Sweet Potato, Apple & Cranberry Stuffing (Perfect with Roast Chicken)

This sweet potato apple cranberry stuffing is buttery, caramelized, and full of fall flavor. Delicious under roast chicken or as a rustic holiday side.

There are a few recipes I come back to every time the weather turns cold. This sweet potato, apple, and cranberry stuffing is one of them. It started as an experiment one chilly November when I wanted to roast one of our pastured chickens but didn’t have any bread for traditional stuffing. So, I grabbed a few sweet potatoes, an apple or two, and a handful of cranberries, and ended up with something even better.

These days, I call it my “stuffing-style side dish” because it bakes up caramelized and buttery underneath the chicken, soaking in all those pan juices. You can roast it under a whole bird or bake it on its own. Either way, it’s got that fall flavor I can never get enough of.

Why I Love This Sweet Potato Stuffing (and You Will Too)

I’m all for a dish that pulls double duty. This one does it all—main course base, side dish, and leftovers hero. The sweet potatoes stay tender but not mushy, the apples keep things light, and the cranberries add that little burst of tartness that keeps every bite interesting.

Honestly, this recipe convinced me you don’t need bread cubes to make something taste like stuffing. Between the caramelized onions, butter, and spices, it still gives off that same holiday vibe (just without the gluten).

Ingredients You’ll Need

I usually have everything for this on hand once the weather turns cool, but if you’re missing something, don’t stress. Most of it’s easy to swap for whatever you’ve got on hand.

• Pastured chicken (4–5 pounds) – optional but worth it
• Sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• Apples, chopped (I like Honeycrisp or Cortland)
• Onion, diced
• Butter (or coconut oil for dairy-free)
• Dried cranberries (unsweetened if you can find them)
• Spice mix (poultry seasoning or my recipe below)

If you grow your own fresh or dried sage, this is the perfect place to use it. The flavor gets deeper as it roasts and really pulls the whole dish together.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Once you’ve gathered everything, it’s time to start pulling it all together.

Chop the Sweet Potatoes, Apples, and Onions

Start by peeling and cubing your sweet potatoes into roughly 1-inch chunks. You don’t have to be too precise. Just try to keep them around the same size so they roast evenly. Chop your apples next. I leave the skins on for extra texture (and fewer dishes), but you can peel them if you prefer a smoother bite. Dice the onion and set everything aside. If your sweet potatoes are stubbornly firm, give them a quick 3-minute dip in boiling water so they soften up a bit before roasting.

Make the Spice Mix

In a small bowl, stir together the salt, sage, black pepper, white pepper, nutmeg, and cloves.
It’s a classic blend—earthy from the sage, warm from the cloves, and just a hint of sweetness from the nutmeg.

Sauté the Onions

Melt a tablespoon or two of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add your diced onion and cook until it turns soft and lightly golden, about 5–7 minutes. Don’t rush this part. This is where the flavor really starts to build. Once the onions smell sweet and rich, take them off the heat.

Mix It All Together

Grab a large mixing bowl and combine the sweet potatoes, sautéed onions, apples, and about half of your spice mix. Add another tablespoon of melted butter and stir until everything looks shiny and well mixed. Last, toss in the cranberries and mix until everything looks well coated.

Get It Ready to Roast

Now you have two choices:

• With chicken: Stuff a bit of the mixture inside the cavity of your bird, just enough to flavor it without packing it too tightly. Spread the rest of the mixture around the chicken in a roasting pan.
• Without chicken: Butter a casserole dish and pour everything in. Dot the top with a little extra butter for good measure.

Either way, roast in a 425°F oven for 25 minutes. That quick blast of heat helps the edges start to caramelize.

After that, turn the heat down to 375°F. If you’re roasting a chicken, add your chopped apples now so they don’t turn to mush too early. Continue roasting until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender and caramelized—usually 35–45 minutes for the stuffing alone, or about 1 hour total if you’re cooking a 4–5 lb chicken.

Aim for 165°F in the thickest part of the breast before you pull it out.

Let It Rest and Serve

Once it’s done, let the pan rest for at least 10 minutes. It gives the juices a chance to settle so the chicken stays tender.

Spoon the sweet potato, apple, and cranberry mixture onto a platter, or serve it straight from the pan alongside slices of roasted chicken. The bits that caramelize on the edges? That’s the best part! Don’t leave them behind.

Variations & Serving Ideas

Here are a few ways I change it up, depending on what’s in season or what’s hanging around on the counter waiting to be used.

• Go nutty: Add ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch.
• Add herbs: Fresh rosemary or thyme adds savory depth.
• Make it vegan: Swap the butter for olive or coconut oil.
• Holiday version: Drizzle a spoonful of maple syrup over the top before roasting.

You can serve it with chicken or turkey, or skip the meat entirely. It’s great alongside a batch of homemade cranberry sauce.

Have leftover apples? Turn them into my Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Apple Crumble for dessert.

What to Do with Leftovers

Leftovers reheat perfectly in a cast-iron skillet. I like to chop up the leftover chicken and toss it in with the sweet potatoes for quick weekday lunches. You can also stir it into broth for a quick, hearty soup.

Questions About This Sweet Potato Stuffing? I’ve Got You.

Every time I share this recipe, a few of the same questions pop up, so here’s what’s worked best for me.

Pin this recipe to keep it handy for your next roast chicken or holiday meal.

This sweet potato, apple, and cranberry stuffing has become one of my favorite fall dishes. It’s colorful, hearty, and easy enough for a weeknight, but pretty enough for the Thanksgiving table. If you’re planning your holiday menu, you might like how I pull together homegrown Thanksgiving ingredients for a meal that’s simple but still feels homemade and meaningful.

If you make it, let me know how it turned out or what little changes you made. I always love hearing how other homesteaders put their own spin on things.