Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
Get the tots in the oven while you warm the filling. They get a head start on crisping, then finish over the chicken, vegetables and cheese. Use cooked chicken you already have and measure out two cups for the skillet.
Homemade options: HKT Instant Pot Chicken and Broth for the cooked chicken, and HKT Homemade Ranch Powder for the seasoning.
Ingredients
1 pound frozen tater tots, kept frozen
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cut into cubes
½ cup cayenne-pepper hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot Original; not a sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoons HKT Homemade Ranch Powder
2 cups fully cooked chicken, diced or shredded; HKT Instant Pot Chicken and Broth is a make-ahead option
1 bag (12 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and thoroughly drained
¾ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Heat the oven to 425°F. Spread the frozen tots in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10–12 minutes while you make the filling; they will finish cooking on the casserole.
Use a 12-inch oven-safe skillet with enough depth for the filling and tots, or have a 9×13-inch baking dish ready. Set the skillet over medium-low heat. Add the cream cheese, hot sauce and measured homemade ranch powder. Stir for about 3–5 minutes, until the cream cheese has melted into a smooth sauce. Lower the heat if the sauce begins to catch on the pan.
Take the skillet off the heat. Fold in the fully cooked chicken and well-drained mixed vegetables. Spread the mixture level. If your skillet is shallow, transfer the filling to the baking dish rather than filling the skillet to its rim.
Scatter the Cheddar over the filling. Use a spatula to move the partly baked tots from the sheet pan onto the cheese in a single layer. Do not stack them. Leave a little room below the rim for the filling to bubble.
Bake uncovered at 425°F for about 20–25 minutes more, until the tots are crisp, the sauce is bubbling and the center of the filling reaches 165°F on a food thermometer. Allow extra time if needed. If the tots are browning before the center is hot, cover loosely with foil until the filling reaches temperature, then uncover briefly to crisp the top again.
Rest for 5 minutes. Add the optional green onions and scoop into bowls. The filling is creamy rather than firm enough to cut into tidy squares.
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F. Use within 3–4 days and reheat to 165°F throughout. Count the storage time from when the chicken was originally cooked if you used leftover chicken. Reheating in the oven helps the tots crisp again.