At Home With Josie

Crispy Scored Chicken with Creamy Mashed Potatoes & Street Corn

Golden, crispy chicken over buttery mashed potatoes with a creamy street corn on the side. This is one of those simple meals that looks impressive but is actually so easy to put together. Scoring the chicken gives it those beautiful crispy edges and helps the seasoning get into every bite, while the creamy mashed potatoes and flavorful street corn make it the perfect comfort-food plate.

Ingredients

For the Crispy Scored Chicken

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• Salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper, to taste

For the Creamy Mashed Potatoes

• 4–5 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ¼–½ cup milk, as needed
• Salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper, to taste

For the Street Corn

• 2 cups yellow corn, frozen or canned
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons finely diced onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2–3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon butter, if using canned corn
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon lemon pepper
• Salt, to taste

4. Prepare the Street Corn

If using frozen yellow corn:
Add the frozen corn to a pot of boiling water and cook until the kernels are soft and heated through. Drain well.

If using canned yellow corn:
Drain the corn well. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, add the corn, and cook for a few minutes until warmed through.

Once the corn is warm, add the chili powder, paprika, and lemon pepper and mix well. Add the mayonnaise, finely diced onion, fresh cilantro, and grated Parmesan cheese. Stir everything together until the corn is creamy and evenly coated.

Taste and add a little salt if needed—lemon pepper and Parmesan can already be salty, so I’d definitely taste it first.

Instructions

1. Prepare the Chicken

Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel.

Using a sharp knife, carefully make shallow diagonal cuts across the top of each chicken breast, then repeat in the opposite direction to create a crosshatch or square pattern. Be careful not to cut all the way through the chicken.

Season the chicken generously on both sides with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Gently rub the seasonings into the chicken, making sure to get some into the scored sections.

2. Sear the Chicken

Heat the avocado oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat.

Place the chicken in the hot skillet and sear until beautifully golden and crispy. Flip and continue cooking the other side until the chicken is completely cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Remove from the skillet and allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving.

3. Make the Mashed Potatoes

Add the yellow potatoes to a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are completely fork-tender.

Drain the potatoes well, then add the butter, a little milk, salt, and black pepper.

Mash until creamy and smooth, adding a little more milk if needed until you reach your desired consistency.

4. Prepare the Street Corn

If using frozen yellow corn:
Add the frozen corn to a pot of boiling water and cook until the kernels are soft and heated through. Drain well before adding the remaining ingredients.

If using canned yellow corn:
Drain the corn well. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, add the corn, and cook for a few minutes until warmed through.

Once the corn is warm, combine it with the mayonnaise, diced onion, fresh cilantro, grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper. Mix everything together until the corn is evenly coated and creamy.

5. Put It All Together

Spread a generous bed of creamy mashed potatoes onto your plate and place the crispy scored chicken right over the top.

Add a scoop of creamy street corn on the side and finish with a little extra cilantro or grated Parmesan if you’d like.

Serve warm and enjoy! 🤍

Tips

Don’t cut too deeply when scoring the chicken, you only want shallow slits along the surface. This gives the chicken that pretty crosshatch look while creating more seasoned, crispy edges when it hits the hot skillet.

Made This Recipe?

I’d love to see your creation! If you made this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out. Better yet, snap a photo and tag me on social media (@lajosie_). I love seeing your delicious creations and how you make each recipe your own.