Sweet Potato Mash with Arugula & Chicken Breast
The arugula goes into the mash, not on top of it. You fold a handful of fresh leaves into hot sweet potato, and the residual heat wilts them just enough to soften the texture while keeping the peppery bite. Cherry tomatoes and olives get stirred through at the end, turning a simple mash into something closer to a Mediterranean side dish that happens to be the main course.
The grilled chicken sits alongside, brushed with paprika and olive oil. Seven ingredients, twenty-five minutes, 24 grams of protein and 436 calories.
The arugula goes into the mash, not on top of it. You fold a handful of fresh leaves into hot sweet potato, and the residual heat wilts them just enough to soften the texture while keeping the peppery bite. Cherry tomatoes and olives get stirred through at the end, turning a simple mash into something closer to a Mediterranean side dish that happens to be the main course.
The grilled chicken sits alongside, brushed with paprika and olive oil. Seven ingredients, twenty-five minutes, 24 grams of protein and 436 calories.
Ingredients
- sweet potato 7 ounces
- cherry tomatoes 8 pieces
- olives 6 pieces
- chicken breast 3 ounces
- olive oil 1 tablespoon
- paprika (ground spice) 1 teaspoon
- arugula 1 handful
Method
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Peel the sweet potatoes, cut them into even pieces and boil them for 18 minutes until done. Save the cooking liquid.
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In the meantime, halve the cherry tomatoes and slice the olives.
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Brush the chicken breast with oil and paprika, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the grill pan and cook the chicken breast for 15 minutes until done.
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Mash the potatoes together with the arugula using a potato masher or fork. Gradually add some of the cooking liquid to taste.
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Finally, stir the cherry tomatoes and olives into the mash and serve with the chicken breast.
Add the arugula to the sweet potato right after draining, while it is still steaming. The heat wilts the leaves evenly through the mash. If you wait until the potato cools, the arugula clumps instead of integrating.
Behind this recipe
Is 24 grams of protein enough for a meal?
Research on per-meal protein use found the body handles protein efficiently across a wider range than the old 20 to 30 gram ceiling suggested. 24 grams from chicken breast is a complete protein source with all essential amino acids. If you want more protein at this meal, adding Greek yogurt on the side or increasing the chicken portion both work.
Read the full evidence reviewCan I use regular potatoes instead of sweet potato?
Regular potatoes mash the same way and work as a swap. The main difference is nutritional: sweet potatoes carry more beta-carotene (the orange pigment your body converts to vitamin A) and slightly more fiber gram for gram. The orange-and-green color contrast in the mash also disappears with white potatoes.
Why save the cooking liquid?
The cooking liquid from boiling sweet potato contains dissolved starch and some leached nutrients including beta-carotene. Adding it back to the mash recovers what the boiling pulled out and creates a creamier texture without adding dairy or extra fat.
