Chicken & Sweet Potato Hash With A Cranberry Relish

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, diced
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
• 3 slices bacon, diced but not too fine (i get a maple or hickory bacon if possible, but anything will work)
• 1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced
• 1 medium onion, cut in quarters and thin sliced
• 1 celery rib, fine diced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chicken broth (i start with 1/4 cup, but more may be needed)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (if needed)
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped (1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped (1/2 dried)
• salt
• pepper
• 1 cup frozen cranberries
• 1/4 cup onion, fine chopped
• 1/4 cup cranberry juice
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (1/2 cup after being chopped)
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons chives, minced
• 1 teaspoon butter
• salt
• pepper

Recipe

• 1 walnuts -- in a small dry saute pan on medium to medium high heat, add the walnuts and toast until golden brown. you will begin to smell them and that is when you know they are done. stir often and keep an eye on them, they only take a few minutes. remove, and let cool.
• 2 cranberry relish -- in a medium sauce pan, add the butter and bring to medium heat. add the onion and simmer 2 minutes until slightly tender. then stir in the cranberries, cranberry juice, water, pinch of salt, maple syrup and bring to a boil. then reduce the heat to a simmer (medium low to low) and cook until the cranberries start to pop - it will take 7-10 minutes. continue to cook as you stir in the walnuts, chives, dijon mustard, pepper and any additional salt to taste. cook another minute or two and then remove from the heat and cool. it will thicken upon cooling. this can easily be done in advance.
• 3 base -- in a large saute pan on medium high heat, add the bacon and saute until golden brown and slightly crisp. remove to the side on a paper plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
• 4 chicken -- in the same pan with the bacon drippings, add the chicken (seasoned well with salt and pepper) and cook until golden brown. once again, remove the chicken to the same plate with the bacon.
• 5 onions, celery and potatoes -- to that same pan with the bacon drippings and chicken bits, add the potatoes, onion, celery and garlic. add additional oil - only if necessary. the potatoes will soak up a lot, but you should have enough from the bacon dripping, but if not - add just a little olive oil, a little at a time if needed. then add approximately 1/4-1/3 cup chicken broth and cook uncovered on medium heat. the broth will give it a little moisture and help cook the potatoes (don't add too much, this is just to help the cooking process started). cook about 10-15 minutes until the potatoes begin to get tender. the broth will reduce and the potatoes and onion will start to brown up. cooking time will depend on how small you diced your potatoes.
• 6 finish -- once the potatoes are tender. you don't want them falling apart, just tender. add in the apple slices (they don't take long to cook), the chicken and bacon back in along with the sage, thyme and parsley. check for seasoning, and add salt and pepper if needed. cook an additional 5 minutes until everything is well combined and heated through. if it looks a bit dry, add a little more broth, that is why you have it. water will work too if you don't have broth on hand.
• 7 serve -- the hash is done! time to eat. i prefer to warm up the cranberry relish in the microwave, but serving it cold is just fine. i just "nuke" it for 1 minute on medium just to take the chill off and then serve a nice dollop right on top on your hash. it is just the perfect condiment to this savory dish. enjoy!