Honey Bourbon Chicken & Sneaky Sweet Potatoes
This spicy-sweet, warming, family meal is everything you want on a cozy winter night, with a healthy secret twist on mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
HONEY BOURBON CHICKEN THIGHS
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1/4 cup maple sugar sub coconut or other dried sugar
- 1 tablespoons sea salt
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 12 chicken thighs skin on
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons bourbon sub orange juice
SNEAKY SWEET POTATOES
- 3 large sweet potatoes peeled and chopped into 2 inch pieces
- 1 head cauliflower destemmed and chopped into 2 inch florets
- 1 medium white onion diced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
Instructions
HONEY BOURBON CHICKEN THIGHS
- Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil and place chicken thighs on them. Combine paprika, maple sugar and sea salt in a small bowl and whisk to incorporate.
- Using clean fingers, rub a thin coating of butter under and over the skin of each chicken thigh. 1 tablespoon should last the whole batch. Sprinkle spice mixture onto the thighs and use fingers to coat evenly. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Mix bourbon and honey in a small bowl. Place thighs in the oven, uncovered, and bake for 50 minutes.
- Remove from oven and use a brush or spoon to coat each thigh with a thin layer of the honey bourbon mixture. Place bake in oven and bake another 10 minutes.
- Remove thighs and set your oven to broil. Add another thin glaze of the honey bourbon mixture to thighs. Take turns placing each baking sheet under the broiler for 30 seconds or until the skin bubbles up and turns a dark caramel color. Remove from heat and allow to cool at least 10 minutes before enjoying.
SNEAKY SWEET POTATOES
- Fill two pots with at least 4 quarts water and set to boil. Once boiling, add cauliflower to one pot and sweet potatoes to another.
- While vegetables are boil, heat a large sauté pan to medium heat and add olive oil. When oil is shimmering, add onion and sauté until translucent and fragrant, approximately 3-4 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Cauliflower will be done after 20 minutes. Sweet potatoes will be done after 35 minutes. Drain each into a large colander.
- Combine cauliflower and sweet potatoes in a large pot. Add sautéed onion, salt, milk and stock. Use a ricer or an immersion blender to puree. Other options: Use a potato masher and you will have a chunkier texture. Empty into a food processor and process to puree.
