spicy peanut sauce pasta with roasted sweet potatoes

{photo from bhg.com}

This recipe, inspired by a recipe from bhg.com, was a huge hit at our house. That is really saying something considering our picky two year-old. He loved it! This sauce could also be used to make pad thai with rice noodles. That may be a recipe I need to work out and post here too! Enjoy this one. If you try this recipe, post your comments below this post along with any modifications you made. 

ingredients

2 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (2 cups)
1 tsp. each olive oil, sugar, chili powder, and cinnamon
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes
1 pkg.  dried rigatoni (any pasta will work)
1 cup peanut butter
1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, cut up (can reduce depending on how much sauce you need)
2 tsp. Asian chili sauce (such as Sriracha sauce... add to taste. I added just one tsp. so Jack could have some too.)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
6 green onions, thinly sliced

directions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Oil or tin foil a rimmed baking pan; set aside. Place sweet potato cubes in bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sugar, chili powder, and cinnamon. Spread in prepared pan; bake 20 minutes or until tender.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup +some hot pasta water.

3. Saute chicken cubes in 1 tbsp. olive oil/butter until slightly browned over medium heat.

4. In saucepan combine peanut butter, cream cheese, chili sauce, and soy sauce; whisk in 3/4 cup of the hot pasta water. Stir over medium heat until heated through. If too thick, stir in additional water. Stir in most of the green onions. Combine drained pasta, chicken and sauce. Top with roasted sweet potatoes and remaining green onions on each plate. Makes 8 smaller servings or 6 larger ones.