Description
BBQ chicken tater tot casserole delivers comfort through layers of crispy potatoes and tender chicken smothered in tangy sauce. Hearty midwest-style comfort beckons you to savor each cheesy, smoky bite of this crowd-pleasing dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (28 oz / 794 g) bag frozen tater tots
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup cream cheese
- ¼ cup green onions
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Extra BBQ sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 375F (190C) and generously spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray to prevent adherence.
- Flavor Foundation: Blend shredded chicken with BBQ sauce, incorporating sour cream and cream cheese to create a luxuriously creamy mixture. Infuse depth with garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika, ensuring robust and complex flavor dimensions.
- Cheese Integration: Thoroughly fold shredded cheddar cheese into the chicken mixture, guaranteeing uniform distribution and maximizing flavor consistency.
- Casserole Assembly: Spread the seasoned chicken mixture evenly across the prepared baking dish, creating a smooth base. Meticulously arrange tater tots in a precise single layer, covering the entire surface to ensure optimal crispiness.
- Topping Optimization: Liberally sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese over the tater tots, allowing for complete melting and golden-brown transformation during baking.
- Baking Process: Roast the casserole in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, watching for perfectly crisp, golden-brown tater tots that signal complete cooking.
- Final Garnish: Remove from oven and embellish with crispy bacon crumbles and freshly chopped green onions. Optionally drizzle additional BBQ sauce for an extra flavor boost and visually appealing presentation.
Notes
- Optimize Chicken Texture: Shred chicken while warm to achieve smoother, more tender pieces that blend seamlessly with sauce and seasonings.
- Balance Moisture Carefully: Use room temperature cream cheese and sour cream to prevent casserole from becoming watery, ensuring a rich yet stable consistency.
- Layer Tater Tots Strategically: Arrange tots in single, non-overlapping layer to guarantee maximum crispiness and even golden-brown coloring across entire dish surface.
- Customize Dietary Needs: Substitute regular tater tots with cauliflower tots for low-carb version, or use gluten-free BBQ sauce for celiac-friendly adaptation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg