Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken with Sweet Potato Matchsticks

This turned out to be an outstanding dinner. The chicken was moist and had a great aroma and taste. The sweet potato matchsticks were just great. Super crunchy and with just a little kick from the Cajun spices. We added some roasted Brussels sprouts to round out the dish.


The original chicken recipe came from Whole Foods. The sweet potato matchsticks are a recipe from Tyler Florence, one of my favorites on the Food Networks since he does really cook and doesn't need gimmicks in his shows (back to the How to Boil Water days).

I think I could eat sweet potato matchsticks all day.

Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 T paprika
• 1 T ground cumin
• 1 1/2 t salt
• 1 1/4 t pepper
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 1/2 T white wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 t canola oil
• 2 large Vidalia onions, sliced thick (I substituted sweet onions)
• 2 red or yellow bell peppers, cut into large chunks
• 4 split chicken breasts
• 1 lemon, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 425° F.

2. Grease a 9x13 inch pan.

3. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic, vinegar and oil to make a thick paste.

4. Place onions in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the paste.

5. Rub chicken with remaining paste and place in pan. Cover with onions, peppers, and lemon.

6. Roast until chicken is cooked through, about 35 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Sweet Potato Matchsticks

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• Oil, for frying
• 2-3 large sweet potatoes
• Cajun spice, to taste

1. Slice sweet potatoes into thin, flat sections on a mandoline. Turn the sections sideways and slice into matchsticks using the mandoline.

2. Place potatoes in a large bowl of ice water to remove any starch. Soak for a few minutes then rinse with cold water. Repeat until water is clear.

3. Drain matchsticks very well and dry on a towel. It is critical to remove as much water as you can.

4. Heat oil to 365° F in a Dutch oven or deep fryer.

5. Working in batches, fry the potatoes until crispy and golden, about 3 minutes. Remove to paper towels to drain.

6. Sprinkle with Cajun spices or salt to taste and serve.

For the Brussels sprouts, look here.