New York City Ballet corps dancer Ava Sautter loves to create new recipes. “I’ve been in a big sweet potato phase,” she says of the inspiration behind her BBQ chicken sweet potato bowls. “My boyfriend pointed out that I never make anything barbecue flavor. So, I tried something different, and now this is the dish that he always wants me to make.” Playing with texture led Sautter to add cabbage for crunch and avocado for softness.
Sautter started exploring cooking as part of her recovery from an eating disorder that she struggled with as a student. “My relationship with food has grown,” she says. “Now I see food as a way to keep myself strong and healthy, on and off the stage.” Sautter often posts photos of the dishes she creates on Instagram. “People would comment asking for the recipe, and I realized I could either write it all out in a little message or make a place for all of my recipes to live,” she says. This led Sautter to create a Substack; she’s recently shared her recipes for oatmeal raisin bites, lemon-butter spaghetti and chicken thighs, and vanilla cherry overnight oats. “I’m just doing it for fun,” she says of her new venture. “I want people, especially dancers, to know that food offers more than just fuel. It’s also memories, and, for me, a chance to spend time alone. It brings me joy.”
Courtesy Sautter.
Grocery Store Inspo
While Sautter finds jumping-off points for some of her recipes from other food accounts on social media, her favorite place to find inspiration is the grocery store. She loves walking the aisles (particularly the fresh meat and fish counters at Whole Foods) at odd hours on Mondays, her day off from NYCB. “I’ll listen to music or a podcast and just browse,” she says. “I’ll build the dish around whatever looks good to me that day. I don’t like to plan to a T. I just let it flow.”
Ingredients
3 medium sweet potatoes
4 tsps olive oil, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup barbecue sauce (Sautter’s go-to brand is Kinder’s)
1 bag coleslaw mix
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (Sautter recommends anywhere between 2% and 5% fat)
1/2 red onion, diced
2 tbsps fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1 lime, juiced
2 tbsps hot honey (Sautter prefers Mike’s Hot Honey)
salt and pepper to taste
Optional add-ins:
arugula avocado
Sautter’s BBQ chicken sweet potato bowl. Courtesy Sautter.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the sweet potatoes and cut them into small cubes, leaving the skin on. Transfer them to a sheet pan and drizzle on half the olive oil. Roast for 35–45 minutes, until they’re soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Place the chicken thighs and remaining olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the barbecue sauce, making sure the chicken is evenly coated. Cover the pan and let the chicken cook through, about 8–12 minutes, flipping halfway.
Make the slaw: In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw mix, Greek yogurt, red onion, cilantro, feta, lime juice, hot honey, salt, and pepper. If possible, let the finished slaw sit on the counter for a bit so the cabbage can soften.
When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pan and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Then stir the chicken back into the sauce until coated.
Once everything is done cooking, assemble your bowl. Sautter likes to include arugula and avocado for added freshness and fiber.
The post New York City Ballet’s Ava Sautter Shares Her Recipe for BBQ Chicken Sweet Potato Bowls appeared first on Dance Magazine.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings