Serve this crispy chicken and masher potato casserole with a refreshing watermelon-feta spinach salad, a sparkling Arnold Palmer, and Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes for dessert!
★ Why You'll Love this Recipe ★
Just 5 Ingredients!
This 5-ingredient recipe is a great go-to dinner when you've got a hungry family and very little time!
The crispy chicken adds a nice crunchiness that works well with the smooth and savory layers beneath — a satisfying texture contrast!
Copycat KFC Famous Bowl
Inspired by KFC's Famous bowls, this homemade version is every bit as tasty and will save you a trip through the drive-through as well as some cash. And truly, takes almost no time to prepare so this is kind of like your own "fast food."
One-Pan Meal
This comforting, one-pan meal combines crispy chicken, creamy mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet corn, and cheesy goodness in every bite, making it a recipe the whole family will love.
Quick and Easy
Perfect for busy weeknights or a lazy weekend meal, it’s quick to prepare using just 5 basic ingredients and can be customized with your favorite vegetables or seasonings to maximize flavor.
★ Ingredients You'll Need ★
You only need 5 ingredients making this such an easy casserole to throw together.
Here's a look at everything you'll need:
- Mashed potatoes. You can use up leftovers or buy mashed potatoes ready-made.
- Corn. You can use leftover corn scraped off the cob, canned corn, or frozen corn.
- Popcorn chicken. Choose your favorite brand. The small pieces work better but you can slice up crispy chicken strips too.
- Cheddar cheese. Buy it shredded for convenience or shred your own.
- Chicken gravy. I like to make my own, buy you can buy this jarred, canned, or use a powdered mix. Beef gravy can also be used if you prefer that.
To make your own gravy you'll need: butter, flour, and chicken broth. Plus any seasoning you want to add.
★ How to Make this Recipe ★
Here are the steps to prepping this dish:
- Crisp chicken in the oven.
- Layer mashed potatoes in a casserole dish.
- Add a layer of corn.
- Layer crispy hot chicken on top.
- Sprinkle with cheese.
- Pour gravy on top, bake then serve.
So easy. Very satisfying!
★ Tips ★
- Shortcut with Instant Mashed Potatoes: If you’re short on time, instant mashed potatoes work. Or, you can find pre-made mashed potatoes in the refrigerated section of most stores.
- Choose quality chicken: Frozen breaded popcorn chicken works perfectly but taste and texture can vary greatly by brand. Opt for a brand of chicken you've tried and like. Don't skip baking them to get extra crispiness before layering.
- Vegetable boost: To increase veggies, go with a mixed blend of green beans, carrots, peas, and corn for added nutrition and flavor.
- Season for more flavor: Season the mashed potatoes and vegetables with salt, pepper, or your favorite spices or herbs as desired for a boost of flavor. Paprika, garlic powder, or parsley work great.
★ FAQs ★
First make a roux by melting ¼ cup of butter (½ stick) in a small pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in ¼ cup of flour and let bubble for 1 minute. Then add 2-3 cups of chicken broth. More or less depending on how thick you like your gravy.
That's it! Super easy. Much better than store-bought, in my opinion.
Optional gravy seasonings: onion, garlic, paprika, celery salt, salt and/or pepper to taste.
I do not recommend this. Since this casserole is so easy to assemble, it's best assembled right before baking. The reason being, you want to crisp the chicken first then layer it in. If you assemble everything ahead of time, the chicken will get soggy.
No. I do not recommend assembling then freezing or freezing leftovers; however, many of the ingredients can be stored frozen and quickly assembled right before baking.
You can use rotisserie chicken, shredded chicken, or even leftover fried chicken (bones removed). You can add a crispy topping if you skip the breaded chicken like fried onions, corn flakes, or ritz crackers.
Use mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes.
Choose rotisserie or grilled chicken instead of breaded.
Use mashed sweet potatoes for added vitamins.
Reduce or eliminate the cheese or use low-fat cheese.
Add extra vegetables like spinach or broccoli.
★ More Crispy Chicken Recipes ★
If you love your chicken with a little crunch, check out these other crispy chicken recipes:
Love an easy meal?
Browse all my 5-ingredient recipes to find something you can whip up in no time flat!
Crispy Chicken and Mashed Potato Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 32 oz mashed potatoes (3 cups)
- 16 oz corn (2 cups)
- 1.5 lb popcorn chicken (3 cups)
- 16 oz shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 oz chicken gravy
- 1 cup bread crumbs
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Crisp chicken. Bake or air fry popcorn chicken according to the package directions. Once cooked, set aside.
- Add mashed potatoes. Heat mashed potatoes in the microwave just until warmed. Layer potatoes In a 9x13-inch baking dish, spreading evenly.
- Add corn. Thaw frozen corn if needed then layer corn evenly on top of the mashed potatoes.Add chicken layer. Place the cooked popcorn chicken over the corn layer.
- Bake. Add the casserole to your preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Add cheese. After 15 minutes, sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top. Return the casserole to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Add gravy. Warm gravy in a sauce pan on the stove or in the microwave. Remove casserole from the oven and pour the warmed gravy evenly over the top right before serving.
Notes
- If using canned corn, be sure to drain away liquid first and you may want to rinse it as well.
- For extra-crispy chicken: add chicken as the last layer just before baking, and avoid covering the casserole during cooking.
- Popcorn chicken usually cooks in the air fryer for 7 minutes or can be baked which takes about 12 minutes.
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