Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole

There are certain dinners that don’t need much explaining. You put the casserole dish on the table, everybody looks at what’s in it, and you don’t have to convince anyone that dinner is going to be good.

Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole is one of those dinners.

You’ve got tender potatoes, seasoned chicken, bacon, cheese, green onions, and a creamy sauce holding everything together. Basically, we took the best parts of a loaded baked potato, added enough chicken to call it supper, and put the whole thing in a casserole dish.

I see no problem with this arrangement.

This is also the kind of recipe I start wanting once September is coming to an end. By now I’ve had enough salads. I’ve eaten plenty of things off the grill. Even if Georgia is still throwing a few hot afternoons at us, I’m ready for dinners that feel a little more substantial.

I’m not saying I’m ready to eat every meal under a blanket while pretending we live somewhere with an actual cold September.

I’m just ready for potatoes and cheese.

Those are two completely different things.

Let’s Talk About the Potatoes First

Russet potatoes are my first choice for this casserole because they give you that classic baked potato flavor. Yukon Gold potatoes work too, and I actually like their creamier texture, so use whichever you prefer.

The important thing is cutting them into fairly even pieces.

If you have one potato chunk the size of a marble and another the size of a golf ball, they’re not going to finish cooking at the same time. Then you’re at the table wondering why one bite is perfectly tender and the next one requires actual effort.

I aim for pieces around an inch.

You also don’t have to peel the potatoes unless you want to. I usually leave at least some of the peel on because that’s how I like a baked potato anyway. Just scrub them well before cutting them.

We’re going to give the potatoes a head start in the oven before adding the chicken. Raw potatoes take longer to cook than bite-sized pieces of chicken, and putting everything in at the same time is a good way to end up with either hard potatoes or dry chicken.

Neither sounds particularly appealing.

Chicken Makes It Dinner

You could make loaded potato casserole as a side dish, but adding chicken turns it into something I can put on the table and call dinner without having to figure out what else we’re eating.

I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts most often because they’re easy to cut into bite-sized pieces. Chicken thighs work just as well if you prefer them.

Season the chicken before it goes into the casserole.

This sounds obvious, but chicken needs help. We’re putting plenty of flavorful things into this dish, but I still want the chicken itself to taste good.

Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper are enough. If you like things a little spicy, add some cayenne or a pinch of red pepper flakes.

I don’t make this particularly hot because I want everyone to eat it, but you know your household.

If your people consider hot sauce a food group, adjust accordingly.

Bacon Is Not Optional Around Here

Could you leave the bacon out?

Yes.

Would I?

No.

We’re calling this a loaded baked potato casserole, and when I think about a loaded baked potato, bacon is part of the deal.

I like cooking the bacon until it’s fairly crisp because it will soften a little once it’s mixed into the casserole. You can cook it yourself or use good-quality real bacon pieces if you’re trying to save time.

I’ve done both.

This is Wednesday dinner. Nobody is coming into my kitchen to inspect whether I personally fried the bacon.

If cooking it yourself, make a little extra.

You know why.

Some of it is going to disappear before the casserole is assembled. I don’t know who does that either.

The Cheese Situation

We’re using cheddar.

Plenty of it.

I prefer sharp cheddar because it has enough flavor to stand up to the potatoes, chicken, and creamy sauce. Mild cheddar is fine if that’s what your family prefers.

You can also mix cheeses. Monterey Jack melts beautifully, so sometimes I’ll use cheddar and Monterey Jack together.

If you have the time, shred your own cheese. The bags of pre-shredded cheese are convenient, and I use them plenty, but freshly shredded cheese melts more smoothly.

This is one of those decisions I make based entirely on what kind of day I’ve had.

If I’ve got five extra minutes and don’t mind washing the cheese grater, I’ll grate it.

If I’ve already answered forty emails, dealt with three unexpected problems, and somebody is asking when dinner will be ready, that bag of shredded cheese is getting opened.

Both versions will be eaten.

