Crisp, oven-baked potato skins loaded with a creamy chicken, bacon, and pesto filling.
Satisfy your sweet tooth with this easy-to-make recipe for Chicken, Bacon, and Pesto Potato Skins.
1. Info for Chicken, Bacon, and Pesto Potato Skins
- Cook Time: 1 hr 55 min
- Total Time: 1 hr 55 min
- Servings: 8
- Calories: 345 kcal
2. Ingredients for Chicken, Bacon, and Pesto Potato Skins
- 4 russet potatoes (large, rinsed and scrubbed)
- 8 strips bacon
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 3/4 tsp. salt (for potatoes)
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper (for potatoes)
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 3 Tbsp. basil pesto
- 3/4 tsp. salt (for filling)
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper (for filling)
- 1 1/2 cup cooked chicken (diced or shredded)
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (for filling)
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (for topping)
3. Directions:
3.1 Preheat
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Preheat the oven to 400°F.
3.2 Prep
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Prick each potato a few times with a fork and wrap individually in aluminum foil.
3.3 Oven
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Place the potatoes directly on middle rack of oven and bake until fork-tender, 70-80 minutes. When done, remove potatoes from oven and allow to cool until they can be easily handled. While the potatoes cool, cook the bacon.
3.4 Prep
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Arrange the bacon strips on a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack.
3.5 Oven
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Cook bacon on lower-middle rack of oven, keeping a close eye on it, until it is browned and crispy, 12-20 minutes.
3.6 Prep
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Remove baking sheet from the oven and transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Once cool, crumble the cooked bacon into a bowl and set aside.
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Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop the flesh from each potato half, leaving a scant 1/4-inch border in the skins. Transfer potato flesh to a medium bowl.
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Arrange the potato halves skin-side up on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the salt and black pepper, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
3.7 Oven
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Bake the potato skins on middle rack of oven for 10 minutes.
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Flip the potato skins and bake until browned around edges, about 7 minutes. While potatoes bake, make the filling.
3.8 Prep
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Add the sour cream, pesto, salt, and black pepper to the bowl of reserved potato. Use a fork or potato masher to mash the mixture until it is mostly smooth. Fold in the chicken, 3/4 of the crumbled bacon, and shredded cheddar cheese.
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Remove the potato skins from the oven. Divide the potato mixture evenly between each potato skin. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the tops.
3.9 Oven
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Bake the potato skins on middle rack of oven until cheese is melted and outsides of skins are crisp, about 10 minutes.
3.10 Check
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Check to see that potato skins are done. Remove from oven or add time as needed.
3.11 Serve
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Sprinkle the reserved crumbled bacon over potato skins and serve immediately.
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