BBQ Chicken-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes Recipe for Flavorful Dinner

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Rediscovering America. The opinions and text are all mine.

A few weeks ago I was invited to dinner at Cortez in Raleigh. Cortez is one of nine restaurants taking part in Rediscovering America, a culinary program highlighting fresh, affordable, locally grown produce sourced through Walmart. Between classes and a busy schedule I almost passed, but I couldn’t resist supporting North Carolina agriculture and trying a new spot.

I convinced a friend to join me for a spontaneous mini road trip — it’s under two hours from Winston‑Salem — and we spent a fun Friday evening exploring Raleigh before enjoying a memorable meal at Cortez on Saturday night.

We shared several small plates and a couple of entrees so we could taste as many things as possible. My favorite light small plate was “Char the Market,” made with North Carolina sweet potatoes, zucchini, and cucumber supplied by Walmart. The dish combined charred zucchini and cucumbers with heirloom tomatoes, kale, chimichurri, scallions, cilantro, Carolina Gold BBQ sauce, and crispy sweet potato chips on top — a bright, layered mix of textures and flavors.

For entrees we tried a Korean BBQ chicken sandwich with cilantro, kimchi, and hand-cut fries, and a grilled swordfish plated with fried rice, a fried egg, mushrooms, kimchi, and bok choy. Both dishes were thoughtfully balanced and full of savory umami notes.

We wrapped up the night with Cortez’s goat cheese berry cheesecake to go and crashed on the couch at home — a perfect girls’ night out.

After the meal, I challenged myself to recreate a dish inspired by Cortez using North Carolina produce available at Walmart — sweet potatoes, zucchini, or cucumbers. I chose to make sweet potatoes the star and developed BBQ chicken stuffed sweet potatoes. You can grab ingredients using Walmart’s online grocery shopping and curbside pickup to save time.

I love swapping the bun for roasted sweet potatoes. On burger night I often skip the bun and add an extra portion of roasted sweet potatoes instead. This recipe follows the same idea: a fun twist on a classic BBQ chicken sandwich, plus it’s naturally gluten-free.

My preferred method for cooking whole sweet potatoes is simple: wash and scrub them, dry, then poke a few holes with a fork to let steam escape. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet — no foil or oil needed. Bake until they develop a syrupy glaze and a fork slides in easily. When shopping, pick sweet potatoes that are similar in size and somewhat wide or round so they bake evenly and are easy to stuff.

While the potatoes roast, prepare the chicken. For convenience I used a store-bought rotisserie chicken — shred it and toss with BBQ sauce. Let the potatoes cool until cool enough to handle, then slice down about three-quarters of the length to create a pocket without cutting all the way through.

Fill each sweet potato with a quarter of the BBQ chicken mixture, top with cheese if you like, and return them to the oven until everything is warmed. Finish with sliced red onion and fresh cilantro for brightness.

A quick note about BBQ sauce: many store-bought varieties are high in added sugar. Two tablespoons can contain around 12 grams of sugar. If you prefer to limit added sugar, check labels for lower-sugar options (I’ve seen brands with about 4–5 grams per serving) or make your own sauce at home.

If you try the BBQ chicken stuffed sweet potatoes, leave a comment and rating or tag me on Instagram @livbane — I’d love to see your photos!