Loaded Potato & Buffalo Chicken Casserole

So this was a last minute freezer meal that I wanted to prepare, I made it on a Wednesday and cooked it on the following Friday.  Instead of baking the potatoes as described in the original recipe (HERE), I assumed using the sliced potatoes you could find in the Freezer section would be sufficient.

It's a recipe that calls for a 9 x 13, but I've learned
with a family of 4 (including 2 small kids) that's a lot of excessive food - that I unfortunately would consume so we wouldn't waste.  Thanks to my friend Katie, she recommended I divide them into half and fill 2 8 x 8 pans.  It works great! Now instead of just having the casserole, I serve with some sort of veggie.

We love jalapenos by the way, especially fresh ones!

Results: It was just OK. I'd give it a C.  I think the problem is when I shortcut the recipe, I took a lot of the flavor and crunch from the potatoes.

Recommendation - Follow recipe as depicted below, and then before bake --- separate into 2 - 8x8s pans.

This can make either 1 - 9x13 or 2 - 8x8 pans.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of chicken breast (boneless/skinless)
• 8 to 10 medium potatoes (don't do potatoes from freezer section)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon paprika
• 2 Tablespoons garlic powder
• 6 Tablespoons hot sauce
• salt & pepper
• 2 cups Mexican blend cheese (I used pepper jack cheese)

Toppings:

• crumbled bacon
• fresh sliced jalapeno
• green onions

1. Preheat oven to a hot 500°F .
2. As the oven heats, cut the potatoes into 2 inch pieces and do the same for the chicken. 
3. Make the mix by combining all of the olive oil, hot sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder & paprika.
4. Add the potatoes and stir to coat.
5. Scoop the potatoes to a greased baking dish.
6. If there is any left over sauce, add the chicken to it.  If you need to make more, feel free - I had to. :)
7. According to the original recipe, you need to have the chicken marinate as the potatoes bake. 
8. In the 500°F heated oven, bake for about 50 minutes, be sure to stir them regularly.  You want them to bake long enough to be crispy (this may have helped my situation). 
9. Once crispy, pull the pan out and top with the chicken.
10. Sprinkle cheese on the top. 
11. Lower to 400°F and bake til the chicken is cooked through (about 15 minutes) - and make sure the topping is baked to your liking.
12. Top with your favorite toppings and serve with more hot sauce (we served with salsa).