Just after college, Howie and I went on a road trip that brought us through Buffalo. I remember the brick buildings, so different from what I’d see in California. I remember Niagara Falls and the “Maid of the Mist.” What I don’t remember are any Buffalo wings. I mean, I’m sure that they were around, but we just didn’t think to eat any. I have such regrets!
Ingredients
- 0.2 cup vegetable oil, divided
- ½ cup Buffalo-style hot sauce
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 -3 (about 1½ lb) russet potatoes, cut into ½ inch slices
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 lb chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, diced
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Blue cheese or ranch salad dressing, for serving
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- In a mixing bowl, prepare a sauce by combining 3 tablespoons of oil, hot sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, chile powder, black pepper, and salt. Stir until well combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine potato slices with a third of the prepared sauce. Toss to coat. Coat a baking dish with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Place the dressed potatoes along the bottom of the pan, covering as much of the pan as possible but keeping it to one layer. It is okay to overlap slices. Transfer the baking dish to the oven and roast for 30 minutes, or until the bottom of the potatoes have browned.
- While the potatoes are roasting, place a skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter. Once the butter is melted, add onion, bell pepper, celery, and sauté until the onion begins to brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add chicken and sauté until just browned, about another 3-4 minutes. Finally, add the remaining sauce and cook for another minute. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- When the potatoes are roasted, remove the pan from the oven and lower the temperature to 350°F.
- On top of the potatoes, layer half of the skillet mixture, then cover with ½ of the cheese. Repeat the layering with the remainder of the chicken and the last of the cheese. Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. You may want to finish under the broiler for extra browning.
- Serve by drizzling with blue cheese or ranch dressing. Feel free to class it up by garnishing with a stalk or two of raw celery.
