3cupsColby Jackshredded from a block - divided use
30 ouncesfrozen shredded hash brown potatoes
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 9 x 13 bake dish. Set aside.
I butter the dish instead of oil or baking spray so it gives this extra layer to the crust. But you could use baking spray or oil if you prefer.
In a mixing bowl, mix the melted butter, diced onions, and bacon bits with a whisk.
Add the cream of chicken, sour cream, salt, onion powder, minced onion, and ground pepper. Mix well.
Add 1 ½ cup of shredded cheese. Mix all ingredients until they are well combined.
Add the thawed shredded hash brown and mix well until all the potatoes are coated in the mixture. The mixture will be very similar to the one of a twice-baked potato.
Pour the mixture into the 9x13 baking dish.
Spread evenly and sprinkle the remaining cheese, approximately 1 ½ cup (If you don’t want too cheesy just add 1 cup)
Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the cheese is nice and melted and golden to your liking on top.
Let it rest for a few minutes. You could top with fresh parsley or cilantro if you would like.
Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
Storage:Refrigerate hash brown casserole: place extras into an airtight container. Store leftovers for a few days, and warm individual servings in the microwave until hot.Freeze leftover hashbrown casserole: spoon the cheesy hashbrowns into freezer-safe containers and store for up to three months.You can heat the casserole directly in the microwave, or let it thaw in the fridge, first.Tips:
Instead of cooking spray, use butter to grease your baking dish—it adds a nice richness and a bit of crispness to the outer crust.
To help the potatoes thaw more quickly, I put my bag of hash browns in the fridge the night before. In the morning, dump the bag into a large mixing bowl and break the semi-thawed hash browns into pieces.
A Danish dough hook is the best way to mix all the ingredients up quickly. However, you can also do it by hand with a large fork or spatula.
Use a box grater to shred a block of cheese. It melts better and has a smoother texture than pre-shredded. After all, in a recipe where cheese is one of the main ingredients, you want it to taste as good as possible!
Don't bake frozen hash browns—thaw them first. Otherwise, they'll release moisture and your cheesy potato casserole will be more like cheesy potato mush.