chicken and sweet potato hash

Louisiana Chicken and Sweet Potato Hash

4 servings

North Carolina native James Villas knows sweet potatoes. In his upcoming "The Glory of Southern Cooking" (Wiley, March 2007, $34.95), he praises Louisiana's contributions to that vegetable: the state's grading system; the Beauregard, his favorite variety; and this satisfying hash, made by Louisiana cooks who serve it for breakfast as well as supper.

The author told us last week via e-mail that his home state's sweet potatoes taste just as good as Beauregards but are not as pretty to look at, because No. 1-grade Beauregards are uniform and virtually defect-free. He says it's not necessary to peel any potatoes for this recipe; just clean them well and remove any eyes or spots.

At this time of year, you might find more North Carolina than Louisiana sweet potatoes in the produce department of Washington area grocers; the supply of the best Beauregards is dwindling and won't last past early March, Villas says.

We adapted his recipe by substituting nonfat half-and-half for the full-fat variety, saving fat and calories without sacrificing flavor or texture. Serve with corn bread.

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (2 to 3 medium), scrubbed and cut into 1/2 -inch cubes

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (without tenderloins)

2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, finely chopped (1 1/2 to 2 cups)

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded, cored and finely chopped (1 1/4 cups)

1 medium clove garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon hot paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 scallions, white and tender green parts, finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

1 cup nonfat half-and-half

Place the cubed sweet potatoes in a large pan with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender.

While the potatoes are cooking, poach the chicken: Cut the breasts in half vertically, place them in a large skillet and add just enough water (or low-sodium chicken broth) to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through and tender. Drain, transfer to a work surface and cut into 1/2 -inch cubes. Set aside.

Drain the potatoes and set aside.

Clean out the skillet and place the butter in it to melt over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the vegetables have softened. Add the paprika and the dried thyme, crumbling it between your fingers, then the salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine for 1 minute. Add the chicken, sweet potatoes, scallions, parsley and half-and-half. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the liquid has reduced and the hash is thickened and "tight."

Per serving: 381 calories, 31 g protein, 45 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat, 84 mg cholesterol, 5 g saturated fat, 331 mg sodium, 6 g dietary fiber

Recipe tested by Bonnie S. Benwick; e-mail questions tofood@washpost.com

devra's idea--combine this with the food network recipe (esp dried cranberries) to get the perfect combination