Description
Crispy buffalo chicken smashed potatoes brings together tangy, spicy chicken over creamy potatoes that soak up all those bold flavors in the best way. This dish comes together quickly on a weeknight, and your family gets a restaurant-quality meal that tastes even better than takeout.
Ingredients
Scale
Base ingredients:
- 12 baby red potatoes
- 3 cups cooked rotisserie-style chicken, diced
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
Seasonings and sauces:
- 3 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning mix
- 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 0.5 cup buffalo hot sauce
- 0.5 cup extra buffalo sauce
Cheese and garnish:
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 0.5 cup ranch dressing
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Place 12 baby red potatoes in a large pot, cover them with salted water, and bring everything to a boil at 212°F, cooking for 20 to 25 minutes until your fork slides through them easily.
- Drain the potatoes and set them aside to cool slightly so your hands can handle them.
- Heat your oven to 400°F and lightly spray a standard muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
- Press one potato into each muffin cup, using the bottom of a small glass to flatten it gently and create a shallow well in the center of each one.
- Bake at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes until the edges turn golden and crispy.
- While the potatoes bake, combine 3 cups diced chicken, ½ cup buffalo hot sauce, 3 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning mix, 4 ounces softened cream cheese, ½ cup mozzarella cheese, and ½ teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl, stirring until creamy and fully blended together.
- Remove the potato pan from the oven and spoon about ¼ cup of the chicken mixture into each potato cup.
- Top each filled potato with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese divided among them.
- Return the pan to the oven at 400°F for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese melts and becomes bubbly.
- Drizzle each potato with ranch dressing and extra buffalo sauce, then finish with fresh chopped parsley before serving them warm to your table.
Notes
- Don’t skip letting the potatoes cool slightly after boiling, as they’re easier to handle and less likely to fall apart when pressing into the muffin cups.
- Press each potato gently but firmly with the bottom of a glass to create a slight well that holds the filling without breaking through the bottom.
- Make sure your buffalo chicken mixture is at room temperature before spooning it onto the crispy potatoes, so the heat distributes evenly when baking and keeps the potato shells from softening.
- For a lighter version, use Greek yogurt mixed with a bit of cream cheese instead of all cream cheese, and the filling stays creamy while cutting down on richness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes-1 hour
- Category: Baked Chicken
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 399 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 1020 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg