If you love the flavors of Buffalo chicken dip but want something heartier for dinner, this Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole has you covered. It’s creamy, cheesy, and just spicy enough, all baked under a golden layer of crispy tots. Comfort food, meet game day.
Make Tater Tots for Dinner Tonight!
This simple meal can be prepped and oven-ready in only 20 minutes. Even better? It’s made in one pan so clean-up is a breeze. Everyone needs some easy chicken casserole recipes in their back pocket for busy weeknights.
I first threw this together on a cold night when I had leftover homemade buffalo sauce, a block of cheddar, and a bag of tots hiding in the freezer. One of those “make something out of nothing” dinners that somehow became a family favorite. Now it’s my go-to when I need a meal that’s easy that I know everyone will love.
You’ll start with ground chicken, nothing fancy, just brown it up in an ovenproof skillet with some onion and a few veggies. Then comes the flavor. A quick roux with flour and milk makes a creamy base, then add ranch seasoning and a good splash of hot sauce (I’m partial to Frank’s, but use what you love). You’ll stir in half the cheese and try not to eat it straight from the pan.
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The rest of the cheese goes on top, followed by a layer of frozen tater tots. I like to line them up neatly, but no one’s judging if you just toss them on. Bake it until the cheese melts and the tots are golden and crisp. It’s bubbly around the edges, and the smell alone will make it hard to wait for it to cool.
I think you’ll love the unique flavor that hot sauce and ranch dressing add to this quick family meal. It’s a completely different flavor profile than with a ground beef tatter tot casserole.
For Buffalo chicken casserole, I decided to make a homemade sauce for the base using milk and flour along with the hot sauce and Ranch dressing. It provides a fresher taste to the dish and no canned soup is needed. The flavor punch from the Buffalo chicken/ranch combo guarantees everyone will be asking for seconds!
Ingredient Notes
You don’t need much to make this casserole, but each ingredient earns its place. Here’s what makes it work:
Ground chicken – It keeps the casserole lighter but still filling. If you can’t find it pre-ground, ask the butcher to grind chicken breasts or thighs for you.
Hot sauce – Go for something with heat and tang like Frank’s or Texas Pete. This isn’t the same as Buffalo sauce, although you can use Buffalo sauce if available.
Ranch seasoning – That packet of dry mix does all the heavy lifting here. It adds herby, savory flavor that balances the heat from the hot sauce.
Frozen tater tots – The star of the show. Their crispy edges and soft centers make this casserole what it is. I like the Alexia or Trader Joe’s brands because they bake up extra crunchy. Don’t thaw them, straight from the freezer is best.
The rest is basic pantry stuff, cheese, milk, flour, a splash of olive oil, and maybe an onion or two. Simple things that build the sauce and make everything taste homemade.
How to make Buffalo Chicken Casserole
Step 1: Start with flavor
Step 2: – Create a sauce
Step 3: add the topping
This easy casserole hits all the right notes, creamy, spicy, crispy, and comforting. And if you’re into make-ahead meals, this one works like a charm. Assemble it up to a day ahead, cover it, and pop it in the fridge. Add the tots right before baking so they stay nice and crisp.
You can even swap the tots for sweet potato puffs or use ground turkey if that’s what’s in your fridge. I’ve done both, and it’s still great. I mean, how could it not be? Cheesy potatoes on top of buffalo chicken, that’s a win in my book.
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Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ½ cup onion chopped
- ¼ cup celery chopped
- ¼ cup carrots chopped
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 package dry ranch dressing 1 ounce
- ¾ cup milk
- ¾ cup hot sauce
- 8 ounces white cheddar cheese
- 28 ounces frozen tater tots 1 bag
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º.
- Heat oil in an oven proof skillet over medium heat, add ground chicken and onion and cook until chicken begins to turn white. Add celery and carrots and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
- Add flour and ranch dressing and cook until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in milk and bring to a simmer, continue to cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add hot sauce.
- Add half of the cheese and stir, then top with remaining cheese. Top with tater tots.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until tater tots are golden brown and crispy. Let stand for 5 minutes to cool before serving.
Video
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- You can make this ahead of time.
- You can grind your own chicken breasts in a food processor.
- You can substitute sweet potato tots for the traditional ones.
- You can prepare this ahead and freeze in a 9 x 13 pan. Let it come to room temperature before baking.
Nutrition
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