Discover the ultimate comfort food with this delicious Potato Chicken Casserole! Tender potatoes, carrots, and savory onions come together, topped with juicy chicken and a golden, cheesy crust.
This Potato Chicken Casserole has been a beloved staple in our family for years, and I still can’t get enough of it! It has a delightful Soviet flair that instantly transports me back to my warm, nostalgic memories of our beloved Belarusian cuisine. Unlike many casseroles that can feel heavy, this dish strikes the perfect balance—it’s hearty yet not too heavy, combining potatoes and juicy chicken in one delightful pan.
The potatoes are tender and full of flavor while still holding their shape, and I love cutting them into long strips for that perfect texture and presentation. To elevate their taste, I sauté onions, carrots, and garlic, which infuse the potatoes with a rich, comforting flavor. They cook in a creamy dairy blend that makes every bite feel like a warm hug.
As for the chicken, it’s the crowning glory of the dish! Using chicken thighs ensures that it stays juicy and moist, while a spread of mayo and cheese creates a crispy, golden crust that’s simply irresistible.
This casserole is truly one of my favorites—honestly, it beats Lasagna any day! It may not win any beauty contests, but what it lacks in looks, it makes up for in flavor. Every time I serve it, I get rave reviews from friends and family. There’s something magical about the aroma wafting through the house as this dish bakes away in the oven, making it feel like home.
Potato Chicken Casserole Video
Ingredients:
The complete list of ingredients and their exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Potatoes
- Yukon gold potatoes are my top choice. They have the perfect balance of starch and a buttery flavor that’s simply unbeatable. Plus, they hold their shape beautifully while baking.
- Onions
- Part of the onions are sauteed along with the carrot and garlic and then rest are sliced thinly and placed in a layer between the potatoes and the chicken. You can skip the sliced onions if you prefer.
- Carrot
- Garlic
- Sautéed onion, carrot, and garlic create the “holy trinity” of Belarusian cooking 😀. This step enhances their flavors, making them richer and sweeter. Trust me, don’t skip it!
- Butter or Oil (for sauteing the veggies)
- Use whatever you prefer—both work great!
- Half-and-Half
- This creamy blend of half whole milk and half heavy cream is perfect for the casserole. If you can’t find it, you can easily make your own. I’ve tried just milk, but it turns out too thin and curdles. Heavy cream is too rich, so half-and-half gives you the ideal flavor and consistency.
- Dry Herbs and Spices
Use any combination of your favorite herbs and spices—garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme, rosemary, and more. Fresh herbs like parsley, dill, or chives also add a lovely flavor boost. - Boneless, Skinless Chicken
- I recommend chicken thighs for their juiciness and tenderness. They don’t dry out as easily as chicken breasts, which can become tough by the time the potatoes are done cooking.
- Here's a tutorial on how to debone chicken thighs.
- Mayonnaise
- A thin layer on top of the chicken adds richness and helps the cheese stick better.
- If mayo isn’t your thing, you can substitute unflavored Greek yogurt or olive oil.
- Grated Cheese
- Choose any cheese that melts beautifully—mozzarella, cheddar, colby jack, provolone, or Gruyère are all fantastic options.
How to Make Potato Chicken Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Prepare the potatoes.
- Peel and julienne the potatoes into about ¼-inch thick strips. Place them in a 9 x 13 inch deep baking dish.
- Sauté the vegetables.
- In a skillet, melt some butter/oil and add the minced onion, grated carrot, and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 5-7 minutes on medium heat until the veggies are softened and slightly golden.
- Combine the potatoes and veggies.
- Add the sautéed vegetables to the potatoes. Season everything with ½ teaspoon of salt, ground black pepper, and your favorite dry herbs or seasoning mixes. Mix well to combine.
- You can also thinly slice some additional onions and layer them on top of the potatoes for added flavor—totally optional!
- Prep the chicken.
- Season the chicken with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, paprika, and any other spices you enjoy.
