Hunters Smashed Potatoes

Crispy, cheesy smashed potatoes loaded with bacon and BBQ sauce!

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).

Hunters Smashed Potatoes FAQ

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:

1. Finger Food – These work great as Finger Food with a Dip (here I’ve just used sour cream, but check out my Dips for more inspo).
2. Side – You can also serve them as a Side. Chicken Tenders and Chicken Drumsticks work really well!

For more smashed potato recipes check out my Parmesan 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)

Hunters Smashed Potatoes

Crispy, cheesy smashed potatoes loaded with bacon and BBQ sauce!

5 from 1 vote

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Servings (click & slide): 4

Course: Finger Food / Side Dish

Cuisine: British / Western

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Steam Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Calories per serving: 496kcal

Author: Chris Collins

Cost per serving: £2 / $2.50

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Equipment:

• Pot & Colander (for boiling potatoes)
• Mug/Measuring Cup (for smashing potatoes)
• Large Baking Tray & Plastic Spatula (for baking potatoes)
• Tray or Pan (for cooking bacon)
• Box Grater (for cheese)
• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board (for chives/bacon)

Ingredients (check list):

• ▢ 6 slices of Streaky Bacon, cooked & diced (see notes)
• ▢ 20 Baby Potatoes (approx 700g/1.5lb)
• ▢ 2 tsp + 1/4 tsp Salt
• ▢ 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• ▢ 1/2 tsp EACH: Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder
• ▢ 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• ▢ 100-120g / 3-4oz Cheddar, grated
• ▢ finely diced Fresh Chives, to garnish
• ▢ BBQ Sauce, as needed

Instructions:

• Add the potatoes to a large pot and add enough cold water to just about cover them. Stir in 2 tsp salt then bring to a boil. Cook for around 20 mins, or until fork tender.
• Drain the potatoes and let them sit in the colander for 5 minutes to allow some steam to escape. Preheat the oven to 200C/390F.
• Add the potatoes to a large baking tray and toss them in olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Spread them out then use a mug or measuring cup to press down on each potato. The thinner you smash them, the crispier they'll be. Just be careful they don't break apart. You want them still intact. Use two trays if you need more room.
• Top the smashed potatoes with a pinch of cheese, then bake them in the oven for 30-35mins, or until deep golden & visibly crispy.
• Push the potatoes toward the centre of the tray to close up the gaps, then drizzle over BBQ sauce. You may need to use a spatula to lift them slightly. Top with bacon and chives then tuck in and enjoy!

Quick 1 min demo!

Notes:

a) Bacon - I typically bake this until crisp at the same time as the potatoes. You can pan-fry if you'd prefer.

b) Cheese - Cheddar is the classic option for Hunters Chicken, so I highly recommend using it. It crisps up really nicely too.

c) Potatoes - Try and ensure all of the potatoes are similar in size, so they cook at a similar rate. Smaller potatoes will boil and roast faster than larger ones. 

d) Thickness - I try and get them as thin as I can without them falling apart. You can keep them slightly thicker, which will leave them slightly more fluffy in the centre if you'd prefer.

e) Serving - These work great as Finger Food with a Dip (here I've just used Sour Cream, but check out my Dips for more inspo). You can also serve them as a Side - Chicken Tenders and Chicken Drumsticks work really well!

f) Calories - Assuming 4 tbsp BBQ sauce, 1 tbsp chives, 110g cheddar and no sour cream.

Your Private Notes:

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Nutrition:

Nutrition Facts

Hunters Smashed Potatoes

Amount Per Serving

Calories 496 Calories from Fat 285

% Daily Value*

Fat 31.64g49%

Saturated Fat 6.316g32%

Trans Fat 0.327g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.201g

Monounsaturated Fat 7.262g

Cholesterol 28mg9%

Sodium 546mg23%

Potassium 1004mg29%

Carbohydrates 38.63g13%

Fiber 4.1g16%

Sugar 7.44g8%

Protein 15.28g31%

Vitamin A 349IU7%

Vitamin C 35mg42%

Calcium 216mg22%

Iron 1.77mg10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.

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Looking for more?You'll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook 'Comfy'