Description
Crazy good casserole brings comfort and warmth to dinner tables with layers of hearty ingredients and rich flavors. Creamy textures and savory notes blend perfectly, creating a memorable meal that satisfies hungry families and delights dinner guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 cup diced chicken
- 0.5 cup bacon bits
Starches and Vegetables:
- 2 cups hash browns
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 1 cup diced potatoes
- 0.5 cup bread crumbs
Dairy and Seasonings:
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 0.5 cup sour cream
- 0.25 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp ranch seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and generously grease a large casserole dish to prevent sticking.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until fully cooked and no pink remains, carefully draining excess fat.
- Simultaneously, sauté diced chicken in a separate pan until golden and completely cooked through, ensuring no raw spots.
- Crisp bacon bits in a dry pan until they develop a rich, deep color and become extra crunchy.
- Combine hash browns, corn kernels, and diced potatoes in a mixing bowl, seasoning with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Whisk eggs with sour cream and heavy cream, creating a smooth, binding liquid mixture for the casserole.
- Layer the cooked ground beef and chicken as the first base in the prepared casserole dish, ensuring even distribution.
- Spread the seasoned potato and vegetable mixture evenly over the meat layer.
- Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese generously across the top, covering the entire surface.
- Dust the bread crumbs over the cheese layer for an extra crispy topping.
- Scatter bacon bits across the casserole for added crunch and smoky flavor.
- Drizzle the egg and cream mixture uniformly to help bind all ingredients together.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the top turns golden brown and the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and casserole to set.
Notes
- Meat Flexibility: Swap ground beef and chicken with turkey, plant-based crumbles, or tofu for diverse dietary preferences and protein variations.
- Dairy-Free Adaptation: Replace sour cream and heavy cream with coconut cream or cashew cream to accommodate lactose-intolerant individuals.
- Crispy Texture Secret: Toast bread crumbs briefly in a skillet before sprinkling to enhance their golden, crunchy quality and add deeper flavor complexity.
- Low-Carb Option: Substitute hash browns and potatoes with cauliflower rice or riced zucchini to reduce carbohydrate content while maintaining delicious texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 655
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 43 g
- Cholesterol: 200 mg