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    Home » Recipes » Potatoes

    KFC Mashed Potato Bowl Copycat Recipe

    Published: Mar 27, 2022 · Modified: Apr 15, 2022 by Karin and Ken · This post may contain affiliate links. 6 Comments

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    If you like fried chicken and mashed potatoes, then you definitely need to try our copycat KFC Mashed Potato Bowl!! It’s a homemade version of the famous KFC chicken bowl recipe with layers of potatoes, corn, cheese, gravy and chicken all served together in a bowl.

    Kfc mashed potato in a white bowl on a counter.

    Do you love KFC Famous mashed potato bowls? If so you're in for a treat because now you can easily make them at home, saving some money and a trip to pick them up.

    Copycat KFC Famous Bowls recipe makes a mouthwatering dinner that’s so hearty and comforting. The whole family will love it! I can almost guarantee it. 

    As of late, instead of preparing individual serving bowls like we used to, we make a casserole and serve everyone right from there.  We have found that making an entire casserole or even individual KFC mashed potato bowls makes weeknight family dinners that much easier.

    This KFC mashed potato bowl is one of our favorite comfort dinners EVER. It was inspired by another chicken casserole recipe on Kitchen Divas and tastes great with these air fryer green beans or a simple preparation of your favorite vegetable.

    These KFC Mashed Potato Bowls are super easy to prepare. Especially when made into a quick and easy casserole. Such a time saver and so much simpler to do too. If you make casseroles often, then you definitely need to try French Onion Beef Casserole and this easy Frito Casserole.

    Why You Will Love This Bowl Meal

    • An easy weeknight dinner the whole family will enjoy!
    • A one-pot casserole and comfort food meal that’s incredibly hearty and satisfying.
    • Eating bowls helps manage portion control. They make you feel more satisfied.
    • Eating from bowls may be comforting and can improve your mood.

    What is a Bowl Meal?

    Bowl meals have been around for thousands of years. The KFC mashed potato bowls are just one of the more recent ones! Around the world, many cultures prioritize bowl use over plates.

    There is a physical connection you get with your food when you eat it from a bowl that is more comforting. That's probably why bowl foods like soup and macaroni and cheese are referred to as comfort food. 

    Typically, we think of bowl foods using rice as a base. It's the most common across various cultures. Noodles of some sort are the second.

    But the more you delve into it, the more you will come to see how prevalent food bowls have become and how they have evolved.

    Bowl meals in America have risen recently in the pop-culture consciousness for a variety of reasons such as the increase in the one-pot cooking method, dietary restrictions, and foods that are easier to eat on the go.

    KFC Mashed Potato Bowl Ingredients

    This easy comfort food recipe is prepared using simple, easy-to-find ingredients to quickly prepare this dish for a weeknight dinner.

    • russet potatoes
    • cream cheese
    • butter
    • salt
    • garlic powder
    • pepper
    • crispy chicken bites, nuggets, or strips
    • sweet corn
    • cheddar cheese
    • brown gravy mix

    How to Make Copycat KFC Famous Bowl Recipe

    This recipe goes together quickly, in just a few steps. If you want to see step-by-step images, check the recipe card.

    Step 1: Cook the Potatoes

    Add diced potatoes to 8 cups of boiling water. Boil for 12-15 minutes or until potatoes become tender. Remove from water and drain.

    Step 2: Make Mashed Potatoes

    Add cream cheese, butter, salt, garlic powder and pepper to the potatoes. Mix thoroughly until mashed potatoes are creamy and smooth.

    Step 3: Assemble the Casserole

    Grease bottom of 9x13 casserole dish. Layer the bottom of the dish evenly with mashed potatoes. Add chicken bites and corn evenly on top of the potatoes. 

    Sprinkle with cheese and set aside and begin to preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

    Step 4: Make the Gravy

    Cook gravy according to package instructions and when it’s ready, pour over the dish evenly.

    Step 5: Bake in the Oven

    Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese has melted into the dish.

    Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

    KFC potato bowl prepared in a casserole and served on the table.

    Choosing the Chicken for a KFC Chicken Bowl

    KFC serves up their mashed potato bowls with crispy chicken bites made with chicken breast and a crunchy crispy crust. You can do something similar or change up your potato bowls with a variety of different preparations of chicken.

