Chipotle Beef Sweet Potato Skins.

Chipotle Beef Sweet Potato Skins — with all the toppings, of course. These baked sweet potato skins stuffed with smoky chipotle beef (or chicken, if you prefer) and melty cheddar cheese. Finish with homemade bacon bits, then all your favorite toppings. Perfect for an easy family dinner or game night with friends — these have quickly become a tried-and-true favorite.

I’ve always loved potato skins. I think it’s a Midwest thing, but growing up, my dad made them all the time in the fall and winter. He’d use russet potatoes, load them up with cheddar and bacon bits (his came straight from a plastic container — I prefer homemade), and serve them with big dollops of sour cream. My mom and I would eat every last one. So simple, but honestly? Any cheesy potato is just YUM.

Today’s recipe feels both new and nostalgic. A few months ago, I started making stuffed sweet potatoes for dinner, and my family has gotten hooked. Sweet potatoes have extra fiber, a gentler blood sugar impact, and a huge boost of vitamin A and antioxidants over regular potatoes. So I find myself using them much more often.

I made these skins one night last winter when the whole family was home for the holidays. I made a lot — and every single one disappeared fast. My oldest brother, Creighton, especially loves them. Now they’re one of the most requested dinners in our house (nothing will ever win over tacos!).

As we head into October, these cozy, slightly smoky sweet potato skins are perfect for family nights in or casual game-night snacking with friends. Just be sure to make a big tray, they’ll go fast!

Here are the details

Ingredients

• sweet potatoes
• ground beef – or use venison, bison, or ground chicken
• onions
• chili powder
• chipotle chile powder
• smoked paprika
• garlic powder
• cumin
• tomato paste
• hot sauce
• cheddar and monterey jack cheese

The Toppings 

• bacon bits – a must for me personally
• avocado
• cilantro and or green onions
• pickled jalapeños
• plain Greek yogurt or sour cream

Special Tools

I use a 12 inch skillet and a sheet pan for this recipe.

Steps

Step 1: Cook the sweet potatoes

Choose sweet potatoes that are on the wider side if you can (more room for all the toppings!). Bake them directly on the oven rack until just tender but still holding their shape. Once cool enough to handle, slice each in half and scoop out most of the orange flesh, leaving a nice border inside the skins so they stay sturdy.

Step 2: Cook the meat

Brown the ground beef with the onion in a skillet, just like making tacos. If using very lean beef, add a little butter for richness. Season with chili powder, chipotle, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cumin. Stir in the tomato paste, a splash of hot sauce, and some water; simmer until the water has cooked away and the beef is tender and flavorful. Taste and add salt and pepper. (You can mix in black beans here if you like — I usually skip them.)

Step 3: Stuff the sweet potatoes

Arrange the potato skins on a baking sheet. Spoon the beef mixture evenly into each one, then top generously with a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.

Step 4: Bake

Return the tray to the oven and bake until the skins are crisp and the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.

The toppings + serving

While those are cooking, gather up your toppings. As I’ve mentioned, crispy homemade bacon bits are a must. And I always use some plain Greek yogurt with lots of cilantro.

Diced-up avocado is also pretty great — almost like sweet potato nachos!

As soon as you take the skins out of the oven, top them with bacon bits, then add each and every topping you enjoy most. That’s it!

Pro Tip:
If you want to prep ahead, bake and scoop the sweet potatoes, then cook the beef filling earlier in the day. Assemble the skins but wait to bake them until just before serving. That way the skins stay crisp and the cheese gets perfectly melty right out of the oven!

Looking for more fun recipes? Here are a few to try:

Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Soft Pretzels

Fried Buffalo Goat Cheese Balls

Baked Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls with Cilantro Lime Ranch

Chipotle Chicken Nachos with Jalapeño Yogurt

Lastly, if you make these Loaded Chipotle Beef Sweet Potato Skins, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!