Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

This Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole has become a fave in my house, so I find myself making it at least once every week or two. It's very easy to make, especially with a few shortcuts. It is gluten free and can be made low carb!

Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

I was on FaceTime with my sister and she was making my nephew’s favorite meal to celebrate his all “A”s report card. I asked what that meal was and it blew my mind! She was taking French fries and placing them in a casserole dish, topping them with buffalo chicken bites, cheddar, onions, and bacon bits, and popping it into the oven. My husband and I looked at each other, and we knew right away this would be a meal we would be making very soon! 

So the next day, I asked if we should use fries or tater tots, and my little man started shouting “tater tots” over and over again…the answer was loud and clear! So I popped a bag of frozen tater tots into the air fryer at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes total. While they were cooking, I sautéed a pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts until it was cooked through and added about ½ cup of buffalo sauce to it. 

Then, I sprayed an 8x8 baking dish with avocado oil and placed the cooked tater tots in the bottom of the pan. I topped those with the chicken mixture, and then I added some shredded cheddar. I omitted the bacon to make this meal a bit less fattening, but you can always add it in! I turned on my oven broiler to 550°F (Hi) and placed the casserole dish in the oven. It took less than 2 minutes for the cheese to melt and become golden brown. I plated a serving and topped it with some fresh pico de gallo and a drizzle of my homemade ranch dressing. My recipe is different than my sister's original recipe, but it's now my family's favorite meal.

It tasted like heaven on a plate! This is now one of our family favorite meals! To make this meal keto-friendly, instead of tater tots or fries, use 1 head of roasted cauliflower! Cauliflower Veggie Tots are another great option, but make sure you are checking the label for allergens if you need a gluten free recipe because Green Giant Veggie Tots are NOT gluten free.

This is one of our favorite meals for busy weeknights because the whole family loves it and it's a breeze to make. So the next time you have busy days ahead and you're looking for easy recipes to try, give this buffalo chicken tater tot casserole recipe a try!

What you need to make Tater Tot Chicken Casserole:

• tater tots: or fries, or you can use roasted cauliflower for a keto option, or even veggie tots
• boneless skinless chicken breasts: this is a great way to use leftover chicken and rotisserie chicken, just cut it into bite-sized pieces
• buffalo sauce: Primal Kitchen is my favorite brand for a healthier option, but Frank's Red Hot sauce (the buffalo wings one) is another great option
• shredded cheddar cheese: or whatever shredded cheese you have on hand. Some of my favorites are pepper jack cheese and a Colby-monterey jack cheese blend
• ranch dressing: this is one dressing I make from scratch every time because it just tastes so much better, but you can use the bottled stuff if it's easier for you
• Pico de gallo for topping, optional

For an easy ranch dressing, add a packet of ranch mix to ½ cup sour cream, ½ cup mayo, and ½ cup buttermilk. Stir and serve as a creamy sauce for this cheesy chicken tater tot casserole.

Another variation for this dish is to add 4 ounces softened cream cheese to the cooked chicken and buffalo sauce mixture. Stir that together with one packet of ranch seasoning and spread that mixture over the tater tots and then top with shredded cheese. This is a great option when you want to bring a creamy chicken tater tot casserole to a potluck without having to bring along a side of ranch dressing. This version is a complete meal and the perfect dish to bring to a family get-together because your entire family will love it!

How to make Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole:

1. Preheat oven broiler to 550°F (Hi)
2. Cook tater tots in air fryer at 400°F for 8-12 minutes until you have crispy tater tots
3. Cook chicken in skillet over medium heat or medium-high heat until cooked through, and then add buffalo sauce
4. Add cooked tater tots to an 8x8 or 9x9 square casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray so the tots don't stick
5. Top with buffalo chicken
6. Then add shredded cheddar cheese and place in oven preheated oven under broiler for 1-2 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and melted
7. Top with pico and ranch and eat up!
8. Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge for up to 3 days
9. Reheat leftovers in microwave safe dish for about 3 minutes 
10. Makes 6 servings 

Once you try this easy tater tot casserole, it will become your ultimate comfort food. Check out these other comfort foods:

Gluten Free Big Mac Sloppy Joes

Gluten Free Mac and Cheese

Gluten Free Pork Chops with Gravy in the Crockpot