- Heat the half-and-half until it’s almost boiling—this step is crucial!
- Pour it over the potatoes; it should just barely cover them without overflowing. If it’s not hot, your potatoes will take much longer to cook.
- Assemble the casserole.
- Place the seasoned chicken thighs on top of the potatoes.
- Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on top of the chicken, then sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Bake the Casserole
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil or a lid, but spray the foil with oil first to prevent the cheese from sticking.
- Bake for 1.5 to 2 hours until the potatoes are tender.
- In the last 5-15 minutes of baking, remove the foil to let the cheese brown.
- If you want an extra crispy topping, feel free to broil it for a few minutes—but keep a close eye on it! Cheese can go from perfectly golden to burnt in a flash.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Helpful Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re looking to mix things up, there are plenty of tasty alternatives to chicken! You can try using pork or turkey, or even ground meats like ground chicken, ground pork, ground beef, or ground turkey. If you opt for pork or turkey, I recommend slicing them into cutlets so they cook evenly on the potatoes. For ground meat, I love giving it a quick brown in a skillet first to boost the flavor—trust me, it makes a difference!
Absolutely! You can use chicken breast, but keep in mind that it tends to be drier than chicken thighs. To help with that, slice the breast into thinner pieces before layering it over the potatoes.
For perfectly sliced potatoes, start by halving the peeled potato. Then, slice each half into ¼-inch strips lengthwise. Stack those slices and cut through them again to create nice, even strips. This method ensures they cook evenly and soak up all that yummy flavor!
Adding an extra layer of sliced onions is totally optional, but if you’re a fan of onions, it brings a juicy, flavorful punch to the casserole. As it bakes, the onions become incredibly tender and delicious. If onions aren’t your thing, feel free to skip the sliced onions—this dish is still amazing with just the sauteed onions. 
Get creative with your casserole! Adding sautéed mushrooms can give it a lovely earthiness, and if you’re feeling adventurous, try mixing in some sweet potatoes along with the gold potatoes for a delicious twist. The combination is not only colorful but adds a hint of sweetness, too!
Serving Suggestions
This potato chicken casserole is a true comfort food delight, so I love pairing it with something light and fresh. A crisp salad makes a perfect side, and I often reach for something briny, like pickles. The crunch and tang of pickles contrast beautifully with the hearty casserole!
- Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad
- Homemade Dill Pickle Spears
- Russian Carrot Salad
- Crisp Cucumber Salad
- Tomato Avocado Salad
Potato and Chicken Casserole
Experience the ultimate comfort food - potato and chicken casserole. Juicy chicken, tender potatoes, & cheesy crust make this dish a winner.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 mins
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Entree
Ingredients
- 2 lbs potatoes, Yukon gold (about 6 medium)
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 carrot, grated
- 2-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tablespoon butter or oil
- 1- 1 ½ cups half n half (heated until simmering)
- salt, pepper, poultry seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon dry herbs, seasoning blend
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1-2 onions, thinly sliced, optional
- 8-10 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- 3-4 tablespoons mayonnaise or Greek yogurt (you can also brush the chicken with olive oil or avocado oil instead)
- 6 oz grated cheese (Mozzarella, Provolone, Monterey Jack, Colby, Gruyere, etc.)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Peel and and julienne the potatoes, about ¼ inches thick. Place the potatoes in a 9 x 13 inch deep baking dish.
- Melt the butter in a skillet and add the minced onion, grated carrot and the minced garlic. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Cook for 5-7 minutes, on medium heat, until the vegetables are softened and slightly golden.
- Add the cooked vegetables to the potatoes. Season with ½ teaspoon salt, ground black pepper, and any combination of dry herbs and/or seasoning mixes that you like. Mix to combine.
- Top the thinly sliced onions on top of the potatoes. This step is completely optional. If you're not a fan of onions, you can skip it.
- Meanwhile, prep the chicken thighs.
