KFC Mashed Potato Bowl Copycat Recipe (KFC Chicken Bowl)

Do you love KFC Famous mashed potato bowls? If you do you’re in for a treat. This KFC Mashed Potato Bowl Copycat Recipe (KFC Chicken Bowl) is a homemade famous KFC bowl recipe with potatoes, corn, cheese, gravy and chicken.

Can you imagine anything more mouthwatering for dinner? I know how good this is my friends. I’ve tried this copycat KFC Famous Bowls recipe and enjoyed it for years. Just like you will.

I can almost guarantee it.

As of late, instead of preparing individual serving bowls like we used to, we make a casserole and serve right from there. We have included instructions for individual KFC chicken bowls just in case you want to make your KFC Mashed Potato Bowls that way.

We have found that making an entire casserole makes weeknight family dinners that much easier. Also, wait until you try this simple casserole for the first time. I believe you’ll LOVE it as much as we do.

This is one of our favorite comfort dinners EVER.

I mean how could you not love it? Don’t you just love all of the ingredients? 

These KFC Mashed Potato Bowls are super easy to prepare. Especially when made in a quick and easy casserole. Such a time saver and so much simpler to do too.

I really wish we started making this KFC mashed potato bowl casserole ages ago.

KFC Bowl Recipe

When we first started creating this KFC bowl recipe we used to use instant mashed potatoes and frozen chicken nuggets or popcorn chicken, made exactly according to package directions. 

Made some gravy, usually from a package but later on we used canned gravy. Just because canned is even easier than a package.

Steamed the corn in our microwave, but I’m sure at some point we have used our stove top too.

Created each KFC bowl by starting with a layer of mashed potatoes, followed by kernels of corn, chicken, smothered in gravy and covered with a sprinkling of shredded cheese.

Sometimes a little more cheese than others but in a nutshell, that is how you do create KFC chicken bowls.

Needless to say we enjoyed every single bite of our KFC bowl recipe for years. Then, we decided to make our own homemade KFC bowls and we were absolutely delighted with the results.

We haven’t looked back ever since.

KFC Chicken Bowl

There is something oddly satisfying about eating an entire meal in a bowl. Granted, it’s not for people who experience brumotactillophobia, but that intolerant view of foods touching each other is so outdated, don’t you think? 😉

All joking aside, fear of food touching is a serious thing that some people truly suffer from/cope with, my first husband hated his food touching each other on his plate. He suffered terribly and I have never seen anything like it.

Regardless, if you have someone as a friend or family member who suffers from this, go easy on them. 

But you, I’m guessing that you aren’t afraid, because you landed here and this homemade KFC bowl recipe is all about the food on food action.

Whether you enjoy making meals in a skillet, air fryer or an Instant Pot, the all in one approach to food has become pretty standardized. Food doesn’t just end up in a bowl together. It is often prepared that way, too!

Bowl meals have taken on many forms over the years, but not separating your food is a fairly recent thing in America. The concept feels rather new, despite bowls being the predominant form of meal conveyance in most world cultures.

The idea of a KFC mashed potato bowl feels like a dramatic twist to the bowl concept. It’s one that I fully endorse, and this KFC famous bowl recipe will have you rethinking both bowl meals and the concept of mashed potatoes as just a side dish.

The Art and History of the Bowl Meal

Bowl meals have been around for thousands of years. I mean, you’ve tried the KFC mashed potato bowls and loved it, right? 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 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. A food bowl doesn’t necessarily resemble a meal assembled at Chipotle or Panda Express.

If you have ever had chili cheese fries or loaded tots…surprise! It’s a bowl meal.

Bowl meals in America have risen recently in the pop culture consciousness for a variety of reasons. The one pot cooking method is only one reason.

Dietary restrictions also come into play. For example, when low-carb meals became popular, bowls presented an alternative to holding food in a bun.

Another reason bowl meals like homemade KFC bowls are so popular is that the fast casual approach to dining requires a certain leaning towards foods you can easily walk and eat with.

Why It’s Good to Eat From a Bowl

A food bowl is a meal all mixed up in one dish rather than placed as separate components on a plate. The nutritional value of the bowl comes from the meal itself rather than the conveyance.

However, there is some research that shows eating from a bowl can be healthier for you from a psychological and subsequently from a physiological perspective.

Essentially, bowls help manage portion control. They make you feel more satisfied. When you aren’t overeating that psychological trick has real biological advantages.

Another reason bowl meals are better for you is that eating from bowls can improve your mood in the sense of comfort foods which I mentioned earlier. Holding your food close as you do when you eat from a bowl produces that desired comforting effect.

You will definitely hold your KFC mashed potato bowl tightly!

