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Do people even eat food that isn’t high protein? Okay, in all seriousness, it feels like these days everything is high protein, and I understand why. Protein matters. It helps us stay strong, it gives us energy, it makes our brains function and most of the time it makes a meal feel complete. So, another day, another high protein recipe! Nothing is safe these days, and that means stuffed sweet potatoes are getting the high protein makeover they need!
This recipe is a dream for meal prep! I am often cooking for one, which means that I love recipes that can feed me more than once and will give me leftovers and meals for days to come. These stuffed baked sweet potatoes are perfect because you can change the toppings each time. Add a fried egg for breakfast, more avocado for lunch, or extra chili crunch for dinner. If leftovers are not your thing, freeze the chicken and butter bean mixture for a future meal and make life easier later. I’m constantly on the mission of making life easier, food more approachable and playing with ingredients out of the ordinary. If you are looking for a recipe for purple sweet potatoes that feels like a complete meal, this is a beautiful place to start.
Purple sweet potatoes have been flooding my social feed lately, and when I’m not seeing them in a post, I’m hearing about them on podcasts. I recently listened to Rich Roll’s podcast with the amazing Dr. Dawn, where she shared some incredible food advice, including the health benefits of purple sweet potatoes. These gorgeous root vegetables have deep purple flesh, an earthy, subtly sweet flavour, and are considered a superfood thanks to their high antioxidant content. Their vibrant colour comes from anthocyanins, the same plant compounds found in blueberries and purple cabbage. I’m not a nutritionist, but from what I’ve read and learned, these beautiful spuds may also support inflammation. They aren’t always easy to find, so if you come across purple sweet potatoes, grab them!
Purple sweet potatoes and regular orange sweet potatoes are both delicious, nourishing, and incredibly versatile, but they do have a few differences. Orange sweet potatoes tend to be softer, sweeter, and more moist once baked. Purple sweet potatoes are usually denser, starchier, and slightly earthier. They still have natural sweetness, but it is a little more subtle.
From a cooking perspective, purple sweet potatoes often need enough time in the oven to fully soften. Because of their denser texture, you want to roast them until a fork slides easily into the center. If they are undercooked, they can feel firm and dry instead of creamy and tender. For this recipe, specifically, if you cannot find purple sweet potatoes, regular sweet potatoes or Japanese sweet potatoes will still work beautifully. The flavours will shift slightly, but the final result will still be satisfying!
Now that you know a little more about purple sweet potatoes, it’s time to find out what other ingredients you’ll want for these high protein stuffed potatoes!
Making these stuffed sweet potatoes is not at all difficult. While the potatoes are baking, you’ll be sauteing it up over the stove, and then before you know it, everything comes together!
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Wash and dry the purple sweet potatoes well, then generously prick them all over with a fork. This allows steam to escape as they bake and helps the insides cook evenly. Rub the potatoes with avocado oil and season with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place them on a baking sheet and roast for 50 to 60 minutes, or until they are soft in the middle. You’ll know they are ready when a fork slides into the center easily and the skins look slightly wrinkled.
This step may seem small, but it matters. When sweet potatoes bake, steam builds inside. Poking holes with a fork allows that steam to escape and helps the potato cook evenly. It also reduces the chance of the potato bursting in the oven. A few generous pricks all around each potato is all you need.
While the sweet potatoes roast, heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced red onion and sauté for several minutes, stirring often, until it begins to soften and smell sweet. Add the minced garlic and cook for about one minute. You should smell the garlic almost immediately. Once it is fragrant, it is time to move on.
Add the ground chicken to the skillet and break it apart with a spatula. Cook until it is no longer pink, stirring as it browns. Season with paprika, oregano, cumin, chili flakes, salt, and cracked pepper. You want the chicken to absorb all those spices before adding the tomato ingredients.
Make a little space in the middle of the pan and add the tomato paste. Let it cook for one to two minutes, stirring it into the pan until it darkens slightly. This step builds a richer flavour. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir everything together. Let the mixture cook for several minutes so it thickens slightly and becomes saucy.
Stir in the drained and rinsed butter beans. Let them cook for another two to three minutes, just until warmed through. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. At this point, the filling should be savoury, hearty, and spoonable.
Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them down the middle. Be careful because the insides will still be very hot. Use a fork to gently press the potato down and create space for the filling. Scoop the chicken and butter bean mixture generously over the potatoes. This is very much a “with your heart” moment.
Finish each potato with a scoop of cottage cheese, sliced avocado, chili crunch, flaky salt, and cracked pepper. Serve warm and enjoy every creamy, savoury, spicy bite.
These stuffed sweet potatoes are a meal prep dream! It’s really easy to prepare all of these ingredients and store each of them in its own container, so all you have to do is reheat and stuff whenever you’re ready to eat. You can roast the sweet potatoes ahead of time and store them in the fridge for several days. The ground chicken and butter bean mixture can also be made in advance and kept in an airtight container. Add the cottage cheese, avocado, chili crunch, and flaky salt just before serving so everything tastes fresh. If you want to freeze part of the recipe, freeze the chicken and butter bean mixture on its own. It reheats beautifully and can be spooned over fresh roasted sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, rice, or greens.
One of the reasons why I love this recipe so much is that it’s super easy to customize and make all your own.
What to Serve With Stuffed Purple Sweet Potatoes
These stuffed baked sweet potatoes are hearty enough to serve as a complete meal, but you can also add them to your plate amongst other things like air fryer salmon, a quick and easy nicoise salad or meal prep this amazing air fryer chicken, and you’ve got everything sorted for days to come!
There are so many reasons to love stuffed and baked sweet potatoes! They are total comfort food and super easy to prepare. It’s one of those meals that makes itself and really doesn’t need any special skills in the kitchen (beginner cook friendly!). The meal is nourishing, satisfying, and full of texture thanks to all the optional toppings. They’re packed with protein from the ground chicken, butter beans, and cottage cheese, making them a great option for meal time.
Is sweet potato high in protein? Sweet potatoes themselves are not especially high in protein, but they are a nourishing source of complex carbohydrates, fibre, and vitamins. In this recipe, the protein comes from the ground chicken, butter beans, and cottage cheese.
Do you need to parboil sweet potatoes before roasting? No, you do not need to parboil sweet potatoes before roasting them whole. Just prick them with a fork, coat with oil, season, and roast until tender.
Can I use regular sweet potatoes instead of purple sweet potatoes? Absolutely any potato will work with this recipe! You can try my orange sweet potato recipe here, or you can use regular potatoes or even Caribbean yams.
Can I make these dairy-free? Yes. Skip the cottage cheese or replace it with a dairy-free yogurt, cashew cream, or avocado-based sauce.
Can I make these ahead of time? I love making this recipe ahead of time! Simply roast the potatoes and prepare the filling in advance, then assemble when ready to eat.
Are these like twice baked potatoes? They have a similar comfort-food feel, but they are easier. Instead of scooping out and rebaking the centers like twice baked potatoes, these are roasted, sliced open, and filled.
If you made these stuffed purple sweet potatoes, I would love to hear how you liked them! Leave a comment and review below 🙂
Fan of sweet potatoes like me? Here are some other sweet potato recipes to try next!
Food Photographer and Recipe Developer based in Toronto, Canada.
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*Macros are provided as an estimate for convenience. Your final numbers will vary depending on ingredient brands, substitutions, and how you portion the recipe.
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