- Season on both sides with salt, ground black pepper, poultry seasoning, paprika and any other seasoning mixes that you like.
- Heat the half n half until it's almost boiling. Pour over the potatoes. It should barely cover the potatoes, but still not come to the top.
- Place the chicken thighs on top of the potatoes.
- Thinly spread the mayonnaise, yogurt or oil on top of the chicken and then sprinkle with grated cheese. You can use any cheese that melts well and use as much or as little cheese as you like.
- Cover with aluminum foil or a lid. To keep the cheese from sticking to the foil, spray it with oil first. This is a good trick to keep in mind when making anything that's topped with cheese, such as lasagna.
- Bake for 1 ½ - 2 hours at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, until the potatoes are cooked through.
-
In the last 5-15 minutes of baking, remove the foil to let the cheese brown. If you want an extra crispy topping, feel free to broil it for a few minutes—but keep a close eye on it. Cheese can go from perfectly golden to burnt in a flash.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Hi, Olechka,
Thank you again for your respond. Sooo many good advises I like especially your last one.
One more thing I used
http://www.amazon.com/Swissmar-Borner-V-1001-V-Slicer-Mandoline/dp/B0000632QE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367853364&sr=8-1&keywords=Swissmar+Borner+V-1001+V-Slicer+Plus+Mandoline+6+Piece+Set
to cut my veggie. I LOVE IT!!!
I highly recommend.
Thanks again
Be very blessed
Hi, Olga,
First of all I want to say BIG THANKS for this wonderful recipe. I spend exactly 30 min to prepare it in the morning (before church) put in the oven and when we come back it was ready. Potatoes were not so soft like I love and I'd like to give one tip for you. Boil your cut potatoes for approximately 3 min( you can do it in half n half or just use water) and then combine it with onion and carrot. It's became so soft and you safe time in baking.
PS. Your recipe is better then mine. Definetely I will cook it in your way.
LOVE YOUR WEBSITE. 🙂
Thanks, Nina! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I do precook potatoes for many of my recipes, but I like to avoid an extra step in this one. My potatoes are always soft though. Here are a few things that help. 1. Did you use Yukon Gold potatoes? Different types of potatoes will cook differently. I have found that Yukon Gold potatoes work best in this recipe.
2. Did you cut the potatoes thin enough? I cut them much thinner than most recipes I've seen. Cutting them really thin cuts down the cooking time quite a bit.
3. The the half n half before pouring it over the potatoes. I actually timed it once, and the cooking time was cut down by almost an HOUR! I was really impressed.
Of course, you can precook the potatoes if you'd like. This is one of the meals that I like to cut down the number of steps as much as possible.
One other idea is to cook the onion and carrots in a large pot and when they soften, add the potatoes and half n half, precook for a few minutes and transfer to a baking dish. That way, you kind of combine the steps.
Hi i made this dish just the other night. It was delicious!! My hubby and I really enjoyed:) It was nice and creamy:) Thanx for sharing!! God Bless You.
Thank you so much for this recipe!
My family loved it!
This casserole is one of our favorites. I make it on a regular basis. I'm so happy to hear that your family enjoyed it too, Maya.
Thank you... I am home in Kentucky for a project for my company. I have been living in SW France for the last 13 years. I have tried eating my sister in law and brothers cooking, and on occaion tried cooking wholesome meals for them(french cuisine) they don't care for it much. Me... personally, I got tired of eating everything that made (mostly from a box or a can) I don't know, maybe I am a bit spoiled. It's refreshing to see that there are people who still take the time to cook. I have found that there is still one truth in my family. They like meat and potato's. Great recipe! Goes great with Pinot Grigio...
Merci!
Hey Olga
I made this tonight. It was really good! However, I think the carrots made it get really really watery. I had to dump out the carrot water (if that makes any sense). How can this be avoided? Do you think I added too much carrot or I didn't cook it long enough with the onion?
