If you're looking for a comforting, crowd-pleasing dinner that’s simple to throw together, this Chicken Tater Tot Casserole is your answer! Packed with tender shredded chicken, crispy bacon, mixed veggies, and melty cheddar cheese—all smothered in a creamy sauce and topped with golden tater tots—it’s a meal that’ll have everyone coming back for seconds.
Best of all? It’s minimal prep, maximum flavor, making it perfect for busy weeknights or potlucks. Even picky eaters can’t resist those crispy tots on top!
If you've tried my classic tater tot breakfast casserole, then allow me to introduce the dinner version. It combines shredded rotisserie chicken with cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, frozen mixed veggies, crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, seasonings, and sautéed fragrant onion as the irresistible sauce base!
WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Zero fuss, all flavor. Stir, pour, top with tots, bake. Done.
- Sneaky veggie win: the mixed veggies disappear under all that melty cheddar.
- Rotisserie‑chicken shortcut keeps prep under 10 minutes.
- Kid‑approved crunch. Tots on top = instant dinner excitement.
- Perfect make‑ahead: assemble in the morning, pop it in the oven at dinnertime.
KEY INGREDIENTS
- Vegetables – My recipe calls for sweet onion and frozen mixed vegetables. Feel free to use your favorite mix of frozen veggies.
- Creamy ingredients – The creamy base for this casserole includes cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, and sour cream.
- Meat – Shredded rotisserie chicken and crumbled bacon provide a meaty addition to this tater tot casserole.
- Seasonings – Onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley flakes, and dried dill add incredible flavor without increasing the sodium level.
- Cheese – I've used freshly shredded sharp cheddar, which is added to the sauce as well as sprinkled over the assembled casserole.
- Tater tots – This is a key ingredient for this chicken tater tot casserole recipe, offering the comfort of potato and a golden crispy texture! Use your favorite brand of frozen tater tots.
Ingredient Swaps
- Vegetables – You can use freshly diced carrots, green beans, and corn kernels instead of the frozen veggie mix. Feel free to add some variety to your choice of vegetables by including bell peppers or mushrooms.
- Meat – Turkey bacon and shredded turkey can be used instead of regular crumbled bacon and shredded chicken.
- Cheese – Try a blend of Colby or Monterey Jack cheese.
- Seasonings – Add one 1 oz packet of ranch dressing mix instead of the seasonings listed in the ingredients list.
- Cream-based ingredients – For a lighter casserole, use Greek yogurt. For a creamier casserole, add in ¼ cup of milk.
COOKING TIPS
If you decide to use fresh veggies in this casserole, lightly saute them in the skillet with the onions and garlic. This will soften them enough to prevent biting into crunchy and uncooked pieces of veg.
It's always best to use freshly shredded cheese from a block of cheese, as pre-shredded cheese is usually coated in anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting well.
I don't recommend adding salt to this casserole since the sodium level is already high from the cream of chicken soup and cream of mushroom soup. Other herbs and spices are an option, though.
I love using shredded rotisserie chicken for convenience, but you can cook chicken specifically for this casserole or use leftovers from other meals. Use chicken breasts or thighs with the skin removed and shredded or chopped into bite-sized pieces.
STORAGE AND REHEATING
- Fridge: Cool completely, cover, and refrigerate up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Microwave individual portions or warm the whole pan at 350 °F for 20‑25 min. (Heads‑up: tots soften a bit after day one.)
- Freezer: Assemble, skip the bake, cover tightly, freeze up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 350 °F 60‑70 min, adding foil if the tots brown too quickly.
MORE COMFORTING CASSEROLE RECIPES
Chicken and Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ sweet onion diced
- 1-2 garlic cloves minced
- 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
- 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- 8 ounce sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- 4 cups cooked shredded chicken I used rotisserie with skin removed
- 10 bacon slices cooked and crumbled, divided
- 12 ounce frozen mixed vegetables
- 2 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 32 ounce bag frozen tater tots
- Fresh chopped parsley or green onions for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly grease a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Once hot, saute the onions and garlic until the onions soften and the garlic is fragrant.1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ sweet onion, 1-2 garlic cloves
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, cooked onions and garlic, and seasonings. Adjust to taste as needed.10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup, 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup, 8 ounce sour cream, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon dried parsley flakes, ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- Stir in the cooked shredded chicken, crumbled bacon, frozen vegetables, and just 2 cups of shredded cheese. Reserve a little bit of crumbled bacon and cheese for topping.4 cups cooked shredded chicken, 10 bacon slices, 12 ounce frozen mixed vegetables, 2 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Pour the mixture into the prepared 9×13 casserole dish and spread it out evenly. Top with an even layer of the frozen tater tots.32 ounce bag frozen tater tots
- Bake uncovered for 40 minutes, until the hashbrowns start to crisp and are lightly golden. The sauce should be bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle on the remaining cheese and bacon. Bake for an additional 5 minutes just for the cheese to get melty.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, green onions, or dill if desired.Fresh chopped parsley or green onions for garnish
Notes
- You can use fresh diced carrots, green beans, and corn kernels if desired instead of frozen. You can also add other vegetables such as bell peppers or mushrooms. Lightly saute it in the skillet with the onions and garlic.
- Cooked turkey bacon will work fine in this recipe.
- Instead of sour cream, you may use greek yogurt.
- For a creamier casserole, you can also add ¼ cup of milk.
- I used all sharp cheddar cheese but you may do a blend with colby or monterey jack.
- I recommend shredding your own block of cheese. Pre-shredded cheeses are coated with anti-caking agents that keep them from melting nicely.
- Instead of the seasonings, you can add one 1 oz packet of ranch dressing mix.
- This recipe is already high in sodium because of the cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soups. I recommend not adding additional salt but you can add more herbs and spices if you like.
- Shredded rotisserie chicken was used in this recipe but you may also cook and shred chicken breast or chicken thighs. Make sure to remove the skin and shred it or chop it into bite sized pieces.
Allow the food to cool completely before storing. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can reheat in the microwave or bake in the oven at 350 F until heated through. Keep in mind that the tater tots do get soggy during storing from sitting in the sauce.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT ARE TATER TOTS?
Tater tots are an American invention consisting of grated potatoes that are formed into small cylinders and then deep-fried. They are often served as a side dish to breakfast, but can also be used in other recipes, such as a crispy potato topping for this casserole!
IS CHICKEN TATER TOT CASSEROLE GLUTEN-FREE?
You will need to check for the possible addition of gluten agents in certain ingredients, such as the cream of soups, seasonings, and what the frozen tater tots are coated in. In the case of gluten allergies, always opt for certified gluten-free products.
WHY IS MY TATER TOT CASSEROLE SOGGY?
Under-baking your tater tot casserole can result in a soggy casserole. Make sure that the creamy casserole mixture is bubbling and that the frozen tater tot topping is crispy and lightly golden before you remove it from the oven. If the top of the casserole is browning too quickly, cover it with foil and continue to bake.
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This was Delicious and my family loved this tater tot casserole!
Yay! So happy that you enjoyed my tater tot casserole! Thank you so much!