The other week I made this recipe for the family, but I made it the hard way. The way where I had to stand over the stove making the risotto by stirring and stirring and stirring some more, all the while adding the smallest amounts of broth to the rice at a time.

Fa-get-about-it.

Not the smartest recipe to make with a toddler at my legs begging and kicking to be in my arms. Even the bits of apple and raisins I tossed down to her open mouth did not satisfy her need to be in the middle of it all.

But, the outcome was amazing. Sinfully creamy rice blended with sweet potato and sage. The entire batch was devoured that night. But it left me exhausted and my sink completely full of dishes.

There had to be a better way.

One dish.

No hands required.

That’s when I got the idea to bake all of the ingredients at once. The rice starts off with a little heat action on the stove but then soon enough it gets put into the oven for an hour along with the sweet potato and chicken which are safely wrapped in some tin foil. When the rice is done, everything gets added to the skillet and dinner is done.

Simple.

Tasty.

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

This fast version is not only more healthy [high five brown rice] it also gives you an extra hour to play and only one dish to clean [high five mommy].

Baked Sweet Potato and Chicken Risotto + Peas + Sage

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup organic short grain brown rice
4 −5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tsp fresh sage
1 lb organic free range chicken breast
1 large organic sweet potato
1 cup frozen organic peas
1 tbsp organic butter (optional but see health note above)

Heat oven to 400.

In skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute then add rice. Sauté for 5 minutes or until rice is slightly translucent. Add 4 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Add 1 tsp of sage. Stir. COVER the pan and place in oven for 60-75 minutes.

Wrap sweet potato in tin foil and place on baking sheet. Place chicken breast in another sheet of tin foil and add salt and pepper [optional] and place next to your sweet potato on baking sheet. Cook in the oven on lower rack. In 30 minutes check your chicken to make sure it is done and remove from oven. Stir rice. If your rice mixture is looking dry, then add the additional cup of broth. Your rice and sweet potato will take an additional 30-45 minutes.

When chicken is cool to the touch, shred and set aside.

Once rice is tender, take sweet potato and rice out of oven. Carefully peel away skin from sweet potato and smash with the back of a wooden spoon into rice mixture. Add chicken, peas, 1 tsp of sage and butter. Stir until everything is incorporated.