Autumn is here and the warm, comfort food cravings are definitely on the rise. With being well settled into fall quarter/semester, schedules start to get pretty busy and cooking can sometimes be a bit of an afterthought. Give your family and yourself a boost with this fall-inspired dish that leaves you full, nourished and satisfied. I got the chance to make it on Sunday, and have been grateful for the leftovers for a quick lunch or dinner. Feel free to experiment with the wonderful array of vegetables in season now too! The recipe calls for sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts, but I even tried it with butternut squash and kale.

Makes: 8 Servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
  • 1/2 Onion, Chopped
  • 2 Medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled & cut into small cubes
  • 1 lb. Brussels Sprouts, trimmed & quartered
  • 1/4 Cup Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
  • 6 Cup Wild Rice
  • 1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
  • 1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds
  • 1 tsp. Dried Thyme
  • 1/2 tsp. Paprika
  • Kosher Salt & Pepper

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9″X 13″ baking dish with oil. In a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet and cook until golden and cooked through, 8 minutes per side. Let rest 10 minutes, then cut into 1″ pieces.
  2. Heat remaining tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add onion, sweet potatoes, and Brussels sprouts and season with thyme, paprika, salt and pepper. cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add broth, bring to a simmer, and cook, covered, 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in cooked rice, chicken, and cranberries. Transfer mixture to baking dish, top with almonds, and bake 20 minutes.

Nutritional Info: Calories 378 / Carbs 47 g / Fat 10

g / Protein 30 g / Sodium 139 mg / Sugars 13 g / Fiber 6 g