Chicken, Bacon, and Pesto Potato Skins

• 4  - russet potatoes
• 8 strips - bacon
• ⅛  - nonstick cooking spray
• ¾ tsp - salt
• ¼ tsp - black pepper
• ⅓ cup - sour cream
• 3 tablespoons - basil pesto
• ¾ tsp - salt
• ¼ tsp - black pepper
• 1 ½ cups - cooked chicken
• ¼ cup - shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup - shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Prick each potato a few times with a fork and wrap individually in aluminum foil.
3. Place the potatoes directly on middle rack of oven and bake until fork-tender, 70-80 minutes. When done, remove potatoes from oven and allow to cool until they can be easily handled. While the potatoes cool, cook the bacon.
4. Arrange the bacon strips on a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack.
5. Cook bacon on lower-middle rack of oven, keeping a close eye on it, until it is browned and crispy, 12-20 minutes.
6. Remove baking sheet from the oven and transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Once cool, crumble the cooked bacon into a bowl and set aside.
7. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop the flesh from each potato half, leaving a scant 1/4-inch border in the skins. Transfer potato flesh to a medium bowl.
8. Arrange the potato halves skin-side up on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the salt and black pepper, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
9. Bake the potato skins on middle rack of oven for 10 minutes.
10. Flip the potato skins and bake until browned around edges, about 7 minutes. While potatoes bake, make the filling.
11. Add the sour cream, pesto, salt, and black pepper to the bowl of reserved potato. Use a fork or potato masher to mash the mixture until it is mostly smooth. Fold in the chicken, 3/4 of the crumbled bacon, and shredded cheddar cheese.
12. Remove the potato skins from the oven. Divide the potato mixture evenly between each potato skin. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the tops.
13. Bake the potato skins on middle rack of oven until cheese is melted and outsides of skins are crisp, about 10 minutes.
14. Check to see that potato skins are done. Remove from oven or add time as needed.
15. Sprinkle the reserved crumbled bacon over potato skins and serve immediately.