Garlic-Ginger Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

One marinade, one baking dish, dinner sorted. This sweet-and-savory bake leans on a glaze of soy sauce, dry sherry, brown sugar, fresh garlic and ginger that pulls double duty: it flavors the meat as it marinates, then caramelizes into a glossy coating in the oven.

Both the chicken and the sweet potatoes soak in that marinade for a couple of hours, flipped halfway through so every side picks up the flavor. Cutting the sweet potatoes into thin quarter-inch medallions is the key move: slim enough that they roast tender in the same time the chicken needs.

As it bakes, you turn and baste so the glaze coats everything and the sugars in the marinade brown into a sticky finish. The chicken is done the moment no pink shows.

Spoon it all over steamed rice so the grains soak up the sauce, then finish with green onion for a fresh, sharp bite.

Kitchen Tips

• Slice the sweet potatoes thin and even, around a quarter inch, so they cook through in step with the chicken.
• Baste and flip partway through the bake so the glaze coats every surface and caramelizes evenly.
• The soy marinade is plenty salty on its own, so skip extra salt and serve over plain rice to balance it.

Variations

• Use bone-in chicken thighs for juicier, more forgiving meat, extending the bake time as needed.
• Stir a splash of rice vinegar or a spoonful of honey into the marinade to round out the saltiness.
• Add toasted sesame seeds or a drizzle of sesame oil at the end.