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Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

Cheesy chicken tater tot casserole with crispy golden tots over a creamy shredded chicken layer and melted cheddar. Baked hot until the tots turn crunchy and the cheese edges caramelize, then finished with an extra cheese melt.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 400
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken mixture
  • 3 cup cooked shredded chicken Use rotisserie chicken if you want faster prep.
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
  • 0.5 cup light sour cream
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
Topping
  • 1.5 cup shredded cheddar cheese Split for topping halfway and again at the end.
  • 1 bag frozen tater tots Bake directly from frozen for best crispiness.
  • Fresh parsley, for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the casserole
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a baking dish.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, onion powder, and black pepper until evenly coated.
  3. Spread the chicken mixture into the greased baking dish and top with half the shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake and finish
  1. Arrange the frozen tater tots in a single layer over the cheese.
  2. Bake at 400°F for 35-40 minutes, until the tots are golden and crispy (visual cue: browned edges on the tots).
  3. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over the tots and bake for 5 more minutes, until melted and lightly bubbling.
  4. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Notes

For the crispiest top, keep the tots in a single layer and bake from frozen. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through (microwave works but softens the tots). Freezing is not recommended because the tater tots can lose texture after thawing. If you want a lighter option, use reduced-fat shredded cheese (it may melt a little less but still gives good browning).