Butter-Basted Chicken with Candied Bacon Brussels Sprouts and Mashed Sweet Potatoes

This dish takes humble chicken breasts to new heights with a luscious butter baste and a flavor-packed pan sauce. The sides are just as impressive: Brussels sprouts and bacon are roasted with brown sugar until caramelized and sweet potatoes are mashed until silky smooth.

Finished with a garlicky, tangy sauce made from demi-glace and sour cream, every bite is a balance of savory, sweet and rich. It’s a complete meal that feels special enough for a celebration but simple enough for a weeknight.

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Ingredients

8 ounce Brussels SproutsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ShallotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Sweet PotatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce BaconView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Brown SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce Chicken BreastsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Garlic Herb ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Demi-GlaceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Chili FlakesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Vegetable OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Place a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper inside your oven and preheat to 425°F. Wash and dry all produce. Trim and halve Brussels sprouts. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Halve, peel and mince shallot until you have 3 tablespoons. Dice sweet potatoes into ½-inch cubes.
2. Place sweet potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in the same pot. Add scallion whites, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, then add sweet potatoes and mash until smooth. Keep covered until ready to serve.
3. Meanwhile, toss Brussels sprouts with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper on one half of the preheated baking sheet; arrange bacon on the other side. Sprinkle sprouts and bacon with salt, pepper and half the brown sugar. Roast until browned and crispy, 20-25 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, pat chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 5-8 minutes per side. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, reduce heat to low and add garlic herb butter. Spoon over chicken until coated. Turn off heat. Leaving butter in the pan, transfer chicken to a plate.
5. Add minced shallot to the pan with the reserved garlic herb butter. Cook on low until softened, 1-2 minutes. Stir in demi-glace and ¼ cup water. Simmer until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat. Stir in 2 packets (about 4 tablespoons) sour cream and any resting juices from the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Slice chicken crosswise. Crumble or chop bacon into small pieces. Stir remaining brown sugar and remaining sour cream (about 2 tablespoons) into the mashed sweet potatoes. Divide Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes between plates. Top potatoes with chicken and sauce. Garnish chicken with scallion greens. Garnish Brussels sprouts with bacon. Sprinkle with chili flakes to taste.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use frozen Brussels sprouts?

Fresh Brussels sprouts are recommended for the best caramelization. If using frozen, thaw and pat dry thoroughly before roasting.

What can I substitute for chicken demi-glace?

You can use beef or chicken stock concentrate mixed with a little cornstarch to thicken or a store-bought demi-glace substitute.

Can I make this dairy-free?

Substitute the butter with a plant-based butter, use dairy-free sour cream and omit the garlic herb butter or use a dairy-free version.