsletter list for simple, seasonal ideas you'll actually want to make.
📖 Recipe
Ground Chicken Taco Sweet Potato Bowls for Busy Weeknights
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 bowls 1x
Description
Cozy, flavorful, and ready in about 30 minutes! these ground chicken taco sweet potato bowls make the perfect weeknight dinner or meal prep lunch. With seasoned taco meat, roasted sweet potatoes, and all your favorite toppings, they're hearty, nourishing, and endlessly customizable.
Ingredients
- 2-3 medium sweet potatoes, cut into ½-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ yellow onion, diced small
- 1 pound ground chicken (90-93% lean ideally)
- 1-2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- ½ cup salsa
- 1 14-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 6-8 cups seasonal greens
- ½ cup feta, crumbled
- Toppings: avocado, cilantro, pepitas, tortilla chips, other cheeses, pickled red onions, lime juice
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Sweet potatoes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Toss sweet potato cubes in ½ tablespoon olive oil (reserve the rest), salt, and pepper. Transfer to the sheet pan in an even layer, then roast at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
- Ground chicken taco meat. Meanwhile, preheat remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté onion for 3-5 minutes until translucent. Add ground chicken and brown with onion until completely cooked through. Add taco seasoning and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
- Salsa + black beans. Stir in the salsa and black beans, and simmer until the ground chicken mixture is thick and saucy. If needed, prep any greens and toppings for bowl assembly.
- Assemble + serve! Once sweet potatoes are done (soft in the middle with golden brown edges), line bowls with greens and roasted sweet potato cubes. Top with ground chicken, feta, and any other toppings you like.
Notes
- Storage + freezing instructions:Â For best freshness, store each bowl component separately in airtight containers for up to 5 days. Reheat the ground chicken and sweet potatoes in the microwave, oven, or air fryer before serving. Both the taco meat and roasted sweet potatoes can also be frozen (separately) for up to 3 months.
- Salt: If your taco seasoning is salt-free, add ½ teaspoon of salt to the ground chicken when sautéing.
- Black beans: If you use dried beans, use 1-1.5 cups cooked.
- Salsa: I like a thick salsa here, and most often I use the pepita salsa from Trader Joe's. But I've tried many salsas, and so far they've all worked great!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: bowl recipes, Dinner
- Method: Roast + sauté
- Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 447
- Sugar: 7.4 g
- Sodium: 1235.5 mg
- Fat: 17.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 43.2 g
- Fiber: 11.9 g
- Protein: 31.6 g
- Cholesterol: 113 mg
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