When I made these Basil Chicken & Bacon Stuffed potatoes for dinner, The Artist said, “It’s like Chicken Tetrazzini stuffed into potatoes” and he was right. A simple white sauce is seasoned with delicious herbs and cheese with chicken stirred in. And it was darn good!
Potatoes on their own are low in calories, high in fiber, and full of vitamins and minerals. I love potatoes and they are good for us – bonus! They are my ultimate comfort food. If I am having a bad day, all The Artist has to do is present me with potato chips, French fries, hash browns, anything made with potatoes, and I instantly feel better.
When I was diagnosed with gluten-intolerance, pasta – the staple of The Artist’s life and his true comfort food – was immediately removed from my life. Meals that I had made for most of my life had to be reinterpreted and reworked without flour. It caused me to have to push out of my comfort zone and get creative. In many cases we now prefer the new preparation to the original.
Today I used Gourmet Garden’s Italian Herbs and the Basil pastes, but you could use any flavor combinations you enjoy. It is extremely easy to change the flavor profile. If you want to make this a vegetarian meal, leave out the chicken and bacon. I really liked the crunchiness of the bacon on the top, so if you leave it out, I recommend you add some nuts, croutons, or other similar textural component.
You can also change the cheeses you use. I like the simplicity of cheddar and Parmesan, but if you love feta, try that. A bleu cheese would add a nice piquant quality, and a pepper Jack would add a spicy kick. What’s your favorite cheese combination?
These stuffed potatoes would be a really fun idea for a party. You can bake the potatoes early in the day and keep them warm in a low oven. You could make a couple versions of this, changing the seasoning to give more options. Set out a series of toppings and let people add their favorites. They can all customize their meals and it makes your job super easy.
The Artist doesn’t care for bacon … more for me!
If you serve this with a simple salad, I think it would be very popular for ladies’ luncheons, showers, or kids’ parties. The potato and the cheese sauce are very rich, so keep any side dishes very simple. I used jumbo potatoes and neither The Artist nor I could finish our servings. Next time I will use smaller potatoes.
This is a great meal for a quick weeknight meal. You can use leftover chicken or meat from a rotisserie chicken from your grocer. Just take it off the bones and cut into chunks or strips, then toss into the sauce and dinner is just about ready.
I love the flavor and texture of oven-baked potatoes, but we don’t always have the time to cook them that way. If time is short, you can cook the potatoes in a microwave. I have gotten so used to the microwaved version that having a “real” baked potato is a true treat!
I did the simplest preparation by splitting the potatoes in half lengthwise. But if you want a more elegant version of twice-baked potatoes, take a slice off the top of each baked potato and scoop out the filling from that opening. It is definitely a much more attractive presentation, but either way works just fine. And I don’t know about you, but I like an easy, casual presentation most of the time.
I hope you give these Basil Chicken & Bacon Stuffed Potatoes a try – I am already planning on a repeat appearance at our dinner table! Have a fabulous day!!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for Basil Chicken & Bacon Stuffed Potatoes:
- Potatoes and Filling: Russet potatoes, olive oil, salt, thick bacon, cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken
- Cheese Sauce: butter, flour, milk, Italian herbs, basil, salt, pepper, white cheddar, Parmesan cheese
PRO Tip:
Make sure you use Idaho Russet potatoes for this dish. You want a starchy potato that bakes up light and fluffy. Russets are absolutely perfect!
Shortcut!
If you don’t have time to bake the potatoes in the oven or are in more of a hurry, just microwave them. The skins won’t be as crispy but the centers will be perfect in just a few minutes.
How to make Basil Chicken & Bacon Stuffed Potatoes:
- Rub olive oil on the potatoes, sprinkle with salt and bake until tender
- Cook the bacon and drain on paper towels; cut the chicken into cubes
- Whisk the melted butter and flour together, then add the milk and cook until thick and creamy
- Add herbs to the sauce then whisk in the cheeses
- Fold most of the bacon pieces and all of the chicken into the sauce; season to taste with salt and pepper as needed
- Cut open the potatoes and scoop out the centers; mix the potato centers and the cheese sauce together and spoon back into potato skins
- Sprinkle with extra cheese and put under broiler until melted and bubbling; sprinkle the tops with the reserved bacon and serve
PRO Tip:
You could use any flavor combinations you enjoy in this sauce. It is extremely easy to change the flavor profile. If you want to make this a vegetarian meal, leave out the chicken and bacon. I really liked the crunchiness of the bacon on the top, so if you leave it out, I recommend you add some nuts, croutons, or other similar textural component on the top.
Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):
- Kitchen scale
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Box grater or food processor
- Large skillet
- Medium saucepan
- Mixing bowls
Gluten-Free Tips:
Use your favorite gluten-free flour blend* to make the white sauce and double check that the bacon you use is also gluten-free. Gourmet Garden seasonings are all gluten-free so no worries there.
* You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of flour or regular flour, whisk it, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial gluten-free blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good gluten-free choices.
You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Basil Chicken & Bacon Stuffed Potatoes (GF)
When I made this Basil Chicken & Bacon Stuffed Potatoes meal for dinner, The Artist said, “It’s like Chicken Tetrazzini stuffed into potatoes” and he was right. Tetrazzini sauce seasoned with delicious herbs and cheese tucked into a baked potato. And it was darn good!
Ingredients
Potatoes, Bacon, and Chicken
- 4 medium-sized Russet potatoes, scrubbed thoroughly and rinsed well and patted dry
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt, preferably Diamond Crystal
- 6 to 8 slices thick bacon, partially frozen and cut into medium dice
- 1 large boneless cooked chicken breast (rotisserie chicken is fine)
- Chopped chives, for serving
Cheese Sauce
- 1/2 stick (4 tbsp; 57g) butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour or gluten-free* all-purpose flour blend
- 1-1/2 cups (340g) milk
- 2 tsp Gourmet Garden Italian Herbs or dried Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp Gourmet Garden Basil or chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black or white pepper
- 1 cup (113g) shredded white Cheddar**, plus more for topping
- 1/4 cup (25g) Parmesan cheese
- Water, if needed
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Place the scrubbed potatoes on a baking sheet, rub olive oil over all over them until evenly coated, and sprinkle tops with salt. Bake for about 1 hour or until soft when squeezed gently.
2. While the potatoes are baking, prepare the filling components: In a large skillet, cook the bacon pieces over medium heat until crispy and browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Cover with additional paper towels to absorb all the extra grease. Discard the bacon grease.
3. Cut the cooked and cooled chicken into small bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
4. Make the Cheese Sauce: Melt the butter in a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until no lumps remain. Cook for about 3 minutes until the mixture has lost its raw flour aroma. Take the pan off the heat, whisking constantly, slowly stir in the milk. When thickened, creamy, and smooth, whisk in the Italian Herbs and Basil. Stir in the cheddar and Parmesan, whisking until melted. Add water if needed for a creamy sauce (gluten-free flours will likely need more liquid to stay creamy and not gluey). Place the pan over low heat.
5. Make the Filling: Fold 3/4 of the bacon pieces and all of the chicken into the cheese sauce. You will use the reserved bacon pieces for garnishing. Taste the sauce and add salt and/or pepper if needed. Keep warm over very low heat, stirring occasionally. If the sauce thickens up as it sits, whisk in some water to thin it.
6. Prepare the Baked Potatoes: When the potatoes are ready, remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn the broiler on.
7. Make a cut lengthwise in the top of each potato and squeeze to expose the centers. Spread the potatoes open fairly wide, leaving them on the baking sheet. Scoop out most of the cooked centers from each potato, transferring the centers to a large mixing bowl. Add the cheese sauce to the bowl, stirring until blended.
8. Spoon some of the cheese filling into each potato, sprinkle with the extra cheese, and place the baking sheet back under the broiler with the door ajar until golden and bubbly, about 2 to 3 minutes – watch carefully.
9. Use tongs to transfer potatoes to serving plates or bowls; sprinkle the tops with the reserved bacon and chopped chives. Serve immediately.
10. Any extra cheese sauce you don’t use can be served over cooked pasta or rice for a second delicious meal.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
Use your favorite gluten-free flour blend* to make the white sauce and double check that the bacon you use is gluten-free. Gourmet Garden seasonings are all gluten-free so no worries there.
* You can adjust any recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup without a spout until mounded, level off the top with the back of a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial blends such as Pamela's, Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good gluten-free choices.
** You can use regular orange cheddar if you can’t find white cheddar. They taste the same – it is just a matter of helping the herbs shine.
You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 535Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 865mgCarbohydrates: 68gFiber: 6gSugar: 2gProtein: 28g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I received compensation and products for recipe development. All opinions as always are my own.
Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without any additional cost to you. This page may contain affiliate links. The author makes no claims regarding the presence of food allergens and disclaims all liability in connection with the use of this site. This post was first shared in Mar 2014. The article was updated in 2025.
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