Loaded Potato and Buffalo Chicken Casserole Recipe (for 2)

Source for this recipe: http://cooklisacook.blogspot.ca/2012/03/loaded-potato-buffalo-chicken-casserole.html


I found this recipe on Pinterest, posted by one of my friends. I thought hey, it looks easy, good and something my husband would like.


Good news: It was easy, good, and my husband liked it.
Bad news: If you aren't a fan of spicy foods, this isn't the recipe for you.


It was a little on the spicy side for me, but if you like buffalo wings, you will love this recipe. I plan to make it again sometime, but do a variation on the sauce and try to make it less spicy (maybe do a garlic version). When I do, I will post my recipe. (Maybe, I am an inconsistent blogger).


Since I usually cook for just my husband and I, I scaled the recipe down. I used the full measurements for the sauce, but scaled down on the potatos and chicken. There was enough for both my husband and I, as well as some leftovers for my husband for lunch the next day.


So here is my scaled down recipe:


2 medium sized boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 medium russet baker potatoes, cubed
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp ground pepper
1 Tbsp Paprika
2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
6 Tbsp Franks Hot Sauce (original)


Topping:
Cheese - I used a Cheddar Jack blend, I just winged it on the amount. I find that measuring cheese is pointless.
Crumbled Bacon - Again, I just winged it. Its a preference thing
Green Onion - I chopped up a whole bundle. I figured it was close to the 1 cup that the recipe called for.


The rest I am copying from the blog, any of my changes I will put in blue font.


Preheat oven to 500F.  In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder & hot sauce.  Add the cubed potatoes and stir to coat.  Carefully scoop the potatoes into a cooking spray coated baking dish (I used a small cooking dish, did not need a huge one), leaving behind as much of the olive oil/hot sauce mix as possible.  Bake the potatoes for 40 minutes (since I used less potatoes, you might be able to actually get away with cooking the potatoes for only 30 minutes, I may try that next time around), stirring every 10-15 minutes (oops, forgot to stir every 10-15 minutes, so they were kinda done on the bottom), until cooked through and crispy & browned on the outside.  While the potatoes are cooking, add the cubed chicken to the bowl with the leftover olive oil/hot sauce mix and stir to coat.  Once the potatoes are fully cooked, remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 400F.  Top the cooked potatoes with the raw marinated chicken.  In a bowl mix together the cheese, bacon & green onion and top the raw chicken with the cheese mix (I didn't premix the cheese, bacon and onion, I just layered).  Return the casserole to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the topping is bubbly delicious.  Serve with extra hot sauce and/orranch dressing.


I served with ranch dressing vs. extra hot sauce, since it gave it a cooling effect.