    Here are just a few of my favorites:

    • Want traditional but homemade? Then I think you will love these Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
    • Prefer dark meat over white? Then you will love these Air Fryer Chicken Thighs.
    • Is time a factor? Then pick up a bag of popcorn chicken at the store and use Air Fryer Frozen Popcorn Chicken to prepare it!
    • Want chicken without a breading? Then these Parmesan Ranch Chicken Tenders are the perfect option for your KFC mashed potato bowl!
    • Love it spicy? Then these Nashville Hot Chicken Strips will give you all the added spiciness you love!
    • Want to chicken with a little more flavor? Try these Garlic Parmesan Popcorn Chicken. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

    Substitutions

    • Run out of potatoes? Use instant potatoes instead to quickly make this casserole for dinner. 
    • Want to save time? Buy chicken nuggets, chicken strips, or popcorn chicken and bake them from frozen instead. 
    • Don't like package gravy. Then use canned, make it from scratch or your favorite gravy.

    Variations

    • Vegetarian: Ditch the chicken and pile on the veggies! Don’t forget to swap out the brown gravy mix for a vegetarian option.
    • Healthier: Swap out the crispy chicken for grilled and use a tad bit less cheese!
    • Mac and Cheese Bowl: Swap out the mashed potatoes with macaroni and cheese and ditch the gravy and corn. So good!
    KFC mashed potato bowl on the table.

    Expert Tips

    Use russet potatoes for the fluffiest mashed potatoes.

    To make individual mashed potato bowls instead of a casserole, add the ingredients in single servings in a bowl and then heat them to melt the cheese. Use the oven if you have oven-safe bowls or the microwave if you prefer.

    If using chicken breasts, thighs, or tenders, cut it up into smaller bite-sized pieces to make it easier to eat.

    FAQs

    Here are some popular questions I get about making this recipe.

    What are the best potatoes for mashing?

    Any mashed potatoes are going to taste great, but they don't all taste the same and cooking the different types changes too.

    When it comes to homestyle KFC mashed potato bowls nothing beats the russet or Idaho potato. Russet potatoes are large so they are easier to deal with in terms of peeling the skin.

    They also have a very high starch content, which is highly desirable for mashing. Russet potatoes result in a fluffy and more buttery-tasting potato when mashed.

    Aside from russets, Yukon Gold potatoes also make the top of the list of the most mashable potatoes but it's not the way KFC mashed potato bowls are made. This mashed potato bowl with peeled russet potatoes is comfort food perfection.

    What’s the easiest way to peel potatoes?

    You can use a vegetable peeler to peel your potatoes. However, there are alternatives that don't cost too much of an investment.

    Whether you think about it or not, those kitchen gadgets, particularly for food prep, can make or break your willingness to go through with cooking food you truly enjoy.

    A small $15-$25 purchase makes prep time much easier with a potato peeler you crank, or even an automatic one that makes prep time for this KFC famous bowl recipe feel more like playtime.

    What are the layers of a KFC bowl?

    Mashed potatoes, bite-sized crispy chicken nuggets, kernel corn, brown gravy, and cheddar cheese. Once piled on it’s heated just to melt the cheese.

    Fork taking a bite from the KFC chicken bowl.

    KFC Mashed Potato Bowl Copycat Video

    More Easy Dinner Recipes

    • Easy Cheese Corn Casserole Recipe
    • Easy Sausage, Pepper and Rice Skillet
    • Easy Healthy Chicken Stir Fry
    Kfc mashed potato bowl on the counter ready to eat.

    KFC Mashed Potato Bowl Copycat Recipe

    Make this copycat recipe of the KFC famous bowl. Now you can make your KFC chicken bowl at home with layers of creamy mashed potatoes, corn, cheese, gravy, and crispy chicken.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 25 mins
    Cook Time 7 mins
    Total Time 32 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 700 kcal

    Equipment

    • rimmed baking sheet
    • large skillet
    • saucepan

    Ingredients
      

    • 5 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced
    • 1 brick (8 oz) cream cheese
    • ½ cup butter
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • 1 ½ cups sweet corn
    • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
    • 1 can (10.5 oz) beef gravy or 1 pkg beef gravy made
    • 2 cups crispy chicken bites or nuggets, store bought or homemade see notes for homemade options

