Preheat your oven to 400°F. While it heats, prep all your vegetables: peel and cut the sweet potato into ½-inch cubes, stem and tear the kale into 1-inch pieces, mince the shallot and green onions, finely chop the cilantro and dill, seed and mince the jalapeño, and press the garlic. Zest the lemon and juice it. Having everything prepped before you start cooking ensures smooth, efficient assembly of components.

Drain and thoroughly dry the chickpeas using paper towels—this is crucial for crispiness. Toss them on one baking sheet with 1.5 tbsp olive oil, ¾ tsp salt, garlic powder, onion powder, herbs de provence, and finely grated parmesan. On a separate baking sheet, toss the sweet potato cubes with 1.5 tbsp olive oil, ¾ tsp salt, cinnamon, and cumin. Place both sheets in the oven; the chickpeas will finish in 15 minutes while the sweet potatoes need 15-20 minutes. I like to shake the chickpea pan halfway through for even browning—it makes all the difference in texture.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, ricotta, egg, and panko. Add the prepped shallot, green onions, cilantro, dill, lemon zest, ¾ tsp salt, and ¾ tsp pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined—overmixing makes tough meatballs. Shape into 12-16 balls. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, fry the meatballs 3-4 minutes per side until they reach 165°F internally. I prefer pan-frying over baking here because the exterior gets a beautiful golden crust that adds texture contrast to the bowl.

In a blender, combine the yogurt, basil, dill, lemon juice, 1.5 tbsp olive oil, honey, the minced jalapeño, pressed garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and vibrant green. For the smoothest texture, I blend on high for about 30 seconds, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed—the dressing should be tangy, herby, and just slightly spicy from the jalapeño.

Divide the torn kale among bowls as your base. Top with roasted sweet potatoes from Step 2, crispy chickpeas from Step 2, and 3-4 herby chicken meatballs from Step 3. Drizzle generously with the herby yogurt dressing from Step 4. Serve immediately while the meatballs are still warm and the roasted vegetables have a slight contrast in temperature with the cool, creamy dressing.