1-Step One: Preheat and Prepare Your Baking Dish: Start by preheating your oven to 400°F. This temperature is ideal for getting those potatoes nice and tender while ensuring the chicken cooks through safely. While the oven heats up, grab a 9×13-inch baking dish and give it a good coating of non-stick spray. This prevents anything from sticking and makes cleanup so much easier later on. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself when it’s time to wash dishes!

2-Step Two: Prepare and Roast the Potatoes: Take your 5 medium Russet potatoes and peel them (or leave the skins on if you prefer extra fiber and nutrients). Cut each potato into 1-inch pieces try to keep them roughly the same size so they cook evenly. Spread these potato pieces evenly across your prepared baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and toss everything with your hands or a spoon to coat each piece. Slide the dish into your preheated oven and bake the potatoes for 40 minutes. This gives them a head start so they’re perfectly tender by the time you add the chicken. You’ll know they’re ready when a fork slides easily into the potato pieces.

3-Step Three: Season the Chicken: While the potatoes are roasting, prepare your chicken for its grand entrance. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. This creates a flavorful marinade that will coat every piece of chicken beautifully. Add your 1 ½ pounds of diced chicken breast pieces to the bowl and stir until every piece is well coated with the seasoning mixture. The olive oil helps the spices adhere to the chicken and keeps it moist during baking. Set this aside until your potatoes have finished their initial roasting time.

4-Step Four: Combine Chicken and Potatoes: Once those 40 minutes are up, carefully remove the baking dish from the oven. The potatoes should be starting to get tender and slightly golden on the edges. Pour your seasoned chicken pieces right over the top of those roasted potatoes and toss everything gently to combine. You want the chicken distributed evenly throughout the dish so everything cooks at the same rate. Return the dish to the oven and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes. This should be enough time for the chicken to cook through completely. If you want to be extra careful about preventing dry chicken, some cooks recommend stirring the casserole halfway through this baking time. It’s a small step that can make a big difference in keeping everything juicy!

5-Step Five: Add the Cheesy Toppings: Here comes the best part! Remove your dish from the oven once the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. Sprinkle 1 to 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese over the entire surface, followed by 1/2 cup of chopped cooked bacon and those 2 sliced green onions. The heat from the dish will start melting the cheese immediately, but we want it fully melted and bubbly. Pop the dish back into the oven for 5 more minutes. This is just enough time for the cheese to melt into gooey perfection and for the bacon to warm through. Keep an eye on it during this last few minutes you want melted cheese, not burnt cheese!

6-Step Six: Rest and Serve: Pull your beautiful creation from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes before serving. This resting period allows the cheese to set slightly and makes serving much easier. If you’d like, offer sour cream on the side for those who enjoy an extra creamy element with their Cheesy Chicken Potato Bake.