Loaded Baked Potato and Buffalo Chicken Casserole

You may have seen this one floating around Pinterest.  I have had it pinned for a while, but I had kind of dismissed it since it contained the words "buffalo chicken".  Those of you that read my blog regularly know that my family can't take any heat, whereas I love some schpice.  However, I decided to take a closer look at the recipe and realized I could make a couple of simple changes and make it work.  I just reduced the hot sauce, added in a ranch type dip, and cut back the green onion a bit.  Wowza! This was GOOD!

Loaded Baked Potato and Buffalo Chicken Casserole

adapted from Cook Lisa Cook

my changes are in italics

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

8-10 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/3 cup olive oil

1 1/2 t. salt

1 T. fresh ground pepper

1 T. paprika

1 1/2 T. garlic powder

3 T. buffalo wing sauce

3 T. Loaded Baked Potato Dip*

*Could use Ranch dip or salad dressing in the place of the dip I used or skip it altogether and use 6 T. hot sauce.  Depends on the level of heat you like. Or, you could use all ranch or other sauce in the place of the hot sauce.

Topping:

2 cups cheese of choice (I used 1 1/2 c. reduced fat sharp cheddar and 1/2 cup Gorgonzola)

1/2-3/4 cup real bacon bits

1/2 cup diced green onion

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. (It's gotta be hot to cook those taters!)  In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, buffalo sauce and dip/dressing.  Add the cubed potatoes and stir to coat.  Pour potatoes into a sprayed 9 x 13 baking dish, reserving as much sauce as possible for the chicken.  (There will not be a lot left, but should be enough to coat the chicken).  Bake the potatoes at 500 degrees for 45-50 mins, stirring every 10-15 mins (I did 15), until potatoes are cooked through and crispy & browned on the outside.  While the potatoes are cooking, add the chicken to the bowl with the remaining sauce.  Stir to coat.  Once potatoes are done, remove from oven and lower oven temp to 400 degrees. Add the chicken to the top of the cooked potatoes.  (I know, raw chicken on top of cooked potatoes seems a little weird, but it all heats back up and cooks through.)  Cover raw chicken with cheese, bacon bits and green onions in an even layer.  Place assembled casserole in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. 

You can serve this with extra hot sauce, ranch or blue cheese dressing if desired.  I topped mine with a little extra wing sauce, and some plain yogurt (instead of sour cream), and additional green onions.  

Verdict?  Fantastic!  This is like combining my favorite appetizers into one glorious dish - loaded potato skins and buffalo wings!  The recipe can be adapted to suit your family's taste buds, and would be great to serve for a crowd on game day.  It seems like there is some big football game coming up sometime soon?  You know, the one with all the cool commercials ;-)  The only drawback is the time it takes to cut up all the potatoes and chicken, but that could be easily done ahead of time. My plan is to pre-cook some chicken breasts, chop them up, and freeze for when I make this again, and this recipe is definitely a keeper and will be made again!

I am linking this recipe up at (Monday) Holly's Stamping Addiction, The Dedicated House, Homemaker on a Dime, Beyer Beware, Delightfully Dowling, Skip to my Lou, Project Inspire, Making the World Cuter, Mrs. Happy Homemaker, I Should Be Mopping the Floor, This Gal Cooks  (Tuesday) Naptime Creations, Mandy's Recipe Box, Pocket Change Gourmet,  33 Shades of Green, Blessed with Grace, Zentmrs. & The Mr., Memories By the Mile (Wednesday) Adorned from Above, Lady Behind the Curtain, Ginger Snap Crafts, Hungry Little Girl, (Thursday)Taste and Tell,  Miz Helen's Country Cottage, The Mandatory Mooch,  (Friday) Simple Living and Eating, Just Us Four, Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hypo, Diana Rambles, The Better Baker, MummyDeals (Saturday) Six Sisters' Stuff, (Sunday) Mommy's Sweet Confessions ; Eat at Home (Ingredient Spotlight: Bacon), Gooseberry Patch Blog