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This decadent loaded chicken stuffed potato transforms basic items into a full meal that hits all your comfort food spots. The soft, fluffy potatoes hold a rich filling of ranch-flavored chicken, gooey cheese, and crunchy bacon bits, making a dinner your family will beg you to make time and again.
I originally whipped these stuffed spuds up when trying to use up some extra rotisserie chicken, and they've now become our end-of-week tradition. My hubby asks for them whenever we want something filling and tasty without too much work.
Ingredients
- Russet potatoes: Go for big, sturdy ones with clean skin for perfect baking
- Boneless skinless chicken breast: This gets super soft and juicy after cooking low and slow
- Ranch seasoning mix: Gives you tons of flavor without needing a million different spices
- Cream cheese: Makes everything deliciously smooth and rich
- Bacon: Adds that smoky crunch that takes this dish to another level
- Sharp cheddar cheese: Grate it fresh for better melting and stronger taste than the bagged stuff
- Optional toppings: Fresh chives add nice color and light onion flavor while extra ranch dressing makes it even juicier
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Make your chicken mixture:
- Toss chicken breasts into your slow cooker and shake ranch seasoning all over them. Put the block of cream cheese right on top of the chicken. Cover and let it cook on HIGH for about 3 hours or LOW for 4 to 5 hours until the chicken falls apart easily. This slow method really lets all those flavors sink in deeply.
- Break it all up:
- Grab two forks and shred that chicken right in the cooker. It should pull apart without any trouble. Mix in most of your bacon pieces and all of the shredded cheese until everything's well combined. The heat from the chicken will melt it all into a yummy, creamy mix.
- Get your potatoes ready:
- While your chicken's cooking, prep your potatoes. For oven method, wash and dry them well, rub with some olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake at 425°F for about an hour until they're soft inside. If you're in a hurry, clean them and microwave for roughly 7 minutes, flipping halfway. Let them cool a bit before you handle them, no matter how you cook them.
- Prep your potato boats:
- Cover a baking sheet with foil and turn your broiler on. Cut each potato lengthwise across the top, but don't go all the way through. Squeeze the ends gently to open them up. Fluff the insides with a fork and add a little salt and pepper. Now you've got perfect little boats for your filling.
- Fill and finish:
- Scoop generous amounts of chicken mix into each potato. Top with extra cheese and your saved bacon bits. Stick them under the broiler for about 5 minutes, watching carefully so they don't burn. The cheese should get bubbly and a bit golden. Let them sit for a minute before serving with your favorite toppings.
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Make Ahead Options
These loaded potatoes are perfect for planning ahead. You can make the chicken filling up to three days early and keep it in the fridge in a sealed container. The potatoes can be baked a day before and warmed up in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes before you stuff them. This really cuts down your cooking time when you need to get dinner on the table fast.
Storing Leftovers
If you end up with extra stuffed potatoes, wrap each one in foil and stick them in the fridge for up to two days. When you want to eat them, just put the foil-wrapped potatoes in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes until they're hot all the way through. The chicken mix by itself will last in your fridge for up to four days and tastes great in sandwiches, wraps, or even as something to dip chips into.
Variations To Try
Want something a bit healthier? Use Greek yogurt for half the cream cheese and swap in turkey bacon. You can also use rotisserie chicken or leftover holiday turkey instead of cooking chicken from scratch. If you don't eat meat, try sautéed mushrooms and bell peppers with the same ranch seasoning. This dish works with pretty much anything you've got in your kitchen.
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FAQs About the Recipe
- → Can I use leftover chicken for this dish?
Absolutely! Leftover shredded chicken works wonders in this recipe. Just mix it with the other stuff in a pan to heat it up, then load your potatoes as shown.
- → What are the best potatoes for stuffing?
Go for big russet potatoes since they've got that fluffy inside and tough skin that's perfect for holding all your yummy filling.
- → How do I make the potatoes crispy on the outside?
Just coat the potatoes in olive oil and sprinkle some salt on them before they go in the oven. This'll give you that nice crunchy skin everyone loves.
- → Can I make this dish ahead of time?
These loaded spuds taste best when they're fresh, but you can wrap leftovers in aluminum foil and keep them in your fridge for a couple days. Just warm them up in the oven before you eat them.
- → What are some topping alternatives?
Try adding crumbled blue cheese, sliced green onions, a dollop of sour cream, or even a splash of hot sauce to take the flavor up a notch.