Hearty, Comforting and Fun with a little Kick of spice! Your family will love this easy, fast Best Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole Recipe and you can serve it for a pot luck or game day! Everyone will go WILD!
Buffalo Chicken and Potato Casserole
Can you imagine two tastes that are better together than creamy, spicy buffalo chicken with the crispy heartiness of tater tots? Everyone loves buffalo chicken dip so why not turn it into buffalo chicken casserole?
Serve with celery sticks, carrots sticks and some blue cheese crumbles and I guarantee they will literally lick the comfort food bowl clean.
This is a perfect meal for weeknight dinners and a family favorite for game day or super bowl! In fact, in a list of easy chicken casserole recipes, this is right at the top!
Here’s What You’ll Need
- Shredded Chicken – You can use boneless skinless chicken (thighs or breasts) (try them poached) OR you can simply pick up an already cooked rotisserie chicken at your local grocery store (that’s what I do)!
- Hot Sauce – We prefer Franks Buffalo Chicken Sauce. Use a buffalo wing sauce, homemade sauce or store bought works too.
- Ranch Dressing Packet – This adds flavor and gives you that creamy just dipped flavor. Be sure to get the packet and not the already made dressing.
- Delicious Tater Tots – Crispy tater tots are the star of the show and something the whole family loves!
- Shredded Cheddar – For the best results, you’ll want a good cheese with a lot of flavor. I recommend “Helluva” brand or Tillamook or Cabots. Shred it yourself if you have time, the final dish will end up creamier.
- Mayo, cream cheese and garlic – these three are rocking the taste buds with creaminess and flavor!
Do I Need Special Equipment?
You’ll just need a few typical kitchen items:
- Bowl
- Spatula or spoon for mixing
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Oven safe baking dish (cast iron pan works)
- Oven
Here’s How You Do It
- Shred or chop the chicken and cook it if it isn’t already (leftover chicken works great!).
- Mix everything together in a large mixing bowl (except tater tots, bacon and green onions). Pour it in the pan in a single layer.
- Add a layer of crispy bacon pieces.
- On top of the chicken pieces, add the frozen tater tots and bake.
- Garnish with green onions.
- Serve and ENJOY!
- It’s great to know that exact measurements aren’t even needed!
Can You Freeze Leftover Tater Tot Casserole?
Yes! You can freeze leftover tater tot casserole! Place in a freezer safe dish or freezer safe zip lock style bag. Remove as much air as possible and freeze for up to three months.
How To Reheat Frozen Tater Tot Casserole
Thaw in the fridge for 24 hours. Place in an oven safe dish. Heat at 350 for 20-30 minutes. If the tater tots are not yet crispy, set to broil and 2 minutes.
Can You Make Ground Chicken Tater Tot Casserole?
You actually CAN use your ground chicken for this recipe, simply brown the chicken first like you would with hamburger and then follow the other instructions.
No problems.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
It really doesn’t get soggy after baking, so feel free to bake it at home and then hit the road to a potluck without any worries!
You sure can! This freezes like a dream for up to 3 months.
Yes, certainly! You might also try mixing 1/2 cup of hot sauce with 2 Tbs of butter, heat on the stovetop till butter is melted and then serve that as a topping with your casserole!
Yes, you can. Mix everything except the Tatertots and the garnishes together, cook in the crockpot for 4 hours. Bake the tater tots separately before serving and pour those over the top while they are still hot. Add garnishes and serve.
Yes, just thaw it out first.
You probably won’t have any left, but if you do, it will keep for up to 5 days covered in the fridge. Don’t allow to sit out for more than 2 hours.
Yes! You can! Use the Quorn brand frozen imitation chicken, it’s good and works with this recipe.
Tips and Tricks
- For golden brown casserole, use rotisserie chicken. You’ll see that I used the store bought rotisserie chicken myself in the video. The rotisserie chicken tastes best in this casserole.
- You can substitute chopped celery for the green onion on top if that is the taste you prefer, but my family enjoys the green onion (or even chives).
- Feel free to use the lower fat cream cheese or the Neufchatel cheese. Both taste fine in this recipe.
- You’ll find that the Franks Buffalo Chicken Sauce works best in this recipe.
