Description
Comfort classics collide in this chicken bacon ranch tater tot casserole, delivering hearty flavors that comfort and satisfy. Crispy potatoes, tender chicken, and savory bacon create a mouthwatering meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 3 cups (710 ml) cooked chicken, shredded or diced
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
Dairy and Cheese:
- 1 cup (240 ml) sour cream
- 1 ½ cups (340 g) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 (10.5 ounces / 298 grams) can condensed cream of chicken soup
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 (1 ounce / 28 grams) packet ranch dressing mix
- 1 (32 ounces / 907 grams) bag frozen tater tots
- ½ cup (120 ml) chopped green onions (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Season chicken with aromatic spices, then cook thoroughly in a skillet or oven until fully done. Chop or shred into uniform bite-sized morsels.
- Render bacon in a separate pan until achieving a perfect crisp texture. Carefully crumble into small, crunchy fragments.
- Select a spacious baking dish and create a foundational layer of seasoned chicken. Distribute crispy bacon pieces evenly across the surface.
- Drizzle ranch dressing generously, ensuring complete and uniform coverage of chicken and bacon mixture.
- Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese across the top, creating a comprehensive melty blanket that will bind ingredients together.
- Strategically arrange frozen tater tots in a precise, overlapping pattern to completely cover the cheese layer, maximizing crispy potential.
- Transfer casserole to preheated oven at 375F (190C), allowing ingredients to meld and tater tots to transform into golden, crunchy delights.
- Bake approximately 30 minutes, monitoring until tater tots develop a rich, amber-brown coloration and cheese melts into a bubbling landscape.
- Remove from oven and permit slight cooling to allow flavors to consolidate. Optional: Garnish with fresh herbs or an additional ranch drizzle for enhanced visual appeal and flavor complexity.
- Serve immediately as a hearty main course, accompanied by complementary fresh vegetable sides.
Notes
- Always use fully cooked chicken to ensure food safety and prevent potential bacterial risks.
- Choose thick-cut bacon for maximum flavor and crispiness that holds up well in the casserole.
- Drain excess bacon grease before adding to the dish to prevent an overly greasy final result.
- Experiment with different cheese varieties like pepper jack or monterey jack for unique flavor profiles.
- For a gluten-free version, verify that ranch dressing and bacon are certified gluten-free before preparation.
- Customize protein options by substituting chicken with turkey or plant-based alternatives for dietary needs.
- Space tater tots slightly apart to ensure maximum crispiness and even browning during baking.
- Reduce sodium by using low-sodium ranch dressing and unsalted bacon for health-conscious variations.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 493
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 1095 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 83 mg