Even though I haven’t been there in years, I have to admit that T.G.I. Friday holds a warm place in my heart. This might sound surprising, especially from someone who advocates for whole, seasonal, and local foods diet (none of which are usually found at a giant chain). But when Friday’s first started out, the atmosphere was lively, the fast-casual food was a fun/new concept, and even the “flair” was a bit entertaining (remember this classic Office Space clip?)

So back in the day, my mom, sister, and I would to meet-up at Friday’s for a “girls’ night out” where we would get a little bit crazy and order a mess of appetizers for dinner (I like to think that we were early pioneers of the small plates craze). It was a lot of fun and we always shared a lot of laughs. While we weren’t regulars enough to always order the same thing, I do remember that their loaded potato skins usually ended up at our table.

This past weekend I brought potato skins back to the table, whipping up a big batch for a playoff party. I added my own flair to the traditional skins recipe by stuffing them with braised kale and topping them with a spicy jack cheese. It was a killer combination and the kale brought in a nice veggie element to a typically starchy, meaty, gameday spread.

My intention was to create great finger food, but these would actually be a great weeknight dinner when paired with a soup or salad and I’m looking forward to trying out different stuffing combinations. The best part about this recipe is that it frees up the potato insides for another use, like a creamy mash or latkes.

recipe notes

• This recipe can be a bit time consuming; it takes about 2 hours total to bake off - if you are looking for a quick week-night meal, I would bake the potatoes over the weekend, prep the skins by scraping out the flesh and then hold the skins in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Follow the remaining directions and add a bit more time in the oven to re-crisp the skins.
• Try to find smaller russet potatoes for this recipe; you want your guests to be able to eat the skins in two or three bites.
• To make this recipe vegetarian, simply substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
• This is a great recipe to use up leftover braised kale.

loaded potato skins

(serves 8-10)

• 4-6 russet potatoes, scrubbed
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (divided)
• 1 bunch kale, well washed
• 1 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 medium onion, diced, about 1 cup
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced (garnish)
• sour cream (garnish)

Position the oven racks: one in the middle and one down low. Preheat the oven to 400F.

Use a fork to poke 8 holes into each potato. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and rub into the skins. Place the skins directly onto the rack located in the middle of the oven; use a paper towel to wipe down the baking sheet and then place it on the lower rack (its purpose is to collect any drippings). Bake the potatoes for about an hour, until the flesh is soft and can be easily pierced with a fork.

While the potatoes bake, prepare the kale. Separate the stems from the leaves, thinly slice the stems and then roll up and slice the leaves (chiffonade). In a small saucepan, warm the chicken stock over medium heat. Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add the butter. When the butter melts add the onion and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add a generous pinch of sea salt, a crank of fresh ground pepper, minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute for 2 minutes. Drop in the kale and toss to coat, allowing the greens to wilt. Turn the heat to medium-low and ladle in about a 1/4 of a cup of the chicken stock and allow it to cook down. Repeat the process until all of the stock is used. This process should take about 20 minutes; if the greens become too dry (i.e. you are out of stock), pull off the heat a bit earlier.

When the potatoes are done, remove from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack. When cool enough to handle, cut in half and carefully scoop out the insides (reserving them for another purpose). You want to leave a bit of the potato flesh attached to the skin, so don’t scrape too much. Arrange the potato skins onto the baking sheet and season well with sea salt and fresh ground pepper; drizzle with remaining olive oil. Return the skins back into the oven (middle rack) and bake until a bit more crispy, about 10 minutes.

Remove the skins from the oven (keeping them on the baking sheet); evenly distribute all of the kale and top each skin with cheese to cover. Return the skins to the oven (middle rack) and bake for another 15 minutes, until the skins are super crispy and the cheese has melted and begins to brown.

To serve: top with sliced green onions and serve alongside sour cream.

more potato skins:

Simply Recipes: Crispy Potato Skins

Bon Appetit: Potato Skins with Bacon & Cheese

The Neely’s: Grilled BBQ Potato Skins

Tagged as: gameday eats, parties, small bites, vegetarian

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