As I searched through my freezer, fridge, and pantry, I came up with this dish. At the end of this post, I’ll share what I plan to do differently next time. This recipe fills a 13×9 dish, ensuring we have leftovers.
Next time, I’ll split the batch—using a smaller glass dish for immediate cooking and an aluminum pan for freezing. By covering it well and storing the extra, I can stock up my freezer. Making a large batch and freezing half allows me to build up meals over time. In my case, I usually do this once a month, giving me enough homemade meals to last an entire month. Cook once, enjoy leftovers, and freeze the rest—you won’t regret it!
Ingredients
Chicken (I had frozen Tyson grilled chicken. You can use canned chicken, cook a whole chicken, or buy a rotisserie chicken or chicken breasts. I sound like the guy off of Forrest Gump describing the different types of shrimp.)
Bacon (bits or fry and crumble)
Garlic butter (I used leftover Papa John’s garlic butter)
Minced garlic
Onion, chopped
Portobello mushrooms, chopped
Two c. sour cream
One can of corn, drained
1/3 c. milk
Bread crumbs
Cheddar
Hashbrowns (I bought the cubed southern hashbrowns that have chopped-up peppers)
Cheesy Ranch Chicken & Hashbrown Bake
Ingredients:
- 1 bag frozen hashbrowns
- 1–2 packets dry ranch seasoning mix
- 4 tbsp garlic butter (or ghee)
- 1 lb chicken tenders, chopped
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
- ½ cup Italian bread crumbs (or Panko)
- Salt, pepper, and any additional seasoning of choice
- Optional: chopped bell peppers, bacon bits or cooked bacon, chopped spinach
Directions:
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Preheat & Prepare – Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 13×9 baking dish and spread the hashbrowns evenly in the dish. Sprinkle with seasoning and one packet of ranch mix, then toss to coat. Dot with garlic butter or ghee.
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Prepare the Chicken – In a large bowl, mix the chopped chicken with another packet of ranch seasoning, a handful of shredded cheddar, and any additional seasonings. Stir until well combined.
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Assemble the Dish – Spoon the chicken mixture over the hashbrowns. Sprinkle with Italian bread crumbs (or Panko) and the remaining cheddar cheese.
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Bake – Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until golden and bubbly.
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Serve – Enjoy with buttered garlic toast or your favorite side!
Next Time Adjustments:
- Add larger chunks of chopped bell peppers.
- Use two packets of ranch seasoning for extra flavor.
- Try frying bacon instead of using bacon bits and cook the chicken in bacon grease for added depth.
- Consider adding chopped spinach.
- The jury is still out on corn—it adds a sweet pop, but the texture is different.
