What Do You Get When You Put Together Maple Syrup and Pickles?

When I came home tonight and saw the 1 leftover gnocchi hidden in a tupperware in the back of my fridge (like a couple of sad old ladies, my roommates and I save EVERYTHING), I craved the sweet and savory combo of the sweet potato gnocchi. But I only had 2 sweet potatoes left, and I had taken a chicken breast out of the freezer.

I was in a pickle. But that got me thinking about how I could use that leftover maple syrup....

Thanks to Google, my fabulous research skills, my two cents, and this recipe from eHow.com, I made my taste buds into happy campers.

Chew on this.

MAPLE SYRUP GLAZED CHICKEN BREAST AND CINNAMON SWEET POTATOES

THE GOODS

1 chicken breast - I used skinless, but it would be MUCH better with skin ($2)

1 sweet potato ($0.50)
1/3 of a cup of maple syrup ($5.49)

1 teaspoon of cinnamon ($1.99)
6 sage leaves (free, from Mom's garden)
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper 
A lil bit of flour

The Grand Total: $9.98 - but if you already bought the ingredients for my sweet potato gnocchi (see below), just $2!

THE WAY

Pull the skin back from the chicken pieces while leaving it attached. Season with salt and pepper. Rub with sage leaves and leave them under the skin. Place the skin back on. Dust the chicken lightly with flour. 

Heat about 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the chicken in the skillet and brown it all on sides, letting it stay raw on the inside.

Peel the sweet potato and cut it into 1 inch chunks. Place it on the bottom of a casserole dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sprinkle with 2 more sage leaves. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables. Brush them with the maple syrup. Coat the chicken well.

Cover the casserole dish with tinfoil. Roast the chicken at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sweet potatoes are soft and juicy. Voila!