Loaded Potato and Buffalo Chicken Casserole

(a post by Allen)

So, I'm a "meat and potatoes" kinda guy.  What's better than that?  Well, for me it's buffalo sauce.  Here is a recipe that forever changed me.  LOADED POTATO AND BUFFALO CHICKEN CASSEROLE...

We made this and invited our friends over.  One of the best recipes we have EVER made.  There are several versions of this recipe online (Tasty Kitchen and Cook Lisa Cook).  This one is loosely derived from those.  I promise, your life will be forever changed!

 

(Picture from internet)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings: 6+

Ingredients

• 3-4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 10 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (with peel)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon meat seasoning
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 10 tablespoons hot sauce
• Additional ¼ cup hot sauce (or more)

Topping

• 2 cups fiesta Mexican blend cheese or 2 cups Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese blend
• 1 package bacon (cooked and crumbled)
• 1 cup diced green onion 

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 500ºF
2. In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, 10 tablespoons of hot sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, meat seasoning & paprika.
3. Add the potatoes and stir to coat
4. Move the potatoes to a greased 9x12 baking dish.
5. When scooping the potatoes into the baking dish, leave behind any extra olive oil/hot sauce mix.
6. Add the diced chicken to the “left behind” olive oil/hot sauce mix and stir to coat all the chicken. Allow to marinate as the potatoes bake.
7. Roast the potatoes for 45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and nice and crispy on the outside.
8. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, add the marinated chicken.
9. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 400°F.
10. In a large bowl mix all the topping ingredients together.
11. Top the raw chicken with the topping.
12. Bake 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the topping is melted and bubbly.
13. Pour ¼ cup (or more) hot sauce over the dish and place back in the oven for an additional 5 minutes.
14. Serve with extra hot sauce and/or ranch dressing.