Crispy Sweet Potatoes

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These crispy sweet potatoes are savory and slightly smoky thanks to paprika and chipotle powder. They make a perfect fall side dish for any meal!

Fall is here again, which means it’s time for more sweet potato recipes! We love cozying up with a simple dinner of marinated chicken, sweet potatoes, and cornbread or roasted vegetables in the fall. And these crispy sweet potatoes are a staple in our rotation, especially when we’re craving the savory and smoky flavors of chipotle and paprika.

What This Recipe Entails

You’ll need 5 ingredients, a frying pan, and just over 30 minutes to make this crispy sweet potato side dish.

• Prep time: 5 to 10 minutes
• Cook time: 25 to 30 minutes

They don’t require your full attention since you’ll want to stir them infrequently, so you can easily whip these up for a healthy side dish while cooking dinner.

Crispy Sweet Potato Ingredients

As crazy as it sounds, there are a few more ingredients needed than just sweet potato. While you could make crispy sweet potatoes without any seasoning, a little extra flavor helps to take these sautéed sweet potatoes to the next level. Here is everything you’ll need:

• Cooking oil
• Sweet potato
• Salt
• Paprika
• Chipotle powder

If you don’t want to add any spice to your crispy sweet potatoes, you can leave out the chipotle powder. However, the smokiness you get from the chipotle adds great flavor to this recipe. It makes them extra cozy and comforting, the way a fall dish like this one should be! 

How To Make Crispy Sweet Potatoes

The secret to making sweet potatoes crispy is to sauté them with a little bit of oil. By sautéing them, you draw out the moisture that tends to make sweet potatoes mushy (like when you bake them). Plus, the hot oil helps to cook and caramelize the sweet potato, adding to that crisp.

Here are the steps for how to sauté sweet potato:

1. First, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan.
2. Next, add the sweet potatoes with a pinch or two of salt and toss to coat the sweet potatoes in the oil.
3. Cook the sweet potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring infrequently. Stirring infrequently will help the potatoes crisp, but you also want to stir enough so that multiple sides of each sweet potato cube get the chance to brown.
4. Then, turn the heat to low and sprinkle in the paprika, chipotle powder, and another pinch or two of salt. Stir to combine and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, then serve hot.

Storing And Reheating Leftovers

Crispy sweet potatoes are best served and enjoyed fresh, as that is when they will be the crispiest. However, if you do have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

When you are looking to reheat your sweet potatoes, there are two main options:

1. The easy way – You can reheat these potatoes quickly in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds. However, they will lose most of their crispness this way. 
2. The crispy way – If you want your leftover potatoes to remain crispy, then it is best to reheat them in a frying pan over medium heat with a little bit of oil. This method will take a little longer (about 5 minutes or so) but will make sure your sweet potatoes are satisfyingly crispy.

Serving Suggestions

These crispy sweet potatoes are a tasty and nutritious side dish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Here are some suggestions for main dishes to serve these with:

• Eggs and bacon or a bacon egg and cheese bagel breakfast sandwich
• Maple barbecue chicken from our freezer friendly chicken marinades
• Grilled chicken sandwich with roasted red peppers spread
• Braised short rib grilled cheese
• Brunch burger