Name: Spiced Nut-Crusted Chicken & Smoked Sweet Potato Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Ingredients: 2 c mixed blend of whole almonds, walnuts, & pecans, 1 egg white, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2-3/4 tsp cayenne, pinch of salt, 3 TBSP + 1 TBSP brown sugar; Baby Spring Mix-chopped, 3 Tbsp olive oil, 2 Tbsp lime juice, 1 Tbsp honey, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, Salt & pepper to taste, (crumbled goat cheese to garnish salad); 2-4 chicken breasts, 2 c spiced nuts-chopped, favorite BBQ sauce; 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2-3/4" rounds, olive oil, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp chili powder (or cayenne if you want heat), ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp brown sugar

Spiced Nut-Crusted Chicken & Smoked Sweet Potato Salad

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

For the Spiced Nuts

2 c mixed blend of whole almonds, walnuts, & pecans, 1 egg white, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2-3/4 tsp cayenne, pinch of salt, 3 TBSP + 1 TBSP brown sugar

For the Salad & Honey Lime Vinaigrette

Baby Spring Mix-chopped, 3 Tbsp olive oil, 2 Tbsp lime juice, 1 Tbsp honey, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, Salt & pepper to taste, (crumbled goat cheese to garnish salad)

For the Chicken

2-4 chicken breasts, 2 c spiced nuts-chopped, favorite BBQ sauce

Sweet Potatoes & Seasoning

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2-3/4″ rounds, olive oil, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp chili powder (or cayenne if you want heat), ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp brown sugar

Instructions

Make the nuts first, then the dressing, season & slice the potatoes, then coat the chicken.

In a mixing bowl, toss the nut mixture with the egg white until thoroughly coated.
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to incorporate.
Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet at 300 for 20 minutes.
Remove the toasted nuts, sprinkle on the other TBSP of brown sugar, and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes.
Cool completely, chop 1 cup per 2 breasts of chicken, and store any leftover in a pretty little Ball jar or air-tight container.
Make the Honey Lime Vinaigrette by whisking all ingredients in jar or dressing bottle with a spout.
Peel & slice the 2 sweet potatoes into 1/2-3/4 rounds, brush with olive oil, & sprinkle with the noted blended seasonings.
Preheat the smoker to 350 & place the rounds to one side (these will take longer than the chicken at this temp)
Meanwhile, tenderize the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap (if needed), dredge the chicken in BBQ sauce, then coat with the chopped, spiced nuts.
Place breasts next to the potatoes (over a piece of foil (so nuts don’t fall through) and smoke for about 20 min, checking & turning halfway, making sure to not over-cook. The will be done when they reach 155, then you can rest them for 5 min to reach 160.
Plate dinner by drizzling on BBQ sauce over the chicken, placing 2-3 potato rounds over top the Baby Spring Mix, and garnishing with crumbled goat cheese & any extra spiced nuts.
ENJOY!