Aileen whips up a chicken/bacon/potato recipe for seven people on the spur of the moment, and I’ve been asked for instructions. She does it with frozen potatoes (and Trey tries later with Tater Tots) but you need to use the real thing otherwise they get soggy. Ready?
I’m not giving you amounts because you’re probably using a different sized pan than I am. (That’s a nice way of saying I never measure anything anyhow.) This recipe came together one night when I had pretty much nothing in the fridge, so my kid and I improvised.
- Cube up enough potatoes to cover the bottom of your roasting pan. Coat them in olive oil and salt. Roast at 450 for about 40 minutes on the bottom oven rack. Use your judgement as to time. You want them cooked through and crispy, but not burnt.
- Cut up enough skinless boneless chicken breasts that you’ll be able to cover the potatoes. You’ll want them sliced thin, and then pound them flat with a meat hammer. I usually cut them into palm-sized pieces too, for modularity. I dust them with bread crumbs, but that’s not necessary. Half the time I forget anyhow.
- Shred up a whole lot of cheddar cheese, enough that you’ll be able to cover all the potatoes. I usually throw in a handful of shredded mozzarella as well.
- Fry up some bacon. I usually do about six slices, but if your heart demands more, go for it. I’ve gotten caught short and done only four, and no one’s complained. It’s not like they’re counting. After it’s cooled off a bit, crumble them up and put them in the bowl with the shredded cheese.
- When the potatoes come out, lay your chicken on top of them, then cover the cheese/bacon mixture over everything, Put it back in the oven covered at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Remove the foil for the last ten minutes.
And there you go! Aileen’s thrown-together chicken/bacon/potato meal!
