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Baked BBQ Chicken with Sweet Potato and Cranberries

This easy recipe for baked BBQ chicken breasts is warm, hearty, and colorful. The tart cranberries complement the sweet barbecue sauce and the mellow sweet potatoes. Homemade barbecue sauce is what I used on the chicken breasts, but your favorite barbecue sauce will work too.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 2 people
Calories 1225.9 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Baking Dish 9x13 inch or similar size
  • 1 Microwave-Safe Dish for sweet potato
  • 1 Chef's knife
  • 1 Cutting Board
  • 1 Pastry Brush for applying BBQ sauce

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 medium sweet potato
  • 3 medium carrots peeled
  • 1 medium apple peeled and cored
  • ½ medium sweet onion
  • 2 5 ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
  • 1 cup dried cranberries

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking dish.
  • Pierce sweet potato several times with a fork, then cut in half. Place in a microwave-safe dish; pour in about 1/2 inch of water. Microwave on high for 10 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Meanwhile, chop carrots, apple, and onion; arrange in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Brush barbecue sauce on both sides of the chicken breasts and lay atop the vegetables. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Remove sweet potato from the microwave. Peel and discard skin. Cut sweet potato into large chunks; scatter into the baking dish. Sprinkle cranberries over top. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is tender and no longer pink in the center, 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Notes

To elevate this dish, consider a quick pan-sear on the chicken breasts before baking to develop a richer crust and deeper flavor. For the vegetables, tossing them with a touch of olive oil, salt, and pepper prior to baking encourages better caramelization. Ensure the sweet potato is tender-crisp from the microwave, as it will continue cooking in the oven, preventing a mushy texture. Monitor the chicken's internal temperature to 165°F (74°C) to prevent overcooking and maintain juiciness. A final sprinkle of fresh parsley or chives before serving adds brightness and a pop of color.