Maple-orange Glazed Chicken And Sweet Potatoes In A Bread Bowl

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 loaves bread, small round (country-style or sourdough)
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 cups fresh orange juice
• 4 tablespoons orange zest
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 large shallots, finely sliced
• 1/2 cup red onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped scallion
• crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Recipe

• 1 make a 1/2-inch deep cut horizontally across the top of the bread loaves. using a sharp knife, hollow to form a large bowl. set aside. (be careful to not break through the sides or the bottom crust). cut the scooped out bread into crouton sized cubes and bake in 425°f oven until brown; set aside.
• 2 place sweet potatoes in a large pot; add enough water to cover. cook over a high flame and bring to a boil, lower flame to medium-high and cook until tender (about 3 - 5 minutes); drain and set aside.
• 3 make the glaze by whisking together the orange juice, orange zest, maple syrup, brown sugar, cloves, and cinnamon. set aside.
• 4 heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large-wide skillet over a medium-high flame. season the chicken cubes with salt, pepper, onion powder, rosemary, and ginger. sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the center is no longer pink. remove the chicken and keep warm.
• 5 heat half of the maple-orange glaze in a sauce pan until thick and bubbly, about 15 minutes. set aside and keep warm.
• 6 add remaining oil to the skillet. sauté shallots and red onion over a medium-high flame until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. add the garlic to the onion and cook it just long enough to coat with oil. to the skillet, add the chicken, sweet potatoes and the remaining glaze mixture; bring to a boil. cover and reduce heat to medium-low. simmer 10 minutes - glaze should be thick and bubbly.
• 7 in small bowl, mix together cranberries, walnuts, scallions and red pepper. in large mixing bowl, gently toss the glazed chicken and sweet potatoes, the cranberry mixture, and the baked croutons - if desired, drizzle additional glaze to thoroughly coat the chicken and sweet potato mixture.
• 8 divide and transfer to the hollowed bread loaves; sprinkle with parsley to garnish. place the "bread bowls" on a plate or in a deep soup bowl. serve with extra maple-orange glaze on the side.
• 9 don't forget -- you can eat the bowl!