I have some very important information to share with you.

I’m on a no pie diet. The importance of that statement can’t be questioned.

Does this mean you won’t see sweet recipes? Nope, it just means I’m going to bake and eat brownies, cookies, and homemade pop-tarts instead. Pie baking is saved for special occasions only (otherwise my thighs would hate me). Wait, my half-birthday is coming up! That’s a special occasion… right? More pie please!

Focus Monique. Obviously we’re not taking about anything sweet here. What we are talking about is a Sweet Potato & Chicken Mexican Stir-Fry that you’ll want every day for the rest of your life. Facts only.

Alright I’m a bit dramatic, but regular chicken stir-frys just don’t do it for me.  How about the stir-frys at chinese restaurants? NO WAY! I think of those as science experiments. Think about it, they sit under heat lamps for hours! Who knows what’s lurking in that bright red sweet and sour sauce. (Seriously, how is it so red)? Another thing that’s upsetting? Searching for chicken between thick inches of fried batter in your stir-fry. I feel like my arteries are screaming at me to stop.

I’ll admit all that talk about chinese buffets is a bit hypocritical of me, but only because I just confessed to eating this lemon pie last week. My arteries probably hated that too. Whatever, pie is good and fun! Trashing up your stir fry is fun too. Yep I said trashing. We’re putting whatever we can find in it. We’re making it our own! Don’t you know that sexy, spicy, dirty, trashy stir-fry is the only way to go?!

Too many adjectives? Too many ingredients? You’ll just have to deal with it, because that’s how I make recipes around here. Mexican stir-fry? Sounds good to me. Putting it in tacos? Complete meal. Important: do not run out of tequila. Drinking wine with tacos isn’t the same.

Usually I get recipe ideas  two ways 1) spending hours in the grocery store (heaven), or 2) looking through my refrigerator to see what needs to be used. I threw this recipe together from with a bunch of spices and sweet potatoes.

So, what’s in that fridge of yours? Take a look!

It’s time to be an equal opportunity stir-fry lover.

Did that even make sense? Probably not. It’s not a membership, it just means we put the unusual in… you know to make it incredible and such. Stir-frys go with anything. I enjoy making them mexican. To me, everything is good when it’s made mexican. I’ve got an obsessed with spices and cilantro that can’t be tamed. Of course either can my need to consume margaritas with all mexican meals. Shocker.

There’s so many ways to eat this! You could serve it on top of quinoa (healthy), or spicy spanish potatoes (mexican twice… obvious yes), add in black beans and corn (easy), or stuff it in enchiladas (I think we’re soul mates)! Or you just can pack it inside of a warm tortilla.

Do whatever! This is your stir-fry and you can trash it up just how you like.

Sweet Potato & Chicken Mexican Stir-fry

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound ground chicken

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

1 white onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 orange pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalepano, seeded and diced

1 can of diced tomatoes (fire-roasted is good), drained

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus additional for serving

1/2 teaspoon salt

fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Put sweet potato in small pot with enough cold water to just cover them. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat and cook about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and place chicken in a bowl.
3. Return pan to heat and add remaining teaspoon of oil. Stir in onion, jalapeno pepper, bell peppers, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and oregano. Cook to soften, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Stir in chicken and cook for an additional minute. Add sweet potato and can of drained tomatoes and cook again, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro, salt, and black pepper.