Chicken, sweet potato and green beans

The athlete’s plate in all its simplicity: chicken for protein, sweet potato for quality carbohydrate and green beans for fibre. A complete, hearty and colourful meal that supports training and recovery without fuss. Perfect for meal prep.

Preparation: 10 min  |  Cooking: 30 min  |  Servings: 2  |  Difficulty: Easy

Calculated per serving from Anses Ciqual 2025 values for each ingredient, based on the quantities listed. Household measures (spoonfuls, pieces) use average weights. 496 kcal · 37 g protein · 36 g carbohydrate · 21 g fat

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 2 sweet potatoes
• 200 g green beans
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• paprika, salt, pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Cut the sweet potatoes into cubes, coat them in oil and paprika and roast for 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Season the chicken breasts and pan-fry for 6 to 7 minutes on each side (or roast them in the oven with the sweet potatoes).
3. Cook the green beans for 8 to 10 minutes, steamed or in boiling water.
4. Plate up: sliced chicken, roasted sweet potato and green beans, with a drizzle of olive oil.

Nutritional benefits

This plate is calibrated for lean muscle gain: the chicken provides around 40 g of lean protein per serving to support muscle protein synthesis, while the sweet potato brings complex carbohydrate with a moderate glycaemic index, beta-carotene and potassium, ideal for replenishing glycogen after exercise. The green beans add fibre and micronutrients for very few calories. A balanced ratio of protein, carbohydrate and fat, with no processed ingredients.

Variations and substitutions

• Cutting: use less sweet potato and more green vegetables.
• Vegetarian: replace the chicken with marinated firm tofu or tempeh.
• More carbohydrate: add rice or a second sweet potato.
• More flavour: marinate the chicken in lemon, garlic and herbs before cooking.

Storage and making ahead

Perfect for meal prep: make 4 servings and keep them in containers in the fridge for 3 days. Roasted sweet potato reheats very well. Slice any cold chicken into salads the next day.

💡 Good to know

Sweet potato is an excellent post-workout carbohydrate: it has a more moderate glycaemic index than ordinary potato and is rich in micronutrients. Keep the skin on (well washed) for extra fibre.

Read more

Discover more: muscle gain recipes · high-protein recipes · gluten-free recipes · lactose-free recipes.

Foods in this recipe: chicken breasts · sweet potatoes · green beans · olive oil · paprika.

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