Crack Chicken Tater Tot Casserole and Bacon

This crack chicken tater tot casserole with bacon is a and cheesy casserole recipe. Loaded with shredded chicken, chopped bacon, cheddar cheese, Ranch seasoning, crispy tater tots, and more. A simple but satisfying chicken tater tot casserole that is budget-friendly and kid approved.

This is a great casserole to make for a busy weeknight when you want something with minimal prep and a hands-off cooking approach. Our tater tot chicken casserole is always in rotation in our home. Try this layered enchilada casserole for another weeknight plate idea.

This chicken bacon ranch tater tot casserole is one that is similar to a crack chicken. ranch and bacon flavor paired with ranch. Give this cracked chicken and spaghetti squash a try for another easy dish. Or try this slow cooker Olive Garden chicken pasta.

Why Make This Easy Chicken Casserole…

• A simple weeknight meal that can be made with a few minutes of prep.
• Freezer-friendly dinner that you can save for another meal down the line.
• Versatile in ingredients you use to make this creamy chicken tater tot casserole.
• Family-friendly and kid-friendly ingredients.
• This casserole is topped with crispy and crunchy tater tots that bring the whole dish together.

Ingredients You Will Need

Chicken – You will use shredded cooked chicken for this casserole. You can use diced or shredded chicken.

Cream of Chicken Soup – Reach for your condensed cream of chicken soup to mix in to make this a creamy chicken casserole.

Sour Cream – This is going to help give a creamy casserole. If you are not a fan of sour cream you can use plain yogurt if you would like.

Milk – Whole milk will give the casserole a richer flavor.

Ranch Seasoning – You need to use dry ranch powder for this recipe. It is going to add the ranch flavor to the casserole.

Tater Tots – The topping is, of course, tater tots. You will line them up in a single layer.

Cheese – Colby Jack is what we used for this. The cheese adds a nice little tangy bite that balances out the flavors.

Bacon – Cook up your bacon and chop it into smaller crumbles. The salty component is so good next to the chicken and ranch flavor. Check out how to make bacon in the oven!

Tomatoes and Green Onions – we used both to garnish the top of the casserole. These are of course optional.

How to Make

Full steps on how to make this chicken tater tot casserole are in the printable recipe card below.

1. Preheat the oven and prep your casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl add your soup, sour cream, milk, ranch seasoning, minced onions, and pepper. Mix to combine.
3. Fold in the chicken, stirring to combine.
4. Place part of the tater tots on the bottom of the casserole pan.

1. Pour the chicken mixture over the top. Then add cheese and bacon on top.

1. Place the remaining tots and dry ranch over the top of the chicken casserole.
2. Bake until cooked through. Then add more cheese and bacon. Heat to melt the cheese.
3. Sprinkle with green onions and tomatoes over the casserole. Then dish up and enjoy.

Variations to Recipe

• Swap the chicken with diced turkey.
• Leave out the ranch if you are not a fan.
• Skip the bacon or swap it with diced ham.
• Don’t add a layer of tots on the bottom of the pan if you prefer just crispy tots.
• Leave off the tomatoes and green onions on top.
• Add a dollop of sour cream or even salsa for added flavor.

Storing Leftovers

Refrigerate – Go right ahead and refrigerate any leftovers you have. Place in a sealed container for up to 2-3 days. Then when you are ready reheat in the microwave or oven.

Freezer – You can freeze any leftovers in the freezer. We do recommend that you remove the tomatoes and green onions on top as they will not freeze and thaw well.

Freezer Meal – You can also freeze the chicken casserole before it is baked if you want. Just assemble it as you wish and then cover it well and freeze it for 3-4 months.

How to Cook from Frozen – Then when you want to cook the casserole you will cover it with foil and then bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove the foil, and then continue baking until the casserole is fully warmed and the tots are crispy.

Serving Suggestions

Not sure what to serve with your casserole? Consider pairing it with a vegetable side dish for a lighter twist. Or you could even pair them with these cinnamon-fried apples for a sweet twist to the savory.

Or serve it up with a simple side salad or eat the chicken ranch casserole alone.

Practical notes

Here are some common questions for this crack chicken tater tot casserole.

Can we use frozen chicken in this recipe?

You need to use fully-cooked chicken for this recipe. If the frozen chicken is pre-cooked then yes you can use frozen chicken.

Can we use a different type of cheese?

Feel free to use any type of cheese you want. Mozzarella, pepper jack, blended cheddar, etc. Any type of cheese will work for the recipe.

Can we make this casserole ahead of time?

You can prep this casserole in the morning and store it in the fridge till you are ready to bake. It can store for up to 24 hours in the fridge. Or you can freeze the casserole and heat it up at a later time.

Chicken Recipe Ideas

Here are even more easy chicken recipes to consider whipping up for your meal times!

• Olive Garden Chicken Pasta (slow cooker recipe)
• Kung Pao Chicken
• BBQ Whole Chicken
• See More Dinner Ideas!

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Ingredients

Makes 10 people

• 1 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• 1 1 ounce packet ranch dressing & seasoning mix, divided
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 32 ounce bag frozen tater tots
• 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese, divided
• ½ cup chopped cooked bacon, divided
• ½ cup chopped tomatoes
• ¼ cup sliced green onions

Equipment

• 9×13 Baking Dish
• Measuring Cups
• Sharp Knife

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then spray your 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray and set to the side.
2. In a large bowl add your condensed soup, sour cream, milk, minced onion, pepper, and 1/2 the ranch packet. Mix well. Once creamed together fold in the shredded chicken.
3. In the casserole dish place a single layer of tots on the bottom of the pan.
4. Top with the creamy chicken mixture, spreading it evenly on top of the tater tots.
5. Add on some of the cheese and half of the cooked and chopped bacon.
6. Then in a bag you will add remaining tots and ranch dressing. Shake well so the tater tots get coated in the ranch packet seasoning.
7. Place tots on top of the casserole in a single layer.
8. Bake for 40 minutes. Then remove from oven and top with the rest of the cheese and bacon.
9. Return to the oven and bake another 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted.
10. Then right before serving top with the green onions and diced tomatoes if you would like.

Kitchen notes

To make and freeze:

Prepare the casserole as directed up to the final layer of tater tots. Cover the casserole tightly and freeze for up to 6 months. Allow the casserole to thaw in the refrigerator overnight prior to cooking according to the directions above. Ranch – Make sure you are using the dry seasoning ranch and not liquid ranch. It will ruin the texture of the casserole. Cheese – Any type of cheese works for this recipe if you want to change up the type of cheese used. Chicken – The chicken needs to be fully cooked and diced or shredded. You will not want to use raw chicken for this recipe. You can pan-sear or bake chicken and then slice it up for the recipe if you don’t have any pre-cooked chicken on hand. Yes, you can use canned chicken if that is all you have.