BBQ Stuffed Sweet Potato

I call this a comfort food classic with a twist! I mean, who doesn't love a delicious loaded baked potato?? But here's the twist...this is a baked SWEET potato! So much healthier than the typical russet potato. Ignore the cheese and sour cream....what? did you think I would leave those OFF in the name of health? pssh! Anyway, here's something ELSE healthy...I don't use any butter on the potato. So there! You really don't need it, believe me there are plenty of great flavors! Plus, I'm pretty sure no butter earns me an extra sprinkle of cheese.

This meal is super easy to make, and you can customize it to your tastes without a problem! I start by throwing some boneless skinless chicken breasts into the crock pot with my favorite bottle of BBQ sauce. I usually use Stubbs, and that's what I did this time too...but it was a new flavor of Stubbs called Sweet Heat. I give it two thumbs up! Here are the steps to make the chicken (or brisket, or pork shoulder):

1. Put chicken breasts in crock pot (I used 4 large breasts)
2. Pour BBQ sauce over chicken, add other spices as desired - this time I added a little (1/4 c) white vinegar to cut the sweetness of the sauce and also threw in some garlic powder and worchestershire sauce.
3. Cook on low 4-6 hours, shred chicken with fork, and return shredded meat to crock pot to simmer in sauce for additional 30 minutes.

Once you have your shredded meat, it's time to assemble your delicious potato. You can bake the sweet potatoes in the oven or, if you are lazy like I am, quick-bake them in the microwave. I usually halve the potato and that will be one serving for me for dinner (or lunch) because it's so loaded with goodness I couldn't possibly eat a whole one. On top of the potato I sprinkle some shredded cheese (this time I used pepper jack), some of the shredded meat, sauteed chopped jalapenos, diced fresh tomatoes, diced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, and an additional drizzle of BBQ sauce. Other good topping options: sauteed onions, diced raw green onions, pico de gallo, and just about anything you can think of!

Enjoy!