Hi Sarah,
I've been making this casserole for years and have never had "carrot water". I don't think it's because you didn't cook it long enough with the onions, since many times I put in the onion and carrots completely raw into the casserole. The only thing I can think of is that you added too much liquid. It shouldn't cover the potatoes completely, but just a bit more than halfway.
I may have added too much half and half. You're right. Thanks Olga 🙂
I've done that myself in the past. Just use a slotted spoon to take out the potatoes and chicken and it still tastes great:).
Hello! I made the casserole last night! I have to say, it is my new favorite dish! My whole family absolutely loooved it! The kids (all 3 of them) asked for seconds! They are super picky eaters so that almost never happens! We ate more then half of it last night and i ate the rest of it for lunch AND dinner today :)! Thank you! It was AMAZING!!!
Hi Vita,
I'm so happy to hear that! This is one of my favorite dishes too. I'm so glad your family enjoyed it. I also make a large casserole every time I make it so we can have leftovers.
Hi Olga love your blog is so easy to make food with all those pictures Thank you. I was just wondering can i use a chicken breast for this recipe?
Hi Oksana,
Thank you!
I wouldn't recommend using chicken breast, because it dries out too quickly. Baking it for 1 1/2-2 hours will make the chicken way too dry.
Made it today, and it's almost gone! Very delicious!
I made this for dinner last night. It was yummy!!
Hi Inna,
Thanks for telling me. It's so awesome hearing that others enjoyed some of our favorite recipes too:). (My Sergi LOVES this dinner.)
Hey Olya I want to try this recipe out but instead of half and half can i use chicken broth? Or does the half and half add some special yummy flavor that chicken broth won't?
Hi Kristy,
Great question. When you cook the potatoes in half n half, they have a creamy, yummy taste. I personally don't like the flavor of the potatoes cooked in chicken broth. They taste funny to me,absolutely on the bland side, but I know there are a lot of recipes that use chicken broth to cook potatoes in. It's up to you. If you're trying to cut down on calories, I would substitute milk for the half n half. It will be a little watery, but so will the chicken broth version. The flavor will be better though.
The evening before you posted this recipe i left some chicken thighs to unthaw overnight and next morning i was wondering what to cook with them. So when i check your website i see this recipe and thought "wonder no more" lol. This recipe is a keeper. My whole family loved it. Easy to make and very delicious. Thanks
Perfect timing! Isn't that funny when it happens? I'm glad it turned out so well.
Olga, first of all,let me say that i absolutely looove your website. I don't even know what dish to.start with:) you are so young, but cook like a professional cook!!!! Nice job.
Can't not to write my second thought. I read your hearbreaking story about what happened to you back in 2007. I actually was reading your story in my hospital bed, recovering after my delivery. A am terribly sorry for your loss:( but I am happy that God healed you and you are sharing how great He is with other people.
Finally, may the Lord bless you and your husband that you have made a strong decision to adopt two children. He will give you wisdom, love and patience to raise up those children. Just serve Him with all your heart.
Sorry, for such a.long message . But I needed to share these with you. God bless:-)
Awww.... Thank you, Victoria! What a sweet message! I savored every word:).
God has definitely blessed me SO much, and I will be thankful forever. Once in a while I don't feel good and it's such a great reminder of how far I've come and what a blessing it is to be alive and healthy.
Thanks for your encouraging words. My husband and I are very excited to be parents!
I'm certainly making this tonight! Thanks for such a lovely recipe 🙂
Yay! I'm so glad my favorite casserole caught your eye:).
This is my favorite potato and chicken dish! Though, I make it slightly different. Brings a lot of memories too.
It sure is a homey, cozy dish:). Glad you like it too.
Have this in the oven now, question, what dried herbs did you use? I used dill, tarragon and parsley as I didn't know what else to use. Must say it smells delicious!
I use a combination of many dry herbs - chives, parsley, garlic, onion, parsley, thyme, etc. Anything that you like will be great:).