Mashed Potato and Crispy Chicken Casserole
If you find yourself with leftover mashed potatoes, use them to make the best casserole! This dish comes together in no time and your family will thoroughly enjoy it. We all know kids love chicken tenders and mashed potatoes, so why not use them both to make a wonderful meal, right? The icing on the cake? A drizzle of brown gravy on top!
Make Ahead Instructions
The most time-consuming part of this recipe is making the mashed potatoes.
So, if you want to save time making this dish, make the mashed potatoes up to two days in advance and store them in the fridge.
You can use frozen chicken tenders and store-bought brown gravy to make this dish really quickly.
You can also assemble the casserole, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for up to two days before baking it.
Recipe Variations
- Add more veggies! You can throw in frozen green beans, peas, and carrots along with the corn.
- Make it spicy! Add chopped jalapenos, red pepper flakes, or a dash of hot sauce to your mashed potatoes.
- Mix your cheeses: you don’t have to only use cheddar cheese. You can use your favorite cheese or a mixture of cheeses for more flavor.
- For a twist, use cooked ground beef or sloppy joe mixture instead of chicken tenders.
- Crumbled crispy bacon will add a smoky touch!
How to Store
If you wish to make this casserole ahead of time, or have leftovers, wrap the casserole with plastic wrap or place the leftovers in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Reheat in a 350 F oven for 20 minutes or microwave until warmed through.
How to Freeze
You can freeze the baked or unbaked casserole for up to 3 months by wrapping it tightly with two layers of plastic wrap and one of foil.
To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight, then let place in a 350 F oven until heated through.
Mashed Potato and Crispy Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 cups mashed potatoes
- 1 cup frozen fire-roasted corn
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
- 8 frozen chicken tenders, thawed and sliced into 1-inch slices
- 1 packet brown gravy
- Freshly chopped parsley for serving
Instructions
- Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, and preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Spoon the mashed potatoes into the baking dish and spread them evenly using a rubber spatula.
- Sprinkle the frozen corn evenly over the mashed potatoes.
- Add the shredded cheddar on top of the corn.
- Evenly distribute the sliced chicken tenders on top, and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
- While the casserole is baking make the gravy.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and serve with gravy and freshly chopped parsley on top.
Nutrition
FAQ About Mashed Potatoes and Crispy Chicken Casserole
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Can I Cheat and Use Store-Bought Mashed Potatoes? That’s actually a great idea! You can use prepared store-bought mashed potatoes or instant mashed potatoes for convenience. They are truly lifesavers!
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What’s the Best Chicken for this Dish? The best chicken is crispy chicken tenders. You can either make your own at home, or use frozen ones for convenience. If using the frozen ones, let them stand for about 10 minutes at room temperature for easy slicing.
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Not a Fan of Corn? No worries! Use your favorite veggies like carrots, peas, or green beans, or a combination of these! Just make sure to use thawed veggies if using frozen, or drained if using canned.
Tips for the Best Mashed Potatoes and Crispy Chicken Casserole
- Homemade is Always Better! It’s perfectly ok to use store-bought mashed potatoes and chicken tenders, but if you really want to take this casserole to the next level, using homemade will really make a difference!
- Boost the Veggies: to make the flavor and color of your casserole really pop, add more veggies like carrots, green beans, and peas. It will also boost its nutritional content!
- Grate Your Own Cheese: pre-shredded, store-bought cheese has added anti-caking ingredients that make it not melt properly. Shredding your own cheese will really make a difference.
- Make Gravy from Scratch: homemade brown gravy is richer and more flavorful than store-bought, so if you have the time, make it yourself to elevate the flavor of your casserole.
