Meal in a Mug: BBQ Chicken Mashed Potato Bowls

*All recipes, unless otherwise stated, are from 250 Best Meals in a Mug by Camilla V. Saulsbury

For Christmas this year, I was given an awesome recipe book about how to make meals in a large mug. Instead of only using the mug for coffee or hot chocolate, you can make plenty of recipes in it like dips, desserts and dinners. Learning how to make these recipes is great if you avoid the dining hall like it’s the plague or simply don’t want to go out that night. I decided to try out these recipes and see if they were edible. And the weekly column ‘Meals in a Mug’ were born. Happy cooking! 

BBQ Chicken Mashed Potato Bowl

1 can of water-packed chunk chicken, drained and flaked

1 ½ tbsp barbecue sauce

½ cup instant potato flakes

Pinch salt

Pinch ground black pepper

½ cup water

¼ cup milk

2 tsp butter

4 tbsp shredded Cheddar cheese

1/3 cup drained canned corn kernels

• In a small bowl, combine chicken and barbecue sauce.
• In the mug, use a fork to whisk potato flakes, salt, pepper, water and milk until blended. Add butter. Microwave on High for 60 seconds. Stir. Microwave on High for 60-75 secs (check at 60) or until thickened but not dry.
• Stir in half the cheese. Spoon in chicken mixture, then spoon corn over chicken. Microwave on High for 45-60 secs or until very warm.
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Microwave on High for 20 secs. Serve. 

Rating: 9/10

This recipe is a 9 because instead of using canned chicken, I used leftover chicken fingers from Domino’s because I had delivery the day before. I’m sure it would taste the same, but the breading might have made it better. While this recipe did have a lot of steps and it took about 10 minutes to make, it was worth the cooking (and saving the time walking to the dining hall). The mashed potatoes were creamy and smooth (I used Betty Crocker potato flakes), the cheese blended in well, and the corn gave it a feel of pretending this is healthy. There is only one downside: the cleaning of the mug after. If you don’t own a huge mug, use a microwave-safe bowl.  I definitely recommend this recipe because it’s an actual full meal that you can make, and it’s absolutely delicious. 

Photo 1, photo 2 courtesy of Danie Roberts, Her Campus Lasell contributing writer 

• college life
• food
• meal in a mug
• microwave