Chicken Sausage, Brussels Sprouts, and Sweet Potato Skillet Bake
Try this Chicken Sausage, Brussels Sprouts, and Sweet Potato Skillet Bake recipe.
Try this Chicken Sausage, Brussels Sprouts, and Sweet Potato Skillet Bake recipe.
- Carbohydrate 6.58180000388709 g
- Cholesterol 106.24000008981 mg
- Fat 39.3572000223403 g
- Fiber 0.125999994277954 g
- Protein 40.6532000340436 g
- Saturated Fat 18.5758120141928 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (185g)
- Sodium 1102.4985737853 mg
- Sugar 6.45580000960914 g
- Trans Fat 1.7262320011563 g
- Calories 545 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat half of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once oil is shimmering, add the chicken sausage and crumble as you cook, cooking until sausage is cooked through, 5-7 minutes.
- Transfer the sausage to a plate or bowl and immediately add the sweet potato noodles and season with salt and pepper.
- Toss and cook for 7 minutes or until cooked through and slightly al dente.
- Set aside on a plate and then add in the remaining olive oil to the skillet, the brussels sprouts and garlic.
- Season with salt and pepper and toss until cooked, about 5 minutes.
- If you want to speed up the cooking process, cover the skillet, uncovering to toss occasionally.
- Once brussels are done cooking, add back in the sausage and sweet potato noodles.
- Toss and spread out everything evenly in the skillet.
- Sprinkle over with cheese and cover the skillet and let the cheese melt, about 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
While traditional casseroles rely on heavy bechamel bases to bridge disparate ingredients, this single-skillet preparation uses direct conduction heat to develop flavor through the Maillard reaction. Ground chicken sausage renders its own fat at medium-high heat, creating a savory cooking medium that seasons the sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts sequentially without requiring extra pans. Cast iron works best here because its superior thermal mass maintains a steady surface temperature when cold vegetables are introduced, though any heavy-bottomed skillet will suffice if heated thoroughly beforehand.
Maillard Browning and Sugar Caramelization
As the minced garlic and sliced brussels sprouts hit the remaining olive oil, volatile sulfur compounds break down into sweeter, nutty notes, counterbalancing the earthy bitterness typical of brassicas. Sweet potato noodles contain high levels of natural starches that caramelize rapidly when exposed to direct pan contact, forming localized crusts that contrast sharply with the melting mozzarella. Covering the pan during the final five minutes traps moisture to gently steam the cheese into a uniform blanket without burning the starches underneath.
- If the sweet potato noodles begin to char before softening, add one tablespoon of water and cover the skillet immediately to generate steam.
- Shred low-moisture mozzarella rather than using fresh mozzarella to prevent excess liquid from pooling in the bottom of the pan.
- Adjust burner intensity from medium-high down to medium if the garlic turns golden brown before the brussels sprouts have softened.
