Description
Comfort meets indulgence in this BBQ Chicken Tater Tot Casserole, a crowd-pleasing dish that marries smoky flavors with crispy potato goodness. Hearty layers of shredded chicken, tangy barbecue sauce, and golden tater tots create a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 4 slices bacon
Dairy and Cheese:
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup cream cheese
Seasonings and Sauces:
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Starch and Garnish:
- 1 (28 ounces) bag frozen tater tots
- ¼ cup green onions
Optional Topping:
- Extra BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the cooking environment by heating the oven to 375F (190C) and coating a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Create a flavorful base by combining shredded chicken with BBQ sauce, introducing rich tangy notes through sour cream and cream cheese for a creamy texture.
- Enhance the mixture with aromatic seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika to develop a complex flavor profile.
- Fold in shredded cheddar cheese, ensuring the ingredients are thoroughly blended and evenly distributed throughout the chicken mixture.
- Transfer the seasoned chicken blend into the prepared baking dish, spreading it uniformly to create a consistent foundation for the casserole.
- Carefully arrange tater tots in a precise single layer across the chicken mixture, covering the entire surface for maximum crispiness.
- Generously scatter the remaining cheddar cheese over the tater tots, allowing it to melt and create a golden, crispy topping during baking.
- Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 35-40 minutes, monitoring until the tater tots turn a beautiful golden brown and become wonderfully crisp.
- Once removed from the oven, garnish with crispy bacon crumbles and freshly chopped green onions for added texture and visual appeal.
- Optional: Drizzle additional BBQ sauce over the casserole to intensify the tangy flavor and create an appetizing presentation.
Notes
- Swap shredded chicken with rotisserie chicken for extra flavor and convenience.
- Use low-fat cream cheese and sour cream to create a lighter version of this hearty dish.
- Enhance protein content by adding diced bell peppers or corn into the chicken mixture for extra nutrients.
- Make this casserole gluten-free by selecting gluten-free BBQ sauce and ensuring tater tots are certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg