BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Casserole

This turned out AMAZING! The original recipe is below, but I totally just took the concept of this recipe and made it on my own. Mainly, I made the shredded chicken and sweet potato mash the way I usually like to make it (here's the blog post for both of those recipes). I also did not bake the sweet potato with the casserole because I typically meal prep 8 lbs of sweet potato, which is basically a whole separate casserole in itself. Since I left the sweet potato out of the casserole though I decided to throw in two bags of Green Giant Riced Cauliflower with the chicken instead, which was a nice sneaky way to add vegetables into this recipe without changing any flavor or consistency. If you decide to try that out too just make sure to warm the rice up first - don't throw frozen rice in with the chicken! As for the BBQ sauce, I had a bottle of Steve's PaleoChef Peach BBQ already in my pantry, so I went ahead and used that for my BBQ sauce. I also like using ​Tessemae's BBQ sauce, which I have found at my local Whole Foods and Wegmans. The recipe below also includes a homemade paleo BBQ sauce if you don't wish to purchase a paleo one. If you are not totally committed to paleo though, then feel free to just use your favorite BBQ sauce. Note, I did end up using the entire bottle of Steve's PaleoChef Peach BBQ with my casserole, which is a little over 1 cup. Also, when serving it definitely does not keep its shape like a casserole should, I just took a picture of the best looking slice I had. One last note I have is that you have to cook and shred the chicken first, so if you have time earlier in the day or the day before to get that done then you will thank yourself later since that will add time to your prep. Overall though this was a super simple recipe to throw together and really turned out so delicious!
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​BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Casserole
​Ingredients:

• 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 4 tablespoons ghee, or coconut oil, divided
• 3 pounds sweet potatoes (or white if you prefer) [6 to 8 if they’re small]
• 1 cup BBQ sauce, store-bought or homemade (recipe below)
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup diced purple onions, for garnish
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions:

1. Season both sides of the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
2. To sear the chicken, melt 1 tablespoon of ghee in a large saute pan over high heat. When the ghee is melted, add the chicken. Sear for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until lightly browned.
3. Cook the chicken using one of these two methods:
   Stove top option: Pour enough water into the pan to cover the chicken, place the lid on the pan, and simmer over medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until cooked through. While the chicken is cooking, follow Step 4 to prepare the potatoes.
   Slow cooker option: Transfer the seared chicken to the slow cooked, add enough water to cover the chicken, and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. When the chicken has about 30 minutes left to cook, prepare the potatoes.
4. Prepare the potatoes: Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Place the pot over high heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Drain and place the potatoes either in a large bowl or back in their cooking pot. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes with the remaining 3 tablespoons ghee, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
5. When the chicken is cooked, shred it using either the paddle attachment of a stand mixer or two forks. Toss the shredded chicken in 1/2 cup of the BBQ sauce.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spoon the seasoned mashed potatoes into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, then layer the BBQ shredded chicken on top. Mix the remaining 1/2 cup BBQ sauce with the vinegar and drizzle it over the top of the chicken.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, until the top just starts to brown.
8. Let cool, then garnish with the onions and cilantro. Serve warm.

Homemade BBQ Sauce
Yields: 3 1/2 cups
Ingredients:

• 1 [15-ounce] can strained tomatoes or tomato sauce
• 1 [6-ounce] can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup coconut aminos
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, whisk together all of the ingredients until well combined. Bring to a simmer and continue to whisk for an additional 5 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and let cool for at least 5 minutes.
3. Use right away or transfer to a jar for storage in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Original recipe found here