What is it about a fried egg that makes every dish better? Whether it’s a burger, pizza, sautéed veggies, or a noodle bowl, slide a fried egg on top and you’ve taken your meal from good to great.
When looking at my CSA box for this week, I wanted to cook something that would incorporate at least three things from it. This is why I love a good hash. It’s such a versatile dish – just about any vegetables you have on hand can be added in, along with meat and/or eggs and/or cheese. Where the eggs are concerned, you can add beaten eggs and scramble them in, or you can do the fried egg topper (my favourite way). The best part is, it’s a one-pan dish!
While I could have added any and all of my ingredients this week (Hmm…wild boar hash? Bookmarking that idea for future!), I decided on sweet potatoes, spinach, and tomatoes, bulked up with chicken, bacon, a red pepper from our garden, and fresh sage. The verdict? A success! Even the bf, who’s not a huge sweet potato fan, loved it. For those who aren’t keen on sage, thyme and rosemary would be good substitutions.
I topped my hash with a few leaves of watercress that I happened to have in the fridge left over from the weekend. It’s not at all necessary, the recipe is tasty on its own. But if you happen to have some fresh herbs in your fridge (basil or chives, perhaps), go ahead and toss them on top!
Chicken, sweet potato and bacon hash with a fried egg
Serves 4
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced crosswise into smallish pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 red pepper, roughly chopped
1 bunch of spinach, tough stems removed, and large leaves torn into smaller pieces
Extra virgin olive oil
6-8 sage leaves, torn
4 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until most of the fat has rendered and bacon pieces are starting to crisp. Add garlic toward the end of the bacon’s cooking time, and let it get slightly coloured and fragrant.
Remove bacon and garlic to a small bowl. Add chicken to bacon fat in skillet and saute until brown, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. I find I don’t need much additional salt because of the saltiness of the bacon fat.
Once chicken has begun to brown, add sweet potato and fresh sage to skillet. As the sweet potato starts to brown, add back the bacon and garlic, as well as the tomato and red pepper. If you find the pan is dry and needs more cooking oil, add some extra virgin olive oil. Season and taste as you go.
When everything is starting to soften, and the chicken and sweet potato is getting some nice colour, add your spinach. The spinach just needs about 30 seconds at the end to wilt into your hash.
As the hash is finishing cooking, crack your eggs into a fry pan with a small amount of olive oil (1 tsp should do it) and cook them to desired doneness. I like my yolks runny so that the yolk can seep into the hash after you serve it up.
Divide the hash among four plates or bowls, and top each with a fried egg.
Serve.
Hope you try this recipe!
Suzanne
Did you try this recipe, or do you have your own hash recipe that you’d like to tell us about? Comment below or send me an email to suzanne.ellis@cityline.rogers.com!