Cheesy Sweet Potato Chicken Flatbreads with Cheese Pull

Ingredients

Tick the ingredients as you go

For the sweet potato dough

• 350 g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm (3/4 in) cubes
• 200 g all-purpose flour, plus about 2 tbsp for dusting
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp fine salt
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

For the filling

• 250 g boneless skinless chicken breast or thigh, cut into 1 cm (1/2 in) dice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small red onion (about 100 g), halved and very thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 150 g low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely shredded and kept cold

For frying

• 2 tbsp butter, divided across batches

Instructions

1. 1

   Steam the sweet potato

   Steam the cubes in a covered basket over simmering water for 12-15 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance. Drain well and let them sit uncovered for 2 minutes so surface steam escapes.

2. 2

   Mash and cool

   Mash the sweet potato in a bowl until completely smooth with no lumps, then let it cool for about 10 minutes. It should be warm, not hot, so it doesn't melt the flour's structure or make the dough gluey.

3. 3

   Cook the chicken

   Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat (about 190°C/375°F) until it shimmers. Add the chicken, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring, until golden at the edges and 74°C (165°F) inside with no pink.

   
4. 4

   Add the onion

   Add the sliced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes more, until soft and just starting to brown at the tips. Spread the filling on a plate and cool for at least 10 minutes, so the cheese won't melt on contact.

   
5. 5

   Make the dough

   Stir the flour, baking powder, salt and parsley into the cooled mash with a spatula until shaggy, then knead on a floured surface for 1 minute. The dough should be soft, smooth and slightly tacky but not sticking to clean fingers.

6. 6

   Portion the dough

   Divide the dough into 6 pieces of about 90 g each and roll them into balls. Cover with a towel and rest for 5 minutes so they flatten more easily.

   
8. 7

   Fill and seal

   Flatten one ball on a floured palm or board into a 12 cm (5 in) round, about 5 mm thick. Place about 2 tbsp of chicken filling and a heaped 1/4 cup of cheese in the center, then pull the edges up and pinch firmly to seal, with no gaps for cheese to escape.

9. 8

   Flatten gently

   Turn the pouch seam-side down and press it with your palm into a round disc about 11 cm (4 1/2 in) wide and 2 cm (3/4 in) thick. If any filling pokes through, patch it with a pinch of dough.

   
10. 9

    Fry the first side

    Melt 2 tsp butter in a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium heat (about 160°C/320°F). Add 2-3 flatbreads and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the underside is deep golden brown and crisp.

    
11. 10

    Flip and finish

    Flip with a wide spatula and cook another 3-4 minutes, until browned on both sides and the cheese has melted inside. Wipe the pan, add fresh butter, and repeat with the remaining flatbreads.

12. 11

    Rest and serve

    Let the flatbreads rest on a rack for 2 minutes so the cheese settles slightly, then tear them open while hot for the cheese pull. Serve with extra parsley.