Roasted Balsamic Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potato Mash

Oh my goodness this meal was delicious!!! I have missed me some Brussels sprouts! Below is my version of the original recipe - I basically just doubled everything, but kept the oil amount the same, so I could get 8 meals. Since I increased the ingredient amounts, I decided to bake the Brussels and red onions separately from the chicken. This added some more time to meal prep, but I had the sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot anyway, so it didn't really make a difference to me. I baked the Brussels and red onions for 20 minutes, mixed them around, then baked for another 10 minutes and set them aside. Once those were done, I baked the chicken for just 20 minutes and they were done. Since I used bite size chicken breast pieces instead of chicken thighs, the chicken did not take too long to cook at all. Of note, you do have to marinate the chicken for 2 hours before cooking. I hate when I forget this piece, then go to meal prep only to realize I didn't marinate the meat yet. It's almost as if that happened to me this weekend or something... Anyways though, this meal is definitely worth making! Super easy, not many ingredients, and it turned out so delicious! I will be making this one again for sure!

Roasted Balsamic Chicken with Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients:

• 6-8 chicken thighs (I used 3 lb chicken breast instead)
• 2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 4 Tbsp olive oil (divided)
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup (I used honey instead)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 24 Brussels sprouts (I used a 2 lb bag)
• 1 red onion

Directions:

1. Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, maple syrup, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
2. Place the chicken thighs in a glass dish or plastic bag and pour the marinade on top. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for 2 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
4. Slice the Brussels sprouts in half and the red onion into wedges. Place the Brussels sprouts and onion on a large baking sheet and drizzle with two tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix together to coat, then create spaces for the chicken.
5. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the sheet pan. Cook for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
6. While the chicken is cooking, pour the remaining marinade into a small saucepan on medium heat. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the sauce is reduced and thickened. Open the oven, brush the glaze on the chicken and continue cooking.
7. Once the chicken is fully cooked, serve immediately.

​Original recipe found here

Super Fast Instant Pot Sweet Potato Mash
Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1″ cubes*
• 1 cup of water
• 1-2 tbsp of coconut oil or ghee (to your tasting)
• salt and seasonings to taste

Directions:

1. Peel your sweet potatoes and cut them into 1″ cubes.
2. Add sweet potatoes and water to the instant pot. Close pot and set to sealing.
3. Cook on manual, high pressure, for 4 minutes.
4. Immediately quick release the pressure as soon as the 4 minute cooking cycle has completed.
5. Use oven mitts to carefully remove the inner pot from the Instant pot, carrying it to a colander in your sink to drain the potatoes.
6. Quickly wash out the inner pot and dry it with a kitchen towel.
7. Immediately place the clean inner pot back into the instant pot, add the coconut oil/ghee and press the sauté button.
8. Once the coconut oil starts to sizzle, add your potatoes back to the pot along with any seasonings you desire. Use a wooden spoon to stir and turn your sweet potatoes, cooking until a desired consistency is reached. This step should only take a few minutes before you are ready to serve your sweet potato mash! Enjoy!

Notes
*I always use at least 6 lbs of sweet potatoes, 2 cups of water, and cook it for 10-15 minutes.

Original recipe found here