The Creamy Part

I didn’t want this casserole swimming in sauce.

There’s enough to coat the chicken and potatoes and keep everything creamy, but you can still tell what you’re eating.

Sour cream gives us some of that loaded baked potato flavor, and a little heavy cream keeps everything from becoming too thick. Garlic and seasonings go into the mixture, along with some of the cheese.

If you want to lighten it up a little, you can use plain Greek yogurt in place of some or all of the sour cream.

I usually stick with sour cream.

If I’m making a casserole with potatoes, bacon, and cheese, this probably isn’t the moment I’m going to start pretending we’re making health food.

We can have broccoli tomorrow.

Actually, you can have broccoli with this if it makes you feel better.

Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole

Serves: 6 to 8
Prep Time: About 20 minutes
Cook Time: About 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
• 1 teaspoon onion powder, divided
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup heavy cream or whole milk
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 green onions, sliced
• Chopped fresh parsley, optional
• Extra sour cream for serving, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Place the potatoes in the baking dish and drizzle them with the olive oil. Season with half of the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Toss everything together until the potatoes are evenly coated.

Spread the potatoes into an even layer and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, place the chicken in a bowl and season it with the remaining salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Toss until the chicken is evenly seasoned.

In another bowl, stir together the sour cream, heavy cream, and minced garlic. Add 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese, half of the crumbled bacon, and about half of the sliced green onions.

Remove the potatoes from the oven after 20 minutes and carefully stir them.

Add the seasoned chicken to the baking dish and toss it gently with the potatoes. Spoon the sour cream mixture over everything and stir just enough to distribute it throughout the casserole.

Return the dish to the oven and bake uncovered for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle the remaining cup of cheddar cheese and the rest of the bacon over the top.

Put it back into the oven for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted.

Scatter the remaining green onions over the casserole before serving. Add some chopped parsley if you happen to have it.

I like putting a bowl of sour cream on the table too. Anyone who wants a little extra can add it to their serving.

What Goes With It?

This casserole already has plenty going on, so I wouldn’t make a complicated side dish.

A simple green salad is enough.

Green beans would be good too. Roast some broccoli if you want something warm, or serve whatever vegetable your family will actually eat without complaining.

I’m a firm believer that there’s no prize for putting four different side dishes on the table on a weeknight.

If everyone has a plate of hot food and something green made an appearance somewhere, we’re doing fine.

You could also serve this with rolls, although potatoes are already doing a perfectly respectable job in the carbohydrate department.

Will that stop someone from grabbing a roll?

Probably not.

Make It Your Own

This is an easy casserole to change depending on what your family likes.

Add diced jalapeños if you want some heat. A little ranch seasoning can go into the sour cream mixture if your family loves loaded ranch potatoes. Pepper Jack can replace some of the cheddar.

You could add broccoli directly to the casserole too. I’d wait until you’re adding the chicken so it doesn’t overcook.

If you have leftover cooked chicken that needs to be used, you can absolutely use it. Give the potatoes their 20-minute head start, then add the cooked chicken with the creamy mixture. Since the chicken is already cooked, you’re really just heating it through while the potatoes finish.

That’s a particularly good option when there’s half a rotisserie chicken sitting in the refrigerator and nobody wants to eat it exactly the same way again.

The Leftovers Are Worth Keeping

This reheats well, which is important because a 9 x 13-inch casserole can feed quite a few people.

Keep the leftovers covered in the refrigerator. When reheating them, I sometimes add a small spoonful of sour cream after they’re hot because it brings some of that creaminess back.

You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave, which makes this an easy lunch the next day.

If someone gets to it before you do, that’s between you and them.

I can’t help you there.

By the last day of September, I’m ready for meals like this. The calendar is heading into October, football is on, the stores have pumpkins stacked everywhere, and I’m starting to think a casserole bubbling away in the oven sounds pretty good.

Even if it’s still eighty degrees outside.

Georgia can figure out its weather whenever it’s ready.

I’m making the potatoes.