Loaded Chicken & Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cubed (1″)
6-8 medium skin on red potatoes, cut in 1/2″ cubes
1/3 c olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp hot sauce (more if you like it HOT)

Topping:

2 c fiesta blend cheese
1 c crumbled bacon

1 c diced green onion

How to Make:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9X13″ baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and hot sauce. Add the cubed potatoes and chicken and stir to coat. Carefully scoop the potatoes and chicken into the prepared baking dish..
3. Bake the potatoes and chicken for 55-60 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes, until cooked through, crispy, and browned on the outside. While the potatoes are cooking, fry your bacon (about half a pound).
4. Once the potatoes and chicken are fully cooked, remove from the oven. Top the cooked potatoes with the cheese, bacon, and green onion. Return the casserole to the oven and bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serve With: extra hot sauce and/or ranch dressing or sour cream!

Comment:  This was a recipe my beautiful granddaughter Skyler posted.  I couldn’t wait to give it a try and boy was I glad I did.   It makes enough to serve at least 6 so I had plenty to pass on to 3 of my neighbor friends who raved about it too.  Of course, it wouldn’t be natural for me if I didn’t made a couple of changes.  I didn’t have green onions, so I decided to mix some dehydrated onions in with my seasonings.  I also decided to add some French fried onions on top with the bacon and cheese.  Both were great changes.  This is a dish that could be made with ground beef too.  If using ground beef, I would suggest cutting the oil down at least half.  You would want just enough to lightly coat the potatoes.  Actually, this can be done with a spray type oil which would allow you to use even less oil.  After spraying add the seasonings and toss to coat.  About half way through baking, add the ground beef and return to the oven until the potatoes are completely cooked.  This can be sped up by covering the dish with foil.  I can’t wait to give this dish using the ground beef a try.  I know it’s going to be delicious.

Mediterranean Chicken & Potatoes

4-5 medium potatoes, cubed
2 chicken breasts, cubed

1 head broccoli, cut into large chunks

2 Tbsp. olive oil - divided

2 Tbsp. butter, melted - divided

2 Tbsp. Greek seasoning - divided
1/2 cup shredded cheese of your choice

Dash garlic seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl toss potatoes with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. butter, melted, and 1 Tbsp. Greek seasoning.  Pour into a 9 x 13 x 2 baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray and bake 30 minutes turn occasionally.  In the same bowl toss together chicken breast and broccoli with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. butter, melted, and 1 Tbsp. Greek seasoning.  Add this to the potatoes and bake another 20-25 minutes or until potatoes and chicken are done and slightly browned, tossing occasionally.  While all is still hot, sprinkle with cheese and toss to mix.  Serves 6.

Martha:  I found a recipe for the potatoes but decided to give this dish a try adding chicken and broccoli.  This turned out really good.  The cooking time will vary depending on how large you cut up your potatoes and chicken.  I used an Italian blend cheese which worked deliciously.  I also topped mine with a little sour cream.

Chicken & Potato Casserole

4 med. potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 med. onion, sliced
6 slices cheese
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a baking dish (9 x 13 x 2) with non-stick spray.  place potato slices in dish.  Top with onions.  Top onions with cheese.  Cut chicken into thin strips.  In a large frying pan heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil.  Brown chicken on both sides.  Place on top of cheese.  Add soup and milk to the frying pan.  Whisk together and heat.  Pour over chicken.  Cover with foil.  Bake 45 minutes or until potatoes are done.  Remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes to brown top.  Serves 4 - 6.

Martha:  I found a version of this recipe in a 1983 cookbook.  It actually called for pork chops, not chicken but when I decided to Think With My Taste Buds I knew the switch would work, and it did.  The original called for American cheese, I used cheddar.  I also increased the oven temp from 325 to 350 and increased the cooking time from 1/2 hr. to 45 minutes.  When I checked my potatoes after 1/2 hr. they weren't quite done so I added the additional 15 minutes.  This dish is delicious and you can, of course, change it back to pork chops.  This would also be good made with ground beef.