Crispy tater tots, creamy ranch, tender chicken, melty cheese, tangy hot sauce… need I say more? This Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole is an unbelievable lineup of favorites that all come together in an amazing baked dish perfect for any occasion.
Buffalo Chicken & Tater Tots? I’m in.
Stumped for a show-stopping game day dish? Or perhaps just trying to bribe the kids with something beyond their wildest, cheesy dreams on a Tuesday? This buffalo chicken tater tot casserole is sure to check all the boxes.
You can’t go wrong with this easy recipe. All the ingredients are combined in just a few minutes with very little prep, then baked to crispy, gooey, deliciousness in the oven. You’re gonna put a lot of smiles on a lot of faces with this casserole dish!
Love Casserole Recipes? Try my Easy Shepherd’s Pie Casserole with Mushrooms, Green Beans & Cheddar!
Ingredients