If you hadn’t clicked on already, these beauties are inspired by the British pub classic Hunters Chicken! Because is there any greater combination of BBQ, cheese and bacon? Well, there certainly is when you get potatoes involved 😛 Follow me…
Preparing Smashed Potatoes
Every time I make smashed potatoes, I’m always reminded of how awesome they are in comparison to regular roasted potatoes. By smashing the potatoes you increase the surface area of the potato, which results in the potatoes turning extra crispy. Plus, smashing potatoes is incredibly therapeutic too.
What kind of potatoes to use?
I highly recommend using baby potatoes. Some recipes use slightly larger varieties, but I find the smaller the spud the crispier they’ll be. Plus baby potatoes will cook a lot quicker too.
Boiling/Steaming the potatoes
The best way to prep the potatoes so they’re ready to be smashed is to boil them. Once they’re fork tender, I recommend then letting them steam dry for 5 or so minutes. This will help some of the moisture escape the potatoes and help them crisp up in the oven. Process shots: add potatoes to salted water and boil (photo 1), drain and steam dry (photo 2), add to baking tray (photo 3).
Cheesy Smashed Potatoes
Once you’ve added the potatoes to a tray, you’ll want to coat them in olive oil and a simple seasoning mix of smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Then, it’s time to smash!
How do you smash potatoes?
Press down on the potatoes until they’re flat. You’ll want to smash them fairly thin, but not so much that they break apart. I typically use a mug or measuring cup to do this. From there, top with a pinch of cheddar and roast until deep golden and crispy! Process shots: add seasoning and oil to potatoes (photo 1), toss (photo 2), smash potatoes (photos 3&4), add cheese (photo 5), bake (photo 6).
Can I use a different cheese?
Cheddar is the classic option for Hunters Chicken, so I definitely recommend using it here. Plus it crisps up really well and adds heaps of flavour.
What else could I use to smash the potatoes?
If I haven’t got a large-based mug on hand, I typically just use a fork or spatula, but honestly, any sort of flat utensil will do the trick!
How thin should I smash the potatoes?
The thinner you smash them, the crispier they’ll be. I typically smash as thin as I can get them without them falling apart, but you could keep them a little thicker if you’d prefer
Serving Hunters Smashed Potatoes
Once the smashed potatoes are out of the oven, you can go ahead and drizzle will BBQ sauce, then sprinkle with crispy bacon and fresh chives. I typically serve these in two different contexts: For more smashed potato recipes check out my Parmesan Smashed Potatoes, Bacon Brie Cranberry Smashed Potatoes, Greek Smashed Potatoes and EXTRA Crispy Smashed Potatoes! For another delicious ‘smashed’ recipe check out my Smashed Brussels Sprouts! Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these Hunters Smashed Potatoes shall we?!
How to make Hunters Smashed Potatoes (Full Recipe & Video)
