12 to 15 servings
YouTube instructional video is at the bottom.
What you’ll need
3 pounds Russet potatoes
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
Hickory smoked bacon
24 ounces Extra sharp cheddar cheese
Shredded Parmesan cheese
Salted butter
Ranch dressing (Room temp)
Vinegar
Sour cream (Room temp)
Evaporated milk (Room temp)
Freeze dried chives
Seasonings
Salt
Black pepper
Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Chef Paul’s Poultry magic
Chef Paul’s Vegetable magic
1 yellow onion
1 pod Garlic
Tools you’ll need
9 x 12 inch glass or metal pan
Two 11 x 17 inch baking pans
Food processor
Shredder/grater
Potato peeler (Optional)
Chef’s knife
Strainer
Preparation of ingredients
Step 1- Chop 1 yellow onion and 2 cloves garlic until minced.
Step 2- Add Chicken thigh pieces into strainer and rinse with cold water. Once done pat chicken dry with napkins and remove any excess fat from the chicken.
Step 3- Transfer chicken thigh pieces into a medium sized bowl and add 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon Chef Paul’s Poultry magic, 1 or 2 teaspoons onion powder, and 1 or 2 teaspoons garlic powder. Coat seasonings onto chicken using your hands. Let chicken sit out for 30 minutes to an hour so the chicken can come to room temperature.
Baking the chicken and bacon
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Step 4-Add chicken thigh pieces and bacon slices into two separate 11 by 17 inch baking pans. Make sure to lightly butter one of the baking pans first before adding the chicken into the pan. Do not add any butter into the baking pan you are baking the bacon in. Place into a preheated 375 degree oven for 35 minutes. Once done remove chicken and bacon from oven and let cool completely.
Tip- You can complete the following steps below (5-9) while the chicken and bacon are in the oven.
Cheese
Step 5- Shred 24 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese. Add 16 ounces and 8 ounces of the cheeses into two separate bowls and place into fridge.
Russet potatoes
Step 6- If you are peeling the potatoes peel them first then Rinse off russet potatoes.
Slice each russet potato into thin slices. If slices are too big cut them in half.
Step 7- Add water half way into a large bowl and add 2 teaspoons vinegar and stir. Add potato slices into water and let sit for 5 minutes. Once done, add the potatoes into a strainer and set aside.
Parboiling the potato slices
Preheat fire to medium high heat.
Step 8- Add 2 1/2 quarts water and 2 teaspoons salt into a large pot and let come to a simmer. Add potato slices and stir. Let simmer for 7 to 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Step 9- Add potato slices into a strainer and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes.
Note- If all steps are above (5-9) are completed in the time allowed you can remove the chicken and bacon from the oven. Let the chicken and bacon cool completely before completing the steps below.
Sauteeing the seasonings
Preheat fire to medium high heat.
Step 10- Add 2 tablespoons salted butter, 1 tablespoon pan juices from the bacon, 1 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion and 1 tablespoon chopped garlic. Stir all ingredients together and let saute for 6 to 8 minutes stirring occasionally. Once done turn fire off and let mixture cool completely.
Making the bacon bits and chopping the chicken.
Step 11- Add bacon pieces into a food processor. Blend for 15 to 30 seconds. Once done chop chicken thighs with a knife into small bite sized pieces.
Making the Ranch cheese sauce
Preheat fire to medium high heat.
Step 12- Add 2 cups evaporated milk, 1/2 cup sour cream (Room temp), 1/3 or 1/2 cup ranch dressing (Room temp), and 6 tablespoons melted salted butter. Stir all ingredients together and let mixture heat up for 2 or 3 minutes or until mixture reaches a temperature of 120 degrees F.
Turn fire down from medium high to medium low heat.
Step 13- Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1 teaspoon Chef Paul’s vegetable magic, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 3 tablespoons freeze dried chives into a medium sized pot. Stir all ingredients together.
Step 14- Add 16 ounces shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, and 3 ounces shredded parmesan cheese. Stir for 5 minutes or until cheese has melted into butter.
Tip- If you want your cheese to melt quicker, turn fire up from medium low to medium heat for 15 to 30 seconds then turn fire back down to medium low heat while stirring the cheese sauce. You can repeat this step until cheese has melted into the milk mixture.
Step 15- Add chicken and bacon pieces into the cheese sauce. Stir all ingredients together. Keep stove setting on low heat and come back and stir cheese sauce every 2 minutes to ensure cheese mixture doesn’t thicken too much.
Assembling the potato bake
Step 16- Butter the bottom and sides of your baking dish. Add potato slices along the bottom of the dish. Add the ranch cheese sauce on top of the potatoes. Move the potatoes around with a spatula. Add 4 ounces shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese on top.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Step 17- Add second half of the potato slices on top of the shredded cheese. Pour the second half of the ranch cheese sauce on top of the potato slices. Again move the potatoes around with a spatula. Add 4 ounces of shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese on top.
Baking the potato bake
Step 18- Place into a preheated 450 degree oven for 15 minutes. Set oven broiler to high and transfer the potato bake from the oven to the broiler part of the oven and let sit for 1 minute or until mixture is a golden brown on top. Remove from broiler and let cool for 30 minutes to an hour before serving.
YouTube instructional video
