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Driving home from White Pass Ski Area a few weeks back, I casually announced to the family we would try a few new dinner recipes in January. I was on the hunt for some new meals to add to the weekly rotation in the new year.

I was met with some good natured groaning from the backseat because my kids know that when I’m in an experimenting mood, the kitchen turns into a giant bomb and they are ambushed with new concoctions for days on end. One of my son’s launched into his favorite story about the time I made ‘this really gross red rice with peas that was so horrible we almost died.’ Yes, the recipe from at least five years ago fell off the rails. It was not good. No one died. We ordered pizza after I scraped the pan into the garbage. The story lives on forever.

Because my boys are at that age where they love all manner of fast food, with chicken wings being high on their list of favorites, it got my mind spinning to see if I could make something at home that would satiate their craving but also provide them with some real nutrition. I poked around the internet looking for chicken recipes, waiting for inspiration to strike. Finally, with a few ideas in my back pocket, I decided to try my hand at baked chicken tenders with a hot honey glaze. The chicken is tender and crispy on the outside with just the right amount of sweet heat to give it a punch of flavor.

With the chicken recipe nailed down, I switched my focus to what I was craving. After an indulgent holiday season and a couple rounds of winter viruses running through our house; nutrient-dense home-cooked meals are high on my priority list. As much as I love to eat out, the more I make time to cook and prepare food in my own kitchen, the better I feel physically and mentally. Roasting some sweet potatoes and making a simple cabbage slaw turned this recipe into a delicious and healthy dinner and while it took a few minutes to chop and prepare the various elements of the dish, I had leftovers for easy lunches the rest of the week.

My family gobbled up this new recipe, not a single grumble or fuss from anyone (even the picky ones). The kids ate the chicken and sweet potatoes, mostly skipping the coleslaw. They dipped their sweet potatoes in the hot honey vinaigrette and made me promise to make the chicken again. For myself, I sliced the chicken into bite-size pieces and mixed all the components together for a big bowl of goodness.

As I was mulling over sharing this recipe, of course, all the ways you could tweak this to make it more family-friendly or approachable felt worth mentioning. You could swap regular baby red potatoes for the sweet potatoes, following the seasoning recommendations and roasting at 425 degrees. The red potatoes will cook a little faster than sweet potatoes, so just watch them and pull them out when they are crispy and golden brown. You could also sub the potatoes for rice or quinoa. If hot honey and a dash of hot sauce is too much spice, skip the hot honey and use regular honey. Reduce the Frank’s hot sauce to a teaspoon, keeping the flavor but skipping the heat. Here’s to a year ahead full of delicious homemade food with only the occasional grumble.

Hot Honey Chicken Bowls

Hot Honey Chicken

• 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenders

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 2 eggs, whisked

• 1/2 cup crushed cornflakes

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• 1/3 cup hot honey

• 2 tablespoons Frank’s hot sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

• 2 large peeled, cubed sweet potatoes

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

• Dash of cayenne

• Kosher salt and black pepper

Cabbage Slaw and Hot Honey Vinaigrette

• 1 bag green, purple and carrot coleslaw

• 1 green onion, white part removed, minced

• Avocado

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/3 cup hot honey

• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon Frank’s hot sauce

• Kosher salt and black pepper

Start by preparing the roasted sweet potatoes. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Wash the potatoes, then peel and cube them into bite size pieces. Transfer to a bowl and drizzle with the olive oil, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dash of cayenne and a liberal pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Toss until the potatoes are evenly coated.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scatter the potatoes across the prepared pan in an even layer. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes, flipping the potatoes at least once halfway through until the potatoes are crispy, golden and fork tender. Remove from the oven and set aside. Reduce the oven to 375 degrees.

While the potatoes cook, prepare the chicken. On three separate plates, place the flour, whisked eggs and crushed corn flakes. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in flour, transfer to the eggs and then roll in the corn flakes. Transfer to a clean baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine the hot honey and Frank’s hot sauce. Use a brush to gently coat the chicken with the honey mixture. Bake in the 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through the cooking time. When you flip the chicken, baste the meat with the honey mixture again. When an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, pull the chicken out and drizzle the honey mixture over the chicken. Turn the oven up to broil and put the chicken back in for one minute to crisp up. If your sweet potatoes have cooled and you want them nice and hot to serve, put the tray of sweet potatoes back in the hot oven on broil for a minute or two as well. Watch closely on both the chicken and sweet potatoes, because it will happen quickly!

In a small lidded jar, combine the olive oil, hot honey, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, Frank’s hot sauce, salt and pepper. Place the lid on tight and shake well until the dressing is well-mixed. Pour about half the coleslaw into a bowl and drizzle about half the dressing over it, tossing to combine.

To assemble hot honey chicken bowls, layer a shallow bowl with the dressed coleslaw, a scoop of roasted sweet potatoes, slices of avocado and two chicken tenders. Garnish with minced green onions, dried parsley and one last pinch of Kosher salt. Drizzle extra hot honey vinaigrette over the entire bowl to taste. Enjoy!