    Instructions
     

    • Get out and measure you're ingredients.
      Ingredients to make KFC potato bowls on the table.
    • Prepare store bought chicken nuggets, strips or popcorn chicken according to package directions or prepare homemade crispy chicken bites.
    • Add diced potatoes to 8 cups of boiling water. Boil for 12-15 minutes or until potatoes become tender. Remove from water and drain.
      Boiled potatoes in a pot. The water has been drained.
    • Add cream cheese, butter, salt, garlic powder and pepper to potatoes.
      Add cream cheese, butter, salt, garlic powder and pepper to potatoes
    • Mix thoroughly.
      Mixing ingredients with a wooden spoon in the pot.
    • Until mashed potatoes creamy smooth.
      Pot of creamy mashed potatoes.
    • Grease bottom of 9x13 casserole pan or dish.
    • Layer bottom of dish evenly with mashed potatoes.
    • Add chicken and corn evenly on top of the potatoes.
      Chicken and kernel corn added to the top of the potatoes in the casserole dish.
    • Sprinkle with cheese.
      Cheese sprinkled over the top of the casserole dish with the corn, chicken and potatoes.
    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    • Cook gravy according to package instructions or open can and place in saucepan on your your stove, over medium, until heated through.
    • When gravy has completed cooking, pour over the dish as evenly as possible.
      Gravy added on top of the kfc bowl casserole.
    • Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese has melted into the dish.
      KFC chicken bowl prepared in a casserole and served on the table.
    • Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
      Wooden spoon showing a scoop of KFC mashed potato bowl casserole.
    • Enjoy every last bite.
      Bowl of KFC mashed potato recipe served up.

    INDIVIDUAL BOWLS

    • Assemble bowls by first layering potatoes, then corn, chicken nuggets, strips or popcorn chicken, some gravy and topped with shredded cheddar cheese or your favorite.
      Kfc mashed potato bowl on the counter ready to eat.
    • Serve individual bowls to everyone.

    Notes

    Nutrition may vary depending on the type of chicken used to prepare KFC Mashed Potato Bowls.
    Ideas for Chicken for Making This Recipe:
    • Want traditional but homemade? Then I think you will love these Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
    • Prefer dark meat over white? Then you will love these Air Fryer Chicken Thighs.
    • Is time a factor? Then pick up a bag of popcorn chicken at the store and use Air Fryer Frozen Popcorn Chicken to prepare it!
    • Want chicken without a breading? Then these Parmesan Ranch Chicken Tenders are the perfect option for your KFC mashed potato bowl!
    • Love it spicy? Then these Nashville Hot Chicken Strips will give you all the added spiciness you love!
    • Want to chicken with a little more flavor? Try these Garlic Parmesan Popcorn Chicken. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 700kcalCarbohydrates: 117gProtein: 27gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 848mgPotassium: 2616mgFiber: 9gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 533IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 315mgIron: 6mg
    Keyword KFC chicken bowl, KFC potato bowl, mashed potato bowl, mashed potato bowl casserole
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Enjoy your delicous copycat KFC mashed potato bowls!

    Copycat KFC mashed potato bowl in a white bowl on a marble counter filled with mashed potatoes, corn, chicken, gravy and cheese.

    Other great recipes to try

    Bacon and Cheese Leftover Mashed Potato Burgers
    Creamy Little Potato Bake
    Supreme Mashed Potato Casserole

     
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Arpita Patel

      March 08, 2021 at 7:17 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe and I loved the mashed potatoes. I used half and half and loved it. I also added some garlic and garlic salt to perk it up. Great recipe... I will definitely be making this again very soon. Thank you

      Reply
      • Karin and Ken

        March 08, 2021 at 3:04 pm

        As always you are most welcome. Glad to hear you enjoy this recipe as much as we do! All the best. Karin

    2. Paige

      February 18, 2021 at 6:50 am

      5 stars
      We made bowls with kids and had fun with your homemade recipe and we all loved it THANK YOU FOR SHARING

      Reply
      • Karin and Ken

        February 18, 2021 at 12:56 pm

        As always you are most welcome! I just LOVE these bowls myself and wish I could eat them more often than I do. Take care and be well. Karin

    3. Reggie

      February 18, 2021 at 6:48 am

      5 stars
      Excellent bowl we all loved it Made everything the homemade way and it’s better then one we buy thx kd for sharing another excellent recipe

      Reply
      • Karin and Ken

        February 18, 2021 at 12:58 pm

        You're welcome! I love this recipe too and think the homemade version is definitely better than the original! Glad you agree! Hopefully you find some other recipes on this site that you enjoy just as much! All the best. Karin

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    Welcome!

    Ken and Karin

    We are the kitchen divas: Karin and my partner in life Ken.

    We have been attached at the heart and hip since the first day we met, and we love to create new dishes to keep things interesting. Variety is definitely the spice of life!

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