How much ranch is too much at five o'clock
Four russets pricked and microwaved on a paper towel, three cups of rotisserie chicken warmed, six strips of bacon crumbled, cheddar, and green onion. Twenty minutes total, no oven.
Half a cup of ranch is enough for four potatoes. Pour it like syrup and a kid feels every ounce of it during the first drill, which is a shame because the potato itself sits fine.
Ingredients
The recipe serves 4. Plan on about 20 minutes.
- 4 medium russet potatoes
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
How to Make It
- Scrub the potatoes, prick each several times, and microwave on a plate 10 to 12 minutes until tender, turning halfway.
- While they cook, warm the chicken in a skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of the ranch, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Split each potato lengthwise, fluff the insides with a fork, and add butter and a pinch of salt.
- Pile on the chicken, then top with cheddar and a handful of bacon.
- Drizzle with the remaining ranch and finish with green onion.
Timing Before Practice
Start about 25 minutes out; the microwave bakes the potatoes while you handle the toppings.
- T-minus 25: prick and microwave the potatoes
- T-minus 12: warm the chicken and crumble the bacon
- T-minus 4: split, load, and serve
Make It Ahead or Save Leftovers
Cook the bacon and chicken ahead so assembly is the only step at dinner.
- Crumble bacon a day ahead and keep it in the fridge
- Rewarm a leftover loaded potato in the microwave for 2 minutes
- Scoop leftovers into a tortilla for a next-day wrap
- Serve with: steamed broccoli, a side salad
Parent Tip
Microwave the potatoes on a paper towel so the bottoms do not get soggy.
Make it fit tonight
Small changes that make this one fit your night
A paper towel under each potato
Skip it and the bottoms steam into something soggy while the tops come out perfect.
Bacon cooked a day early
Six strips crumbled into a jar Sunday means no spattering pan during the 4:40 rush.
Ranch measured into a small bowl
Give each kid two tablespoons to drizzle and the pouring problem solves itself.
Half a potato for the smaller kid
A whole russet loaded up is a lot; split one and add extra broccoli on the side.
Leftovers scooped into a tortilla
Potato, chicken, and cheese in a wrap is a good lunch and takes two minutes to build.
Plan the next step
Plan more loaded-potato nights
Use the planner to build a week around one cooked chicken.