Buffalo Chicken Loaded Baked Potato Casserole (modified slightly from Cook Lisa Cook’s recipe)
INGREDIENTS
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders, chopped in 1/2-inch cubes
8-10 medium potatoes, chopped in 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
4 Tablespoons hot sauce (Cholula or similar)
2 cups grated cheese (I use a Mexican Four Cheese Blend)
1 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
1 1/2 cup green onion, diced
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 500˚ F. In large bowl, mix the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and hot sauce. Add the potatoes and toss to coat. With a slotted wooden spoon, scoop the potatoes into a large rectangular baking dish, leaving as much of the sauce in the bowl as possible.
Bake the potatoes for 45-50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until cooked and crispy on the outside. While potatoes are roasting, add chicken to the bowl with sauce and stir to coat, let marinate while potatoes bake.
In a medium bowl, mix together the cheese, bacon and green onion and set aside.
When potatoes are done, remove from oven and lower temperature to 400˚ F. Place the chicken over the cooked potatoes, then sprinkle the cheese/bacon/onion mix on top. Return casserole to oven and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese topping bubbles and browns at edges. Serve hot.
Note: I turned down some of the heat of the original recipe, but this is plenty spicy. We didn’t need ranch or sour cream, but if you have picky eaters you may want to cut back on some of the ingredients.
Recommended for: a hearty game day entrée, a dish to feed the men in your life, and for when you’re craving comfort food with a kick.
Interested in other food-related posts? Check out Beth Fish Reads' Weekend Cooking!
