By Mid-summer Tulsa heat. Brayden is ninety-five weeks old. Wendy’s daycare summer-program ends August 25 (she takes a two-week break for the end-of-summer and reopens September 5 with the fall cohort, which will include Brayden and three of the toddlers from the summer group plus two new arrivals). The week ahead has been the small-end-of-summer-prep week.
The copycat KFC mashed potato bowl is the nostalgia-leaning weeknight dish — layered mashed potatoes, frozen-corn-kernels, popcorn-style fried-chicken pieces, brown-gravy, shredded cheese, served in individual bowls. The dish is the home-made version of the chain-restaurant menu item that has been a small guilty-pleasure of Dustin’s since he was a teenager.
The technique question on copycat KFC mashed potato bowls is the chicken. The chicken needs to be the small-chunk popcorn-style cut (about three-quarter-inch cubes), breaded in seasoned flour, fried in oil at 350 for four minutes until golden. The chicken is then drained on a wire rack before being added to the bowl. The chicken-skin should be crisp at the moment of assembly.
Sunday I made four bowls. Dustin had two. I had one. Brayden had a small portion of plain mashed potato and a small piece of chicken (without the breading). The dish was the kind of indulgent-Sunday-dinner that earns its place on the blog by being honestly delicious.
The blog’s small Sunday-publish rhythm continues. The catering business has been the small foreground of the small year’s work. The cookbook in its small online-store. The small recurring-clients (Singh family, Yates family, the corporate-luncheon brokerage) anchor the small reliable-revenue stream. The small one-off-jobs round out the small income.
Carol Bryant has been on the small Friday-call rhythm. Carol calls at five PM Tulsa time (six PM Memphis time). The call lasts twenty minutes. The conversation moves through Brayden, the small Bryant-cookbook collaboration, the small Memphis-news. The small grandmother-relationship continues to deepen.
Copycat KFC Mashed Potato Bowl
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 lb frozen popcorn chicken or crispy chicken tenders
- 1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 jar (12 oz) chicken gravy (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onions, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes. Place cubed potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and cook 15—18 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain well.
- Mash and season. Return drained potatoes to the pot. Add butter, warm milk, and garlic powder. Mash until smooth and creamy. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.
- Cook the chicken. While potatoes cook, prepare popcorn chicken or chicken tenders according to package directions — oven-baked or air-fried both work well. You want them crispy.
- Warm the corn and gravy. Heat corn in a small saucepan over medium heat until warmed through. In a separate small saucepan, warm the chicken gravy over low heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth and hot.
- Build the bowls. Divide mashed potatoes evenly among four bowls. Top each with a scoop of corn, a generous handful of crispy chicken, and a ladle of warm gravy. Finish with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Garnish and serve. Add sliced green onions on top if using. Serve immediately while the cheese is still melting.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 575 | Protein: 27g | Fat: 23g | Carbs: 64g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 1220mg