These Chicken Loaded Sweet Potato Skins are double‑oven baked until the edges start to caramelize, then filled with a creamy leftover chicken and mayonnaise mixture. They are delicious served hot or cold and make a satisfying lunch or light dinner.
I made these and enjoyed them for three days running—crispy at the edges, sweet and tender inside, with a creamy chicken filling that keeps every bite interesting. They’re simple to prepare and hold up well as leftovers, so they’re ideal for meal prep or packing into a lunchbox.
This idea came about after finding discounted rotisserie chickens at the store. You can use leftover roast chicken, a chilled rotisserie bird, or cooked chicken breasts shredded or chopped into bite‑sized pieces. A few large sweet potatoes turn into crisp, flavorful shells that are the perfect vessel for the creamy filling.
If you prefer, you can mash some of the scooped sweet potato flesh back into the chicken mixture to create a more substantial, slightly sweeter filling. I saved the scooped flesh to use with eggs for breakfast the next day, but combining it with the chicken and mayo also works well and gives a different texture and flavor.
Fresh herbs brighten the filling: coriander (cilantro) is my preference, but chopped basil, parsley, or sage would also complement the sweet potato and chicken. Add chopped spring onions or chives for a fresh, oniony note and a bit of crunch. Season simply with salt and pepper to let the natural sweetness of the potato and the savory chicken shine.
A small safety tip: always pierce sweet potatoes all over before baking so steam can escape. If you skip this step, they can burst in the oven and create a sticky mess. Bake them until tender through the center, then scoop out most of the flesh leaving a thin layer stuck to the skin so the shells hold their shape.
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1-2
sweet potatoes per person
depending on size - Oil (for drizzling)
- Salt
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Cooked chicken
cut into bite-size pieces - Mayonnaise
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Fresh herbs such as coriander
optional—use basil, parsley, or sage -
Spring onions
chopped, for garnish
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Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas mark 4.
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Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork to allow steam to escape. Place them on a baking tray and bake for about 1 hour, or until a skewer slides easily into the center and the flesh is tender.
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Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool slightly. Cut each one lengthwise and scoop out most of the flesh, leaving roughly ½–1 cm of flesh attached to the skin so the shells retain structure.
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Return the skins to the baking tray, drizzle lightly with oil, season with a little salt, and bake for another 10–15 minutes. The skins will darken and the edges will crisp, though they won’t become as crunchy as white potato skins.
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While the skins finish in the oven, combine the chopped cooked chicken with mayonnaise in a bowl. Season with pepper and salt to taste. Stir in chopped fresh herbs if using, and fold in some of the scooped sweet potato flesh if you want a richer filling.
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Fill each baked sweet potato skin with the chicken mixture, sprinkle with chopped spring onions, and serve immediately. These are also delicious chilled—store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2–3 days and enjoy cold as a quick meal or packed lunch.