- If you are cooking for two and this seems like too much, you can half the recipe and that works OR divide into two smaller casseroles and eat one now and save the other in the freezer for a later date.
- Lots of recipes use the cream of chicken soup but this is a great way to avoid a casserole dish full of that concoction!
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days for next time.
PRO TIP: If you have a family where some like it HOT and some do NOT, make some HOT sauce to pour over the top for those who are looking for a flaming tongue! Mix 1/2 cup of your preferred HOT sauce with 2 Tbs of butter. Heat on the stove until the butter melts, mix well and serve as a pour over sauce at the table.
Watch Me Make This Dish
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Best Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- non stick spray
- 1 lb chicken cooked. Use a whole rotisserie chicken or cook your own boneless, skinless breasts or thighs. Remove the skin and shred or chop.
- 8 oz cream cheese room temp. substitution: Neufchatel or low fat cream cheese
- 1/2 Cup Hot Sauce Prefer Franks Hot Buffalo Chicken Sauce
- 1 Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 Cup Cheddar Cheese Sharp is best and shredded yourself is best. Prefer Tillamook, Helluva or Cabots for best flavor.
- 1 packet Ranch Seasoning Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing or Dip packet
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 bag tater tots
- 5 slices bacon fried crispy and crumbled or chopped.
- 2 tbs butter melted
- 4 stalks green onion chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375
- Prepare a 9×9 or 10" cast iron skillet with non stick spray. (You can also use a 9×11 or 9×13 baking dish like I did in the photos and the video).
- Mix all of the ingredients except the tater tots, bacon, butter and green onion together in a medium sized bowl and pour into the prepared baking dish.
- Top with a layer of crumbled bacon.
- Arrange the tater tots to cover the casserole in a single layer. You can lay them in there like soldiers or you can just pour in and spread out, your choice. Don't go over a single layer. Depending on the size of your casserole dish, you may have tater tots left over.
- Brush the tater tots with the melted butter. If you have any left over after painting the top, just drizzle it over the top. (as an alternative, you can spray the top of the tater tots with vegetable oil cooking spray)
- Bake at 375 for 25-35 minutes. Everything is already cooked so this is just to warm the whole thing. When you remove from the oven, sprinkle the green onions over the top and serve. Goes great with Hawaiian rolls.
Notes
- For quick flavorful casserole, use rotisserie chicken. You’ll see that I used the store bought rotisserie chicken myself in the video. The rotisserie chicken tastes best in this casserole.
- You can substitute chopped celery for the green onion on top if that is the taste you prefer, but my family enjoys the green onion (or even chives).
- Feel free to use the lower fat cream cheese or the Neufchatel cheese. Both taste fine in this recipe.
- You’ll find that the Franks Buffalo Chicken Sauce works best in this recipe.
- If you are cooking for two and this seems like too much, you can half the recipe and that works OR divide into two smaller casseroles and eat one now and save the other in the freezer for a later date.
Nutrition
This post was originally shared on the pages of Loaves and Dishes on May 19, 2021 and has been updated with new information, recipe card has been updated, tips and tricks have been added.
In his own image. I’ll just leave this here…
Genesis 1:27
So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
Wendi J Spraker
Wednesday 15th of September 2021
Aggregate ratings test
Terri Carroll
Friday 11th of June 2021
I Want The Book.
Dee
Friday 4th of June 2021
What did you spray on the tater tots? Did you use it instead of melted butter? The tater tots appear cheese covered in the photo of the completed dish. I am wondering how that happened, since the recipe doesn't require more cheese to be sprinkled on the top. I am looking forward to making this dish.
Wendi Spraker
Friday 4th of June 2021
Dee, Thanks for the questions. I updated the recipe to reflect your questions. There are LOTS of variations you can do with this dish and make it totally yours. Sometimes I sprinkle cheese over the top and sometimes I don't. One thing is that if you plan to add cheese to the top, don't do it until the whole dish is cooked and ready to go on the table then just sprinkle and put under the broiler (that way the tots still get crispy). Enjoy!!
Marcia
Saturday 22nd of May 2021
Can’t wait to try this! Looks easy! I think this is a great game day dish!
Wendi Spraker
Saturday 22nd of May 2021
Definitely a game day dish!