Mud Chicken Twice Baked Potatoes (Printable version)
Twice-baked potatoes loaded with savory shredded chicken and creamy mashed potato filling.
# What you need:
→ Potatoes
01 - 4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
→ Chicken Filling
04 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
05 - 1/2 cup sour cream
06 - 1/4 cup whole milk
07 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
08 - 1/4 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
09 - 1/4 cup green onions, finely sliced
10 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
11 - 1 tsp garlic powder
12 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
14 - 1/2 tsp salt
→ Topping
15 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
16 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
# How To:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub potatoes thoroughly with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. Prick each potato several times with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking.
02 - Place potatoes directly on oven rack and bake for 50-60 minutes until skins are crisp and a knife slides easily into the center. Remove from oven and let cool until manageable to handle.
03 - While potatoes bake, combine shredded chicken, sour cream, whole milk, cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, green onions, unsalted butter, garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly until well incorporated.
04 - Cut cooled potatoes in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out most of the flesh, leaving approximately 1/4-inch thick shells intact. Reserve scooped potato flesh for filling.
05 - Add scooped potato flesh to chicken filling mixture. Mash with potato masher or fork until smooth and thoroughly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
06 - Spoon filling mixture back into potato shells, mounding slightly above the edges. Top each stuffed half with additional shredded cheddar cheese.
07 - Place stuffed potatoes on baking sheet and return to 400°F oven for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown.
08 - Remove from oven, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, and serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- These potatoes transform leftover chicken into something extraordinary, making them perfect for using up rotisserie chicken from Tuesday nights grocery run.
- The combination of creamy potato and savory filling means every bite feels like a hug, exactly what we crave on cold January evenings.
02 -
- I learned the hard way that scooping the potatoes while they are too hot results in burned fingers and torn shells, so patience during the cooling step really pays off.
- Leaving a quarter inch of potato in the shells is crucial because too thin and they collapse, too thick and there is not enough room for all that delicious filling.
03 -
- Warm the sour cream and milk slightly before mixing them in, and you will end up with an incredibly smooth filling every single time.
- Place the stuffed potatoes on a wire rack set over your baking sheet during the final bake, and the bottoms will stay crispy instead of getting soggy.