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Sometimes, all you need is a baked sweet potato loaded up with layers of delicious toppings. These Southwest Loaded Sweet Potatoes are exactly that: sweet potatoes roasted until tender, then piled high with juicy shredded Southwest chicken, a creamy corn salad, fresh avocado, and all the toppings.

One of my favorite ways to make chicken is in my Crock-Pot Slow Cooker. It consistently gives me tender, pull-apart chicken that stays juicy and flavorful with very little effort. For this recipe, I used Wegmans Southwest Style Marinade, one of my go-to marinades for adding a smoky, Southwest-inspired flavor to chicken.

To balance out the warm, savory spices, I made a quick corn salad with plenty of bright, fresh flavors. Instead of sour cream or mayonnaise, I use plain Greek yogurt for that same creamy texture with an extra boost of protein. The corn gets mixed with jalapeño, green onions, cilantro, cotija cheese, fresh lime zest and juice, and a few simple spices. It’s creamy, tangy, fresh, and has just the right amount of heat.

Then comes the best part: assembling everything. Split open your roasted sweet potato, give the inside a quick mash, and pile on the shredded chicken and corn salad. Add sliced avocado, more cilantro and green onions, a sprinkle of cotija, a squeeze of fresh lime, and a drizzle of chipotle hot sauce if you like a little extra heat.

These are also great for meal prep. Store the sweet potatoes, chicken, and corn salad in separate containers so everything stays fresh. When you’re ready to eat, simply reheat the sweet potato and chicken, then add the cold corn salad, avocado, and your favorite toppings. It’s an easy, flavorful meal that feels a little more exciting than your typical meal-prep bowl.

Want to see how they’re made? Cook with me:

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Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes (plus 4 hours for slow cooker)

Servings: 2

Calories: 725

Protein: 48g

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

2 large chicken breasts
Southwest marinade (I like Wegmans!)

For the sweet potatoes:

4 medium sweet potatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the corn salad:

2 ears of corn
⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
1 jalapeño, cored and diced
2 green onions, thinly sliced (reserve some for garnish)
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of ½ lime
2 tbsp crumbled cotija cheese
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (reserve some for garnish)
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
Tajín (or salt), to taste
Pepper, to taste

For garnish:

2 large avocados, sliced
Sliced green onions
Fresh cilantro
Crumbled cotija cheese
Fresh lime wedges
Chipotle hot sauce

Steps:

Add ¼ cup of the Southwest marinade to the bottom of a slow cooker. Add the chicken breasts, then top each chicken breast with 2–3 tbsp of additional marinade. Cook on high for 3½–4 hours, or until the chicken is tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
Shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker and stir to coat it in the juices. Keep warm until ready to assemble.
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Brush the mixture over the cut side of each sweet potato half.
Place the sweet potatoes cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 35–45 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender and the flesh can easily be mashed with a fork.
Microwave the corn in the husks for about 5 minutes.
Allow the corn to cool for a few minutes before carefully removing the husks. Using a sharp knife, carefully shave the kernels off the ears.
In a medium bowl, combine the corn, jalapeño, green onions, lime juice and zest, cilantro, and cotija cheese. Add the Greek yogurt, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, Tajín, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
Once the sweet potatoes are done, use a fork to gently mash the flesh while keeping it inside the skin.
Top each sweet potato with shredded chicken and the corn salad. Add sliced avocado, green onions, cilantro, cotija cheese, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and chipotle hot sauce, if desired.