Turn Mashed Potatoes Into The Main Course With This KFC-Inspired Method

If you didn't already know, KFC is not just chicken. The mashed potatoes are fan favorites too, and when served in a bowl with various ingredients, the winning assembly places potatoes in the spotlight. Launched in 2006, KFC's Famous Bowl pleased customers with plastic containers packed with chicken nuggets, corn, cheese, and mashed potatoes. Fans were thrilled, the option made ordering decisions easier, and the bowl felt like a deal. At the time, one KFC manager told NPR that his store sold an average of 95 bowls a day. So, if you're looking to upgrade your mashed potatoes at home, consider recreating these perfect one-bowl meals at home.

To try it for yourself, first spoon mashed potatoes (either homemade or store-bought) into the base of a bowl. Next, top the potatoes with warm, crispy chicken nuggets — which you can make at home with cheap cuts of meat. Finish the pile with a spoonful of warm corn and a generous amount of brown gravy before adding a sprinkle of shredded cheddar to melt on top. The benefit of tossing your favorite comfort food items into a bowl means that you can go wild with seasonings and add-ons.

Customize bowls with sliced jalapeño, black beans, and chunks of homemade cornbread. Vegans can make the recipe using tofu or alternative meats finished with barbecue sauce. Once loaded up, mashed potato bowls can be garnished with a variety of sauces and dressings. Creamy tahini and crispy onions add flavor and texture, though purists may prefer to reach for gravy and a handful of sliced green onions or chives.

With so many ways to build a bowl, this meal idea is perfect when feeding a crowd. Simply set out bowls of ingredients and let guests pick and choose. Offer several choices of mashed potato recipes, like one flavored with garlic and herbs, another with olive oil and sea salt, and a third made with sweet potatoes, for a spread that satisfies every preference. The possibilities also make loaded potato bowls ideal for batch cooking and meal prep.

Ground beef browned with onion and finished with gravy makes a hearty topping that borrows flavors from a simple shepherd's pie recipe. For taco-inspired nights, seasoned strips of beef or fajita chicken, roasted corn, and hot sauce can offer a different take on the same concept. Dollops of salsa and sour cream paired with shredded Monterey Jack provide a Tex-Mex-style bowl, while a poached egg and simple sausage gravy take ingredients from the brunch table.

The next time you find yourself with leftovers on hand, remember KFC's Famous Bowl. A protein spooned on top of warm potatoes and spruced up with vegetables and gravy is all you need for a satisfying midweek meal. For an after-work snack, portion smaller sizes to hold you over until dinner. Very little can go wrong here.