All of a sudden, my husband became obsessed with Brussels sprouts one day. I had made them for dinner one night and something just clicked for him and he couldn’t get enough of them. Maybe obsessed is too strong of a word. I mean, can you really be obsessed with Brussels sprouts? Let’s say that he enjoyed them greatly and since it was something super healthy that he was enjoying greatly, I decided that I would support it. So my search for recipes that incorporated Brussels sprouts began.
One day, I came across this recipe by Erin at Well Plated. Not only did it have the Brussels sprouts that lead my search, but it also included chicken and bacon, is an entire meal all made in one pot and it’s on the table in under an hour. SCORE! I would eat this meal in any season of the year, but it is especially delightful in the Fall. The combination of the sweet- with the sweet potatoes and apples- pairs so well with the savory- the chicken and the bacon. I’ll say that I was a little skeptical of the ground cinnamon in the recipe (and I did reduce it from the original recipe), but it adds a really lovely touch. Your family will love this!
Start by cooking the bacon until crisp and remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Dice the bacon when cool and reserve at least 3 tbsp of bacon grease. Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp EACH of salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp of the reserved bacon grease to a large skillet or cast iron pan and cook the chicken until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate for later.
Add the remaining 2 tbsp of bacon grease back to the pan and add the sweet potato and Brussels sprouts. These guys need a little extra head start before adding the onions. Cook the Brussels sprouts and the sweet potato for about 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften. Then add the onion and the remaining salt and pepper. Cook for another 6-8 (stirring occasionally) minutes until the onions are translucent and the veggies are crisp-tender.
Now add the apples, minced garlic, thyme and cinnamon and give it a good stir. Cook for 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant.
Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth and cook until the broth is absorbed, about 1-2 minutes. Then add the chicken back to the skillet, along with the remaining half cup of broth and cook until heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
Turn off the heat. Don’t forget about the bacon!! Seriously, I doubt very much that anyone could forget about the bacon. Top the skillet with the chopped crisp bacon. Now, the original recipe said to stir it in and you can do that if you choose to do so, but just know that if you stir that bacon, it will lose some of its crispness. So I’d recommend adding half and stirring and then topping with the other half… or just top it with the crisp bacon. Your call. I chose to top with the bacon as you can see 👇🏻
| Prep Time | 25 Minutes |
| Cook Time | 25 Minutes |
| Servings |
Servings
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- 6 Uncooked Bacon Slices
- 3 Tbsp Reserved Bacon Grease, divided
- 1 Lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3-4 Cups Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and quartered
- 1 Sweet Potato, peeled and cut into 1/2” pieces
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion, diced
- 2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and cut into 1” cubes
- 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 Cup Low-Sodium Chicken Broth, divided
- 1/2 Tsp Dried Thyme
- 1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 1/2 Tsp Salt, divided
- 1 Tsp Black Pepper, divided
Ingredients
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|
- Begin by cooking the bacon until crisp. Once crisp, place on a paper towel-lined plate and then dice once cool. Reserve at least 3 tbsp of the bacon grease for later.
- Season the chicken pieces with 1/2 tsp EACH of salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp of the reserved bacon grease to a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken until lightly browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate for later.
- Add the remaining 2 tbsp of bacon grease to the skillet over medium-high heat and add the Brussels sprouts and sweet potato. Cook for 3-4 minutes and then add the onions and remaining salt and pepper. Cook for about another 6-8 minutes until the onions become translucent and the veggies are crisp-tender.
- Add the apples, garlic, thyme and cinnamon. Cook for 30 seconds and then add 1/2 cup of the broth. Bring to a boil and cook until the broth is absorbed, about 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked chicken and the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Cook until heated through, about 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat and top with crispy bacon. (Note: you can stir the bacon into the skillet, but it will lose some of the crispness. Feel free to stir in half and top with the other half, if you prefer.)
Welcome to Cupcakes and Sarcasm! My name is Maggie and I am the creator of C & S. I am a wife and mom of two beautiful kiddos. I grew up in Columbus, Ohio and now live in Northeast Ohio with my family. I have been cooking and baking since I was a kid. I decided in 2017 that I wanted to share my passion (and recipes) with all of you! On this site, you’ll find easy and delicious recipes- both savory and sweet. I’ll also sprinkle in some stories of parenting and our adventures along the way.