Cracked Out Chicken Tater Tot Casserole is a complete comfort food that is ultra easy to make! it is filled with tender chicken, cheese, bacon and cheese and topped with crispy tater tots!
Love tater tots and want to find new ways to use them? Try this Cracked Out Chicken Tater Tot Casserole with bacon, ranch, and lots of cheddar cheese added to it.
Did you know that you can make a flavorful meal at home using tater tots? Although these tots often get prepared and served as a side dish with other foods, you can use them as the main ingredient in this Cracked Out Chicken Tater Tot Casserole. The casserole will keep you full and satisfy any craving you might have for cheesy potatoes. You can make this meal for your family or a potluck gathering.
Which Type of Chicken Should I Use?
When making the Cracked Out Chicken Tater Tot Casserole, you will need cooked chicken. You can use rotisserie chicken chopped up if you would like – that is my favorite because I love the flavor it adds to the dish but you can also choose to prepare boneless chicken breast or chicken thighs in a skillet, cook until no longer pink in the center, and then chop the chicken into small pieces that you will toss into your casserole dish. If you want to save yourself some time though, you can definitely just purchase pre-made grilled chicken or the rotisserie chicken that you can easily pull apart and chop into pieces!
Can I Use Bacon Bits?
While you can use bacon bits to add a slight crunch and that authentic bacon taste to the dish, it is much better to prepare fresh bacon. Once you cook the bacon in the oven or the skillet on the stove, you can chop it into small pieces and add it to the dish with your tater tots and other ingredients. The best part is that you can use your favorite type of bacon. The brand and specific flavor of bacon selected do not matter.
Can I Use Homemade Cream of Chicken?
While using canned cream of chicken soup is more convenient, you absolutely can use homemade cream of chicken soup when preparing the Cracked Out Chicken Tater Tot Casserole. If you would like to make the cream of chicken from scratch, you will need chicken broth, flour, heavy cream, butter, and a few seasonings to give it a great taste.
Cream of Chicken Alternatives
If you do not want to use cream of chicken in the Tater Tot Chicken Casserole, you can use cream of mushroom or cream of broccoli soup as replacements. It all depends on what you have available in your pantry!
Do I Have to Use Chicken?
Although chicken adds protein to the dish and tastes great with the cheese and tater tots, it is not the only meat you can use in this casserole. Ground beef is another type of meat that will taste good with your tater tots and cheese. You can season the ground beef to your liking, prepare it in a skillet, drain it, and then add it to the dish with your tater tots.
Veggies You Can Add to the Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
While this recipe does not include any vegetables, you might want to throw a few veggies into the mixture to get your children to eat them. Some of the vegetables that will taste best with the Chicken Tater Tot Casserole are chopped carrots, corn, and chopped broccoli. If you decide to use carrots or broccoli, be sure to steam them beforehand for a few minutes and then chop them into small pieces to conceal them with the creamy sauce and cheese. The vegetables add vitamins and nutrients to the meal, making it even better for the kids.
How to Store the Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
Store the Chicken Crack Casserole in the fridge. Before you put it in the fridge, you will need to cover the casserole dish with foil and a lid. If you do not have a lid for the dish, add an extra layer of foil to preserve the freshness of the food. Your casserole will stay good for up to three days when kept in the fridge.
Can You Freeze It?
Before putting your Chicken Bacon Ranch Tater Tot Casserole in the oven, you can cover it with heavy-duty aluminum foil, put it in the freezer, and leave it there for a maximum of three months. It is best to pull it out within three months to keep your ingredients from getting freezer burn.
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Cracked Out Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 cups chopped cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken
- 16- oz sour cream
- 1 10.75 oz can cream of chicken soup
- 1 1 oz package dry Ranch dressing mix
- 2 cups chopped cooked thick cut bacon
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 lb bag frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Grease a 9×13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together chicken, sour cream, soup, Ranch mix, bacon and cheese.
- Fold in frozen tater tots.
- Spoon mixture into prepared pan.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown.
- ENJOY!
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Comments & Reviews
Natalie Hogue says
Really Good! Everyone in my family loved it and would eat it again!