This Chicken Tater Tot Casserole recipe is ready in less than an hour and is the perfect comfort food for any day of the week. Plus, it’s budget-friendly, can be prepped in advance to bake later, and leftovers freeze really well. It’s easy to make, delicious, and a hit with both kids and adults.
If you’re a fan of quick and easy casseroles, be sure to try Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole and Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole.
This one is a smart pick for an easy weeknight dinner. It’s simple, using common pantry items like cream of mushroom soup and spices, plus frozen tater tots and frozen veggies for extra convenience. It’s family-friendly and bakes in one dish, so cleanup is as easy as possible.
The recipe is also flexible when it comes to finishing touches. You can choose to broil the casserole at the end for an extra crispy cheese layer, or you can skip this step for a quicker meal.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Quick prep time — get it in the oven in just 15 minutes.
- A budget-friendly recipe with ingredients you may already have on hand.
- Easy to add your favorite veggies or toppings.
- A hit with kids and adults alike, making it a great family-friendly dinner idea.
- Make ahead and freeze for a stress-free meal.
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make this chicken tater tot casserole recipe
This is an overview of the recipe’s instructions. The full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Grab a 9×13-inch baking dish and set it aside.
- Mix Together the Base: In a large bowl, mix together the cream of mushroom soup, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes. Once that’s well combined, stir in the shredded chicken and the frozen corn.
- Assemble in the Baking Dish: Pour the mixture into your baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese on top, then arrange the tater tots in a single layer (you may have a few tater tots left over).
- Bake: Pop the dish into the oven. Bake until it’s bubbling, which will take about 30-35 minutes. Then, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. For an extra golden top, broil for 1-2 minutes on the top rack in your oven, watching closely to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Serve: Let it cool a bit before you sprinkle on parsley and green onions or chives, if you like. Then, serve and enjoy.
👉 Ingredient substitution suggestions
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: Swap for cream of chicken soup, but note that the overall dish will be saltier.
- Whole Milk: Feel free to use any milk or neutral-tasting plant-based milk.
- Garlic Powder and Onion Powder: Two minced garlic cloves and ½ a diced onion can be used for a fresher taste. Just sauté them for a few minutes first.
- Chicken: Canned chicken works in a pinch, or use leftover cooked turkey.
- Frozen Corn: Swap for peas, diced carrots, or any frozen veggie mix you like.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Try mozzarella, gouda, swiss, or pepper jack.
✨ Variations
- Spicy: Add more red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce to the mix.
- Meat Lovers: Throw in some cooked bacon bits or diced ham along with the chicken.
- Veggie-Packed: Mix in steamed broccoli florets, diced bell peppers, or sliced mushrooms for an extra dose of veggies.
- Tex-Mex: Add a packet of salt-free taco seasoning to the chicken mixture and top with jalapeños before baking.
- BBQ: Mix some BBQ sauce with the chicken and top with crispy onions for the last few minutes of baking.
〰️ How to serve
- Vegetables — Serve alongside roasted cauliflower, baked sliced zucchini, baked jicama fries, roasted butternut squash, or roasted green beans.
- Salads — Pair with side salads of dill cucumber onion salad or classic Caesar salad.
- Sauces — Drizzle a sauce on top like sour cream, hot sauce, ketchup, or ranch dressing.
- Toppings — Sprinkle some crispy onions, crushed potato chips, or crushed Ritz crackers on top during the second round of baking.
💬 FAQs
Can I prep this ahead of time to bake later?
Yes, assemble the casserole, cover it with aluminum foil, and refrigerate it for up to a day before baking. Just add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
How do you store and reheat leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the casserole in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F until heated through, about 15-20 minutes, or microwave individual servings in 30-second increments until warmed through.
📚 More casserole recipes
🍽 Recipe
Email Recipe
Enter your email below and we’ll send you this recipe!
Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cans (10.5 ounces each) cream of mushroom soup, (reduced sodium variety, if possible)
- ⅔ cup whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 cups (~1 pound) shredded cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken
- 16 ounces frozen corn
- 1 ½ cups (170 grams) shredded mild cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 package (32 ounces) frozen tater tots
Optional Garnishes:
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Chopped green onions or chives
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Pull out and set aside a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Mix Together Base: To a large mixing bowl, add canned soup, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes. Mix together until combined. Then, stir in shredded chicken and frozen corn.
- Assemble in Baking Dish: Transfer mixture to baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese on top, then arrange tater tots in a single layer (you may have a few tater tots left over).
- Bake: Transfer baking dish to oven and bake until bubbling, which will take about 30-35 minutes. Remove baking dish from oven, sprinkle remaining ½ cup shredded cheese on top, return dish back to oven and bake until cheese has melted, about 5 additional minutes. Optionally, transfer baking dish to top oven rack, turn on oven broil, and broil until cheese on top is golden, about 1-2 minutes; watch carefully to avoid burning.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove casserole from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before, optionally, garnishing with chopped parsley and green onions or chives, then serving.
Leave a Reply