Bowls can be exceptionally healthy when you use healthy ingredients. Super salads are a powerful example, But to lean into the comfort food idea, nothing beats a homemade bowl of mashed potatoes as your bowl base.

Absolutely nothing in my opinion.

What Are the Best Potatoes For Mashing?

Any mashed potatoes are going to taste great, but they don’t all taste the same. Neither is cooking all types of potatoes the same experience. Each different potato has its advantages and disadvantages when it comes to different cooking methods.

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 top the list of the most mashable potatoes otherwise.

Some people love it, but it’s not the way KFC mashed potato bowls are made. This mashed potato bowl with peeled russet potatoes is comfort food perfection.

Cranking Out Peeled Potatoes

You can use a vegetable peeler to peel your potatoes. However, there are alternatives that don’t cost too much of an investment. If you love mashed potatoes but don’t often make them at home, the primary reason could be that you don’t have a good potato peeler.

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 play time.

Loaded Potato Skins

You don’t have to throw away potato peels. You can also prep for two dishes in one by using a knife to slice away at the skins before peeling the rest. Set aside the potato skins to use as an appetizer for another meal.

You can get the same effect with a new presentation by making a cute nest of the peels and roasting them briefly before topping with your favorite accompaniments and finishing in the oven.

Crispy Chicken: The Protein of Choice for a Mashed Potato Bowl

Bowl meals are more or less the same traditional meals we all know and love in bowl form. That means the protein, starch and vegetables are all there. Among the traditional proteins, there are quite a few to choose from.

I believe chicken is the most accessible and the best received although you could try out other options.

One of the reasons I prefer chicken is that it comes as a crispy fried option. I find that crispy chicken bites are ideal for homemade kfc bowls and for complimenting the creaminess of the potatoes.

I want to be clear that originally, when we first started creating this KFC bowl recipe, we used to use instant mashed potatoes, frozen, store bought chicken nuggets, strips or popcorn chicken, package and later canned gravy, frozen or canned corn and cheese.

We cooked or heated everything according to package instructions and made our bowls staring with a layer of mashed potatoes, followed by corn, chicken, gravy and covered with a sprinkling of shredded cheese.

Not an exact science but a science of sorts none the less. Boy oh boy did we enjoy them. Even better than going to buy a mashed potato bowl directly from KFC.

Needless to say we enjoyed every single bite of our homemade KFC bowl recipe for years. My husband used to make corn gravy just so heating was easier!

Then, we decided to make our own homemade KFC bowls and we were absolutely delighted with the results.

We haven’t looked back since.

That being said, if you desire, swap out any part of our KFC famous bowl recipe for the store bought version. I have done it on occasion and so can you.

Run out of potatoes? Use instant. Want to save time? Buy chicken nuggets, chicken strips or popcorn chicken and bake from frozen instead. Don’t like package gravy use canned or your favorite.

Anything goes. This KFC famous bowl recipe is so versatile that you’re only limited by your imagination.

KFC Mashed Potato Bowl Ingredients

• 5 lbs peeled and diced russet potatoes
• 8 oz cream cheese
• ½ cup butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups of crispy chicken bites, nuggets or strips (store bought or homemade)
• 1-½ cups sweet corn
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 package of brown gravy mix

Homemade KFC Bowl Recipe Instructions:

1. Add diced potatoes to 8 cups of boiling water. Boil for 12-15 minutes or until potatoes become tender. Remove from water and drain.
2. Add cream cheese, butter, salt, garlic powder and pepper to potatoes. Mix thoroughly until mashed potatoes creamy smooth.
3. Grease bottom of 9×13 casserole dish. Layer bottom of dish evenly with mashed potatoes. Add chicken and corn evenly on top of the potatoes. Sprinkle with cheese and set aside and begin to preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. Cook gravy according to package instructions.
5. When gravy has completed cooking, pour over the dish evenly.
6. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese has melted into the dish.
7. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
8. Enjoy!

Make Your Own Crispy Chicken Bites

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1-2in cubes
• 3 cups buttermilk
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• ⅓ cups canola oil

1. Pour oil into a large pan and heat over medium heat.
2. Pour buttermilk into a bowl. Mix flour, salt & pepper together and put in a second bowl.
3. Dip each piece of chicken into the buttermilk mixture until fully submerged. Then dip into flour mixture until fully coated. Do this for about a dozen of pieces at time.
4. Lower the buttermilk and flour covered chicken pieces into the hot oil and allow to fry for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip continuously.
5. Drain crispy fried chicken bites on a paper towel while cooling.

Enjoy your delicous copycat KFC mashed potato bowls!

Other great recipes to try

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