Recipe Background
Church Potatoes offer rich, cheesy comfort with a crispy panko topping.
Church Potatoes are a comforting dish perfect for gatherings. The aroma of onions and red bell peppers sautéing in butter sets the stage as you bring this classic to life. Each layer builds towards a creamy, cheesy blend, enriched with the familiar tang of sour cream. The richness of cream of chicken soup ties everything together, providing that unmistakable homestyle feel.
A subtle crunch from golden panko breadcrumbs adds contrast to the velvety potatoes. It's crucial to let the breadcrumbs toast just right—golden and aromatic, enhancing the dish's textural balance. This small touch brings a delightful crispness that complements the soft, warm potato base.
Sharing this dish is as satisfying as preparing it. As it bakes, the whole kitchen fills with a welcoming scent, inviting everyone to gather. Every spoonful hits all the right notes, combining creaminess with a hint of savory depth. It's a chorus of flavors and textures that promises to create memories, no matter the occasion.
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons butter divided, plus more, to taste, for greasing the baking dish
- 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes scrubbed clean
- water to taste
- 1/2 large onion finely chopped
- 1/3 red bell pepper finely chopped
- 2 cups cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups mild cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt divided
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
Directions
- Using the extra butter, grease an 8-inch baking dish.
- In a large pot, add the potatoes and enough of the water to just cover them.
- Bring the water to a boil and allow the potatoes to cook until they can be somewhat easily pierced with a fork, but still have a slight resistence, about 10 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and set them aside until they are cool enough to handle.
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt 5 tablespoons of the remaining butter.
- Add the onions and the bell peppers to the melted butter and cook, while stirring, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 6 minutes.
- Score the potatoes along their equators with a paring knife.
- Twist each side of the potatoes in the opposite direction and pull gently; this should easily remove the skin. Trim off any remaining bits of skin on the potatoes with a knife.
- In a food processor fitted with a shredder disk, add the potatoes and cover the processor.
- Process the potatoes until shredded.
- In a large bowl, add the shredded potatoes, the onion mixture, the cream of chicken soup, the cheddar cheese, the sour cream, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper and stir until thoroughly combined.
- Add the potato mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
- In the same skillet used to cook the onion mixture over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the remaining butter.
- Add the panko breadcrumbs and the remaining salt to the melted butter and stir to coat.
- Toast the seasoned panko, while stirring frequently, until it is golden, about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle the toasted panko over the top of the potatoes.
- Bake until the potatoes are cooked through, the breadcrumbs are deeply golden-brown, and the edges of the potatoes are bubbling, about 45 minutes.
- Cool the potatoes for 10 minutes.
- Serve.
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