I am really excited to share this recipe with you today. It turned out SO, so good! I mean really, you just can’t go wrong with potatoes, chicken, melty cheese and bacon. Amiright? This is definitely one of those all-in-one meals. I would serve with a crisp, green salad and call it done! Easy and filling I am using my favorite Little Potatoes in this. The Baby Boomer varietal is one of my favorites. It is a yellow creamer potato and it has a light and almost fluffy texture. You can microwave them for a quick side dish, roast them, grill them or you can cut them up and add them to make a more filling meal like I did here. This is definitely a must-make!
Can I use russet potatoes instead of golden or red potatoes?
Yes, you can, but I recommend that you cut them into small pieces because they cook more slowly than red or golden potatoes.
Can you put raw meat in a casserole?
Yes, you can put raw chicken in this casserole. It will cook while you cook it.
Can I prepare it in advance?
Yes, you can assemble this casserole up to 24 hours in advance and cook it just before serving.
Storage:
Refrigerate: leftovers of this dish will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days in an airtight container.
Freeze: I do not recommend freezing this dish as potatoes do not freeze well.
Reheat: to reheat, place desired amount on a plate and microwave for 2 minutes or until heated through. You can also reheat the entire pan in the oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 pound baby gold potatoes
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ cup prepared ranch dressing, divided use
- 2 cups Mexican Chees blend
- 1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
- ½ cup diced green onion
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 450F degrees.
Spray a 9″x 13″ baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Dice the potatoes into 1-inch cubes.
In a large bowl mix together the diced potatoes, salt & pepper and ¼ cup ranch dressing.
Scoop the potatoes into prepared baking dish (save that bowl, we’re going to use it again for the chicken.)
Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until almost thoroughly cooked (they won’t be fork tender quite yet.).
While the potatoes are cooking, add the cubed chicken to the bowl you used for the potatoes and add salt and pepper and the remaining ¼ cup ranch dressing (see my notes below about additional seasoning ideas).
Once the potatoes have cooked 30 minutes, remove baking dish from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 400F degrees.
Top the cooked potatoes with the raw marinated chicken.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil (Warning: Baking dish will be VERY hot so use oven mitts to do this.)
Place baking dish back in the oven and cook for an additional 20 minutes (or until chicken is fully cooked and has reached 165F degrees internal temperature).
Take baking dish out of the oven and top with shredded cheese, bacon and green onion.
Place back in oven for 8-10 minutes (or until cheese is melted and bubbly).
Tips:
- If you don’t have minced garlic on hand you can use garlic powder instead.
- Garnish this casserole with green onions or a dollop of sour cream.
- Cut your potatoes into 1-inch cubes so that they cook quickly and evenly in the oven.
- You don’t have to peel the potato skins, though you can if you prefer to not eat them.
- I use crispy bacon that is already cooked for this great recipe.
- When your potatoes are fork tender and your chicken has reached 165 degrees F you know that it is done.