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Chicken Bacon Ranch Loaded Potato Skins

Chicken Bacon Ranch Loaded Potato Skins

If you love appetizers and great party food, these Chicken Bacon Ranch LOADED Potato Skins will be your new favorite!

I’m an Idaho girl, born and raised. I love all things potato, but this is definitely one of my favorites. These are not only great for party food, but could actually work as a meal themselves because they are literally loaded and they are very filling!

Since they cook up quick and prep time is fairly simple, they make a great party appetizer.

Loaded Potato Skins

Because I usually have potatoes on hand (Idaho girl!) these are a favorite go-to when I’m in need of a quick dish. It’s also really easy to tweak this recipe based upon what you have on hand.

Yield: 8 Potato Skins

Ingredients for making Loaded Potatoes

4 potatoes

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon each of: paprika, salt and black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 chicken breast, cooked and diced

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

4 bacon strips, cooked and diced

1/4 cup ranch dressing

2 green onions, chopped (optional garnish)

How to prepare your potatoes

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Line a baking pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. You’ll now have 8 halves.

Use a spoon to scoop out the potatoes leaving about 1/4 inch of meat along the skin.

In a small microwavable bowl, add the butter, paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic. Heat on high for 20 seconds until melted. Stir the butter mixture.

Using a pastry brush or silicone brush, brush the tops, bottoms, and insides of the potatoes with the butter mixture.

Arrange the potatoes with the skin sides up (flat, cut, hollowed out side facing down) on the prepared baking sheet.

How to Bake Loaded Potatoes

Bake the potato skins for 10 minutes on 450 degrees.

After 10 minutes, remove the baking pan from the oven and use tongs to turn the potatoes skin-side down.

Return the potatoes to the oven for 10 more minutes at 450 degrees.

Once potatoes are removed from oven, and add the chicken, cheese, and bacon to the hollowed out potatoes. Return them to the pan and bake another 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Remove from the oven and move the potatoes to a serving dish. Garnish with green onions and more ranch as desired. Serve warm.

And one of my very favorite things about these yummy loaded potato skins is that they are so pretty when plated!

Additional Serving Options for this Potato Appetizer

As you can see, I also like to dish these loaded potato skins up with tomatoes and pepper as optional toppings because everyone will really enjoy tweaking them to their individual preferences.

My son and hubby love to add hot sauce because things can never be spicy enough for them but my daughter and I area all about extra sour cream and then topped with tomatoes.

You will find that everyone will have their favorite way to perfect these.

My family also enjoyed these as a side to a big warm bowl of soup and if you are looking for one that’s a great companion, try my Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup, it’s delicious!

More Potato Recipes

Looking for more potato recipes? I’ve got a few favorites! How about this Cheesy Potato Egg Breakfast Bake recipe? OR how about this Avocado, Egg and Potato Breakfast Bowl recipe? I’ve even got a recipe for Chocolate Covered Potato Chips … see!? I wasn’t joking when I told you that I love all things potato!

I’ve found that one of the best things about potato recipes – and why people cook with them so often – is because potatoes are very affordable and they are also very filling.

 

For these reasons, they are a great option for not only large family meals but also for party food and gatherings. Recipes like this are fantastic because you can easily double the recipe over and over again to meet the needs of the size of the group that you are serving!

loaded potatoes recipe

Print the Recipe for Loaded Potato Skins

Potato Skins Appetizer

Chicken Bacon Ranch Loaded Potato Skins

Yield: 8

Potato lovers unite!! These Chicken Bacon Ranch Loaded Potato Skins are SO good and this recipe is so easy, which makes it even better. Also affordable, this is a fun recipe for football tailgates or summer BBQ gatherings. Always a hit and very filling!

Ingredients

  • 4 potatoes
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 chicken breast, cooked and diced
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 4 bacon strips, cooked and diced
  • 1/4 cup ranch dressing
  • 2 green onions, chopped (optional garnish)

Instructions

    1. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
    2. Line a baking pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
    3. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. You’ll now have 8 halves.
    4. Use a spoon to scoop out the potatoes leaving about 1/4 inch of meat along the skin.
    5. In a small microwavable bowl, add the butter, paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic. Heat on high for 20 seconds until melted. Stir the butter mixture.
    6. Using a pastry brush or silicone brush, brush the tops, bottoms, and insides of the potatoes with the butter mixture.
    7. Arrange the potatoes with the skin sides up (flat, cut, hollowed out side facing down) on the prepared baking sheet.
    8. Bake the potato skins for 10 minutes on 450 degrees.
    9. After 10 minutes, remove the baking pan from the oven and use tongs to turn the potatoes skin-side down.
    10. Return the potatoes to the oven for 10 more minutes at 450 degrees.
    11. Remove the potatoes and add the chicken, cheese, and bacon to the hollowed out potatoes. Return them to the pan and bake another 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
    12. Remove from the oven and move the potatoes to a serving dish. Garnish with green onions and more ranch as desired. Serve warm.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 261Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 377mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 12g

*This is just an estimate

Did you make this recipe?

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Meet the author – Keri Lyn

The creative and frugal mind behind She Saved for over 12 years now, Keri Lyn shares her adventures in parenting along with her love for family travel, country living and brand marketing. A self-proclaimed “brand loyalist”, Keri Lyn is known for her strong and enthusiastic voice when it comes to the products and brands that she loves. She Saved has become a community for like-minded consumers who appreciate saving money, time and sanity by getting the best deals on quality products and experiences.

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