Casseroles For Fall

I can tell it's time for the weather to be cooler.  The sun comes up a bit later in the morning and sets a bit earlier in the evening.  This is the time of year that food starts to get appealing again.  Believe it or not, I found myself thinking about my Thanksgiving menu a couple of days ago.  I know that's crazy, but I like to find at least a couple of creative ideas each year.

Thanksgiving aside, I'm ready to start adding some casseroles back into my weekly dinners.  So many of them are comfort food and tonight's is no exception.

Roasted Potato and Chicken Casserole

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3 breasts)

8 medium potatoes

1/3 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 Tbsp hot sauce

2 cups shredded cheese - I like Kraft Mexican Blend with a Touch of Philly

10 slices of bacon (fried, drained, and crumbled)

1/4 cup diced green onions

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees.

Cut the chicken breasts into 1/2" cubes

Cut the potatoes (unpeeled) into 1/2" cubes

In a large bowl, mix together the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and hot sauce

Add the potatoes into bowl and stir to coat

Scoop the potatoes into a 9 x 13" baking dish coated with non-stick spray

Bake to potatoes for 45 -50 minutes (stirring every 15 minutes) until browned on the outside

There should be olive oil mixture remaining in the bowl

Add chicken cubes to the bowl and stir to coat - let marinate while the potatoes cook

Lower the oven temp to 400 degrees

Top the potatoes with the raw marinated chicken

Mix together the cheese, bacon, and green onions

Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the chicken

Bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the topping is bubbly

Serve with sour cream, ranch dressing, or extra hot sauce.