Chicken tater tot casserole is a comfort food favorite that combines crispy tater tots, chicken, and creamy sauce in one easy-to-make dish. It's perfect for busy weeknights, as it can be prepared ahead of time and baked in the oven when ready to eat (or freeze it for later!) With how simple and delicious it is, it's sure to become a new go-to recipe!
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This incredibly easy dinner is the perfect freezer-friendly meal for any day of the week. Everything is just mixed together and then baked in the oven, so it is practically effortless.
I think this tater tot casserole is completely delicious as-is, but it is also super easy to customize with any of your favorite vegetables. It's delicious, comforting, budget-friendly, and a snap to make; what more could you ask for?
Do you love easy casseroles as much as I do? Take a look at my collection of casserole recipes, as well as these chicken casseroles and 5-ingredient casseroles, for more tasty ideas!
🥘 Ingredients
You probably have these common everyday items at home already. You can even use leftover chicken (or grab a rotisserie chicken) to save yourself some time!
- Cream Of Chicken Soup - 21 ounces of cream of condensed chicken soup.
- Milk - ½ cup of milk.
- Butter - ¼ cup of butter, melted.
- Worcestershire Sauce (optional) - A splash of Worcestershire sauce.
- Seasonings - ¼ teaspoon each of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Chicken - 3-4 cups of cooked and cubed chicken.
- Peas & Carrots - 12-16 ounces of frozen peas and carrots, thawed.
- Cheddar Cheese - 1½-2 cups of grated cheddar cheese, divided (or Colby Jack).
- Tater Tots - 32 ounces of frozen tater tots.
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🔪 How To Make Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
It really can't get any easier than this- all you do is mix together your ingredients and pop them in the oven. You will need a large mixing bowl, a 9x13 baking dish, and a wooden spoon.
This recipe will make one casserole that is 12 servings.
- Preheat. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish (or a large 3.5 to 3.75-quart casserole dish).
- Mix. In a large mixing bowl, stir together 21 ounces of cream of chicken condensed soup, ½ cup of milk, ¼ cup of melted butter, ¼ teaspoon each of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, and the optional 1 splash of Worcestershire sauce. Once combined, stir in 3 cups of cooked chicken, 16 ounces of peas and carrots, and 1 cup out of the 1½ cups of cheddar cheese.
- Assemble. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and top it with 32 ounces of frozen tater tots.
- Bake. Bake in the preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 30-40 minutes or until bubbling. Then, top the casserole with ½ cup of cheese and bake for 5 minutes longer, or until the cheese has melted.
- Serve. Remove the casseroles from the oven and let cool slightly before slicing and serving.
This all-in-one meal doesn't need any sides. However, you can pair it with some sauteed green beans or Caesar salad if you like. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- This recipe will yield one 9x13 casserole, which is 12 servings.
- Alternatively, you can make two 8-inch casseroles that are 6 servings each. You can bake them both or freeze one for later! Or, you can cut the recipe in half to only make one 8x8 casserole.
- You can use any cooked chicken (even leftovers) that you may have! For an extra simple dish, I like to pick up some rotisserie chicken from the store or use canned chicken for a super budget-friendly meal.
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🥡 Storing & Reheating
Keep any leftovers stored in a sealed container in the fridge for a few days.
Freezing
You can prepare your casserole completely, but instead of baking it go ahead and cover it and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To bake, do not thaw your casserole. Instead, sprinkle it with ½ cup of cheese, cover it with foil spritzed with nonstick cooking spray, and then bake at 350°F (175°C) for 1½ hours. Take the foil off for the last 20 minutes to allow the tater tots to crisp up.
Reheating
Reheat small portions in the microwave or large portions in the oven at 350°F (175°C), covered with foil that has been spritzed with non-stick cooking spray to prevent the cheese from sticking
❓ Recipe FAQs
Sure! I like using frozen because I feel like they taste fresher, but canned works just as well! Make sure you completely drain the veggies before adding them!
You'll want to bake your chicken tater tot casserole uncovered. This will allow the tater tots to become nice and crispy! If you add foil, they will be steamed, making them soft.
Yes! This dish makes a fantastic make-ahead meal as it freezes amazingly well! Simply prepare the mixture and top it with the tater tots. Cover and store your casserole in the freezer for up to 3 months! When ready, add the cheese and bake it in the oven for 1½ hours.
😋 More Delicious Casserole Recipes
- Mexican Lasagna - A delicious casserole that features layers of corn tortillas, beef, beans, chiles, and tomatoes.
- Hamburger Hashbrown Casserole - A comforting dish packed with tons of cheese, beef, vegetables, and crispy hashbrowns.
- Ritz Chicken Casserole - A 7-ingredient casserole that uses buttery Ritz crackers.
- Panettone Cherry French Toast Casserole - This decadent and sweet breakfast is perfect for serving a crowd!
- Mashed Potato Casserole - Use leftover mashed potatoes for this super simple recipe!
- Mexican Cornbread Casserole - Tasty cornbread is layered with seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, and chiles.
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📖 Recipe Card
Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 21 oz cream of chicken condensed soup
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup butter (melted)
- 1 splash Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 3-4 cups chicken (cooked and cubed)
- 12-16 oz peas and carrots (thawed from frozen)
- 1½-2 cups cheddar cheese (grated, divided, or colby jack)
- 32 oz frozen tater tots
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish (or a large 3.5 to 3.75-quart casserole dish).
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together 21 oz cream of chicken condensed soup, ½ cup milk, ¼ cup butter, ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, and the optional 1 splash Worcestershire sauce. Once combined, stir in 3-4 cups chicken, 12-16 oz peas and carrots, and 1 cup out of the 1½-2 cups cheddar cheese.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish and top it with 32 oz frozen tater tots.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 30-40 minutes, or until bubbling. Then, top each casserole with ½ cup of cheese and bake for 5 minutes longer, or until the cheese has melted.
- Remove the casseroles from the oven and let cool slightly before slicing and serving.
Notes
- This recipe will yield one 9x13 casserole which is 12 servings.
- Alternatively, you can make 2 8-inch casseroles that are 6 servings each. You can bake them both or freeze one for later! Or, you can cut the recipe in half to only make one 8x8 casserole.
- You can use any cooked chicken (even leftovers) that you may have! For an extra simple dish, I like to pick up some rotisserie chicken from the store or use canned chicken for a super budget-friendly meal.
- To store: Keep any leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days.
- To reheat: Reheat small portions in the microwave or large portions in the oven at 350°F (175°C), covered with foil that has been spritzed with non-stick cooking spray to prevent the cheese from sticking.
- To freeze: You can prepare your casserole completely, but instead of baking it go ahead and cover it and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To bake: Do not thaw your casserole. Instead, sprinkle it with ½ cup of cheese, cover it with foil spritzed with nonstick cooking spray, and then bake at 350°F (175°C) for 1½ hours. Take the foil off for the last 20 minutes to allow the tater tots to crisp up.
Teresa says
I didn't really read the recipe because I already make tater tot casserole. I like the way yours is nice and neat, lined up all uniform in the pan. It looks very presentable. I just dump my tots in all willie-nillie and basically leave em where they land. So thanks for that.