Description
Cheesy Chicken Potato Nests are crispy golden shredded potato cups filled with tender chicken, garlic, onion, sour cream, mozzarella, cheddar, and herbs for an easy baked dinner, snack, or party appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives or parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F or 190°C. Grease a standard muffin tin very well or lightly coat it with nonstick spray.
- Place the shredded potatoes in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly to remove as much excess moisture as possible.
- Transfer the squeezed potatoes to a large bowl. Add the egg, flour, olive oil or melted butter, half of the salt, and a little black pepper.
- Mix the potato base until the shredded potatoes are evenly coated and lightly bound together.
- In another bowl, combine the cooked chicken, chopped onion, minced garlic, sour cream, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, paprika, and the remaining salt and pepper.
- Stir the chicken filling until it looks creamy, thick, cheesy, and evenly combined.
- Divide the potato mixture among the muffin cups and press it firmly into the bottom and up the sides of each cup to form small nest shapes.
- Spoon the chicken filling into the center of each potato nest and press it gently without flattening the sides.
- Add a little extra cheese on top if desired.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the potato edges are golden brown and crispy and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let the nests rest in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before removing them.
- Gently loosen the edges, lift the nests from the pan, garnish with chopped chives or parsley, and serve warm.
Notes
- Squeeze the shredded potatoes very dry before mixing so the nests bake crispy instead of soft.
- Use cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken to make the recipe faster.
- Grease the muffin tin well so the potato nests release cleanly after baking.
- Press the potato mixture firmly into each muffin cup so the nests hold their shape.
- Do not make the potato walls too thin, or they may break when removed from the pan.
- Use mozzarella for cheese pull and cheddar for rich cheesy flavor.
- Add Parmesan, dried herbs, or onion powder to the potato mixture for extra savory flavor.
- Do not overfill the nests, or the filling may spill over while baking.
- Let the nests rest for 5 minutes before removing them so they firm up.
- Serve hot for the best crispy edges and melted cheese pull.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the oven or air fryer to help the potato edges become crispy again.
- Avoid microwaving if possible because the potato edges may soften.
- Freeze baked nests after cooling, then reheat in the oven or air fryer for best texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Dinner, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 potato nest
- Calories: Estimated 245 kcal
- Sugar: Estimated 2g
- Sodium: Estimated 410mg
- Fat: Estimated 12g
- Saturated Fat: Estimated 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: Estimated 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: Estimated 19g
- Fiber: Estimated 2g
- Protein: Estimated 17g
- Cholesterol: Estimated 65mg