Soft Butter Chicken and Sweet Potato | Bariatric-Friendly Comfort Meal
This soft butter chicken and sweet potato bowl is cozy, flavorful, and high in protein — made with lean ground chicken, sweet potato, and a creamy cottage cheese topping for the perfect bariatric-friendly comfort meal.
These soft butter chicken and sweet potato bowls were one of the first real, comforting meals I made during my soft food stage. I’ve always loved Indian food, so finding a way to recreate that flavor early on in my post-op journey felt like such a win. The warmth of the spices, the softness of the chicken, and the creaminess from the cottage cheese made it feel like I was eating takeout again — but aligned with my goals.
It was one of the first meals that reminded me I could still love what I eat. I’d heat up a small portion a few times a day, and it gave me that cozy, satisfied feeling without any discomfort. My fiancé is obsessed with it, too — it’s one of those recipes that never leaves rotation, even now in maintenance.
Recipe Highlights
Servings: 13.5 (2 oz each) Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Stage: Soft Cooking Method: Stovetop & Microwave
Calories: 90 kcal Protein: 9.5g Carbs: 5g Fat: 2.8g
Ingredients
98% lean ground chicken breast
½ cup Patak’s Butter Chicken Simmer Sauce
1 cup cubed sweet potato (no skin; I use a steam-in-bag version)
¼ cup Kirkland Organic Bone Broth
0.25 oz Daisy Low-Fat Cottage Cheese
Seasonings of your choice
Any brand will work — use your favorites. If you don’t like cottage cheese, blend up Greek yogurt or ricotta cheese for a creamy, high-protein swap.
Affiliate Tools I Use:
Patak’s Butter Chicken Sauce — rich flavor with minimal effort
Good Culture Cottage Cheese — my favorite for extra creaminess
Instructions
Season the ground chicken and cook it in a pan over medium heat until mostly cooked through.
Add a splash of bone broth to help soften it — break down the meat as much as possible.
Steam the sweet potatoes in the microwave or boil them until very soft.
Add the butter chicken sauce to the chicken and stir well.
Once the sweet potatoes are mushy, fold them into the chicken mixture.
Add more bone broth if needed to make it even softer for your stage.
Let everything cook together for 5–10 minutes, then portion into small containers.
Top with a scoop of cottage cheese before serving if you’d like a little extra protein and creaminess.
Storage:
Store in airtight containers for up to 4 days in the fridge, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in the microwave with a splash of broth or water.
Why You’ll Love It
This meal is comfort in a bowl. It’s savory, warm, and packed with flavor — without being heavy. During the soft stage, it gave me the confidence to start cooking again and reminded me that I could always find creative ways to enjoy food, no matter what stage I was in.
Using bone broth helps make the chicken tender and boosts protein, while the sweet potato adds the perfect touch of balance. Once you move to the regular or maintenance stage, you can swap in diced chicken breast or add veggies like onion, spinach, or bell peppers.
Meal Prep Tips
Use bone broth to keep ground meat soft and easy to tolerate.
Stir in a bit of unflavored protein powder (mixed with water) to boost your protein count.
Freeze in small 2–3 oz containers for perfectly portioned meals.
Add a sprinkle of cilantro or red chili flakes before serving for an extra kick.
Watch It on TikTok
Want to see how I make this recipe step-by-step?
You can watch it over on my TikTok, where I share quick, realistic bariatric-friendly recipes, What I Eat in a Day videos, and honest conversations about life after surgery.
Follow @jills.life.after.vsg for more high-protein meal ideas, soft food inspo, and mindful eating tips to help you fuel your body — not your emotions. 💛
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Every recipe I share is part of my mission to help you fuel your body, not your emotions. This butter chicken is simple, cozy, and full of flavor — a perfect reminder that nourishing your body can also bring you joy.
— Jill 💛