How do you make a loaded baked potato even better? You add some chicken, and put it all to one casserole dish for a one pot meal that requires little cleanup and even less work. That's just what you get in the recipe that follows. It doesn't even require that the chicken be cooked first before it's added to the dish, as so many casserole recipes do.
In fact, the bacon doesn't even need to be cooked separately, something that's unheard of in the casserole world. Just add all the ingredients to a large bowl, mix, and then pour all of the ingredients into a prepared casserole dish. You can even mix everything together right in the casserole dish, although some ingredients may spill over the sides which is why some prefer to use a separate bowl. When it all cooks together, the chicken from the juices work perfectly with the rich cheese and potatoes. And the green onions bring it just the bit of freshness it needs for the ultimate perfect casserole.
How to Make Baked Chicken and Loaded Potato Casserole
4
15 minutes
1 hour, 30 minutes
1 hour, 45 minutes
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, halved
2 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1/2-inch pieces
4 slices thick-cut bacon
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
4 green onions, chopped, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup heavy cream
Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish.
Add all ingredients, except half of the cheese and half of the green onions, to a large bowl. Mix well and pour into the prepared casserole dish.
Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil, and place in the oven.
Bake casserole for one hour.
Remove casserole from oven and remove aluminum foil.
Sprinkle casserole dish with remaining half of cheddar cheese and remaining half of green onions.
Place casserole back into the oven and bake for another 30 minutes, until cheese on top has melted and golden brown.
