Slow Cooker Maple Dijon Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

This slow cooker maple Dijon chicken and sweet potatoes recipe brings chicken breasts, tender sweet potatoes, and onions together in a tangy-sweet sauce with very little hands-on work. It is a useful dinner for busy fall evenings and makes easy portions for lunches when you want a protein-focused meal without cooking separate sides.

The maple Dijon sauce is balanced rather than overly sweet, with chicken broth, garlic, thyme, and a small splash of apple cider vinegar to keep the flavor bright. Serve the chicken and vegetables with the finished sauce spooned over the top.

Quick overview

• Main ingredients: Chicken breasts, sweet potatoes, onion, Dijon mustard, and maple syrup
• Slow cooker size: 5 to 6 quarts
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 5 to 6 hours on LOW or 3 to 4 hours on HIGH
• Yield: 6 servings
• Best for: Low-effort dinners, fall meal planning, and make-ahead lunches

Ingredients for maple Dijon chicken and sweet potatoes

You will need boneless, skinless chicken breasts for the main protein, plus sweet potatoes and onion to make the meal more filling. Cut the sweet potatoes into similar 1-inch pieces so they cook at a similar pace.

The sauce starts with Dijon mustard and pure maple syrup. Dijon brings tang and savory depth, while maple syrup softens the sharpness of the mustard. Chicken broth provides enough liquid for the slow cooker without thinning the finished sauce too much.

How to make slow cooker maple Dijon chicken and sweet potatoes

1. Add the cubed sweet potatoes and sliced onion to the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. This position gives the vegetables the most direct heat and helps them soften in the cooking liquid.
2. Lay the chicken breasts over the vegetables in an even layer.
3. Whisk the chicken broth, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Pour the mixture around and over the chicken.
4. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. The chicken is ready when the thickest portion reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer and the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
5. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and rest it for 5 minutes. Slice or shred it into large pieces.
6. If you prefer a thicker sauce, whisk cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl until smooth. Stir the slurry into the liquid in the slow cooker, cover, and cook on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes, until slightly thickened.
7. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and gently turn it in the sauce. Serve with the sweet potatoes, onions, and sauce.

Practical tips for an easy slow cooker chicken dinner

Keep the sweet potato pieces evenly sized

Sweet potatoes that are cut much larger than 1 inch may need longer than the chicken. Smaller, consistent cubes cook more evenly and are easier to portion with the chicken.

Avoid opening the lid while cooking

Slow cookers lose heat each time the lid is lifted. Check the chicken near the early end of the cooking range only if needed, then use its temperature and the tenderness of the sweet potatoes to decide whether it needs more time.

Thicken only at the end

The chicken and vegetables release moisture as they cook. Waiting until the end to use the cornstarch slurry lets you judge whether the sauce needs thickening at all. For a lighter, brothier finish, skip the slurry and spoon the cooking liquid over each serving.

Slice the chicken after resting

Resting the chicken briefly before slicing helps keep the pieces intact. If you are preparing lunches, sliced chicken also portions more neatly than shredded chicken.

Substitutions and variations

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can replace the chicken breasts in the same amount. They have a richer flavor and may release more fat into the sauce. Cook until they reach 165°F.

Butternut squash can replace the sweet potatoes. Use peeled 1-inch cubes and check for fork tenderness at the same time as the chicken. The finished dish will be slightly sweeter and softer.

Whole-grain Dijon mustard can replace smooth Dijon mustard for a more textured sauce. Avoid sweetened mustard, which can make the sauce noticeably sweeter.

Honey can replace maple syrup in the same amount if needed. It has a different flavor and a more pronounced floral sweetness, but it still balances the mustard and vinegar.

Fresh thyme can replace dried thyme. Use 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves in place of the dried thyme.

Serving suggestions

This slow cooker chicken and sweet potato dinner is complete on its own, but a crisp green vegetable is a good contrast to the soft vegetables and savory sauce. Try steamed green beans, roasted broccoli, or a simple arugula salad with a lemony dressing.

For a heartier dinner, serve the chicken and sweet potatoes over cooked brown rice, quinoa, or farro. If you are packing lunches, keep the sauce with the chicken and sweet potatoes so they stay moist during reheating.

Meal prep, storage, and reheating

Divide cooled chicken, sweet potatoes, onions, and sauce into individual containers for ready-to-reheat meals. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking in shallow containers.

According to USDA guidance, cooked chicken leftovers can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze portions in freezer-safe containers. Sweet potatoes may become softer after freezing and reheating, but the meal remains convenient for future lunches.

Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator. Reheat leftovers until the chicken reaches 165°F. Add a spoonful of water or chicken broth before reheating if the sauce has thickened substantially in the refrigerator.

MACRO SIMMER RECIPE

Slow Cooker Maple Dijon Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

Chicken breasts, sweet potatoes, and onions slow cook in a tangy maple Dijon sauce for a simple protein-focused dinner.

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PREP

15 minutes

COOK

5 to 6 hours on LOW or 3 to 4 hours on HIGH

TOTAL

5 hours 15 minutes to 6 hours 15 minutes on LOW, or 3 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 15 minutes on HIGH

YIELD

6 servings

SLOW COOKER

5- to 6-quart slow cooker

SAFE TEMP

165°F for chicken

Equipment5- to 6-quart slow cooker, measuring cups and spoons, small mixing bowl, whisk, instant-read thermometer, cutting board

Scale ingredients

1×2×3×

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Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch, optional
• 1 tablespoon cold water, optional

Instructions

1. 1Place the sweet potatoes and onion in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Arrange the chicken breasts in an even layer over the vegetables.
2. 2In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour the sauce over and around the chicken.
3. 3Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Check that the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F and that the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
4. 4Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice or shred the chicken.
5. 5For a thicker sauce, mix the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl until smooth. Stir it into the liquid in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
6. 6Return the chicken to the slow cooker and turn it gently in the sauce. Serve with the sweet potatoes, onions, and sauce.

Allergens

This recipe contains mustard. Check the labels on Dijon mustard and chicken broth for ingredients that may be relevant to your household.

Substitutions

Use 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts, cooking them to 165°F. Replace sweet potatoes with peeled, 1-inch cubes of butternut squash. Use whole-grain Dijon mustard for a more textured sauce, or replace the maple syrup with an equal amount of honey for a different sweetness.

Storage, freezing and reheating

Refrigerate cooled leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days. Freeze individual portions for longer storage. Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator, then reheat until the chicken reaches 165°F. Add a small splash of broth or water if the sauce has thickened during storage.