Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Bake (Printable)

Comforting casserole with shredded chicken, peas, cheddar, and golden tater tots—easy and family-friendly.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 3 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 1 cup frozen peas and carrots mix, thawed

→ Dairy

04 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
05 - 1 cup sour cream
06 - 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup

→ Pantry Staples

07 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1 bag (32 oz) frozen tater tots
11 - 2 tablespoons butter, melted
12 - Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish (optional)

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or butter.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked chicken, chopped onion, thawed peas and carrots, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, condensed cream of chicken soup, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
03 - Transfer the chicken mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer across the bottom.
04 - Place the frozen tater tots in a single even layer over the entire surface of the chicken filling.
05 - Pour the melted butter evenly over the tater tots to help them crisp during baking.
06 - Bake uncovered for 40 minutes until the tater tots are beginning to turn golden.
07 - Remove from the oven and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese over the tater tots. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and the tater tots are golden brown and crispy.
08 - Allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired, and serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It uses simple pantry staples and comes together in about fifteen minutes before the oven does all the real work.
  • The crispy tater tot topping against that creamy, savory chicken filling is a texture combination that disappears fast at any table.
02 -
  • Do not skip greasing the dish, because cream of chicken soup bonds to glass like superglue once baked.
  • Resist the urge to thaw the tater tots beforehand, as frozen tots hold their shape and crisp up dramatically better.
03 -
  • Shred your own cheese from a block instead of using pre shredded bags, since the anti caking powders on bagged cheese prevent smooth melting.
  • Let the casserole rest a full ten minutes before slicing, because the filling firms up and serves much cleaner.

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