MASHED POTATO AND CHICKEN CASSEROLE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°. Season the chicken breast with 1/8 teaspoon each of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. In a small pan, heat the extra-virgin olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 1 minute. Turn the chicken, reduce the heat, cover the pan and cook for 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, leave covered for 10 minutes, then shred the chicken with 2 forks.
• Meanwhile, scrub the potatoes well, quarter them and cook in a medium pot of boiling salted water for 10 minutes, until they are soft. Drain and roughly mash the potatoes.
• Meanwhile, arrange the bacon on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, until the bacon is quite crispy. Remove from the oven, let cool and then crumble.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, water, garlic and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• In an 8-inch-square baking dish, combine the potatoes, bacon and cream cheese sauce. Bake uncovered in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a large pot. Cover with chicken broth and season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Saute onion and garlic, stirring often, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add chicken. Season with salt, black pepper, 1/2 the basil, Cajun seasoning, and cayenne pepper. Cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 15 to 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Drain chicken on a paper-towel lined plate.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Place the boiled potatoes in the baking pan and mash slightly. Add chicken. Stir in evaporated milk, sour cream, butter, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons basil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Return pan to the oven and bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes more.