A little planning ahead leads to the ultimate payoff: Marinate the chicken ahead of time; the only work you’ll have to do at the end of the day is pop a tray in the oven. And voila—sweet and spicy chicken and sweet potatoes!

Chipotle Honey Chicken Tenders and Sweet Potatoes

Recipe by: Katie Morris; adapted from In The Kitchen With A Good Appetite, by Melissa Clark.
Makes: 4-6 servings
​Ready in: 50 minutes, plus marinating time

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 chipotles in adobo sauce, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 pounds chicken breast tenders (or chicken breasts pounded to 3/4-inch thickness, sliced into strips)
6 sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes

DIRECTIONS

1. Twenty-four hours before you plan on eating: Mix 1 tablesoon olive oil, chilies, garlic, honey, vinegar, salt, cumin, and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Pour into a large Ziploc bag.

2. Rinse chicken tenders, pat dry, and trim any fat, then place in the bag. Close the bag and squish around to coat chicken with marinade. Refrigerate for eight to 24 hours.

3. When ready to cook: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large baking pan, toss together remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, sweet potatoes, and an additional sprinkling of sea salt. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring once.

4. Add marinated chicken tenders to the sweet potato pan, and continue to bake for 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through (no pink in the middle) and juices run clear.