Description
Chicken Bacon Ranch Tater Tot Casserole layers crispy tots with smoky bacon and tender chicken. Creamy sauce and melted cheese make it filling and crowd-friendly.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 (16 ounces / 454 grams) package frozen tater tots
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup cooked bacon, crumbled
Supporting Ingredients:
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- ½ cup sour cream
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons green onions or chives
Instructions
- Warm your oven to precisely 375°F (190°C) and thoroughly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of shredded chicken, ½ cup ranch dressing, ¼ cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon black pepper until well blended.
- Fold in 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese into the chicken mixture, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
- Transfer the creamy chicken mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly across the bottom.
- Sprinkle ½ cup of crumbled bacon pieces over the chicken layer, creating a savory topping.
- Carefully arrange one 32-ounce bag of frozen tater tots in a single, neat layer covering the entire surface.
- Slide the dish into the preheated oven and bake for exactly 35-40 minutes until tater tots turn golden and crispy.
- Remove the casserole and immediately sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese on top.
- Return to the oven for an additional 5-7 minutes, allowing cheese to melt completely.
- Garnish with ¼ cup finely chopped green onions or chives before serving hot from the oven.
Notes
- Swap ranch dressing for Greek yogurt to make this dish lighter and add extra protein.
- Gluten-free? Use gluten-free tater tots and check that your ranch dressing is certified gluten-free.
- Crispier tots come from placing them in a single layer and not overcrowding the baking dish.
- For extra flavor, consider mixing different cheese types like cheddar and monterey jack for a more complex taste profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-47 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg