Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Beets
Race night jitters leaving you unsure of what to eat before the big race? It doesn’t have to be pasta. I like to eat whole fresh foods. My recipe for Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Beets is the perfect pre-race dinner meal. Before a big race, I like to eat something simple and easy.
Not only does the recipe have just the right amount of protein but it contains delicious carb filled sweet potatoes and beets. Beets are a true superfood. I like to add beets in each day throughout my race week. Not a fan of red beets swap them out for golden beets, they are milder in taste and contains all the same nutrients.
Beets are not only chuck full of nutrients, but studies show that they can help you run better. In a 2012 study, participants ran two 5k treadmill trials. During each trial participants ate beets 75 minutes prior to the run or a placebo. What they found was the participants that ate the beets ran faster with less effort. Give them a try, I scored a huge PR running the NYC Virtual Marathon!
You can use either red or golden beets. I like them both. The golden seems to have a milder flavor that is less earthy.
The night before a race is not the time to test out a new recipe. I would suggest trying out the recipe the night before a long run. This way you can see how you feel the next day when your running. The meal is full of carbs perfect for fueling you to your next PR. If your not sure of how to carb load or how to plan your race week nutrition, check out my post on How to Perfect Your Race Week Nutrition Plan.
This meal checks all the boxes. My recipe for Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Beets comes together in minutes. While its in the oven, you will have plenty of time to get your race gear ready to go for the next day.
Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Beets
Ingredients
- 2 Large Sweet Potatoes
- 8 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 4 Beets Red or Yellow
- 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Ground Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray two sheet pans with cooking spray. Rinse chicken thighs with water and pat dry. Place chicken thighs on one of the sheet pans. Season with 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. ground pepper and 1/2 tsp of salt. Drizzle chicken with 1 tbsp. olive oil.
- Peel the beets and the sweet potatoes. Chop the beets and sweet potatoes into small cubes. Place the beets and sweet potatoes onto the other sheet pan. Season with 1 tsp. of salt and 1/2 tsp. of ground pepper. Drizzle with 2 tbsp. of olive oil.
- Place the two sheet pans in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes until vegetables are soft and chicken is cooked through. Enjoy!
