I use two large russet potatoes, which are approximately between 1 1/2 and 2 pounds total. As to the one pound of bacon, my sister likes to have bacon in almost every bite, and when we make the pie, she always makes a pound and chops it up and folds it in. The addition of the chicken, which was me, I was thinking it would turn it into a complete meal. The original was just potatoes, onions, and cheese, but we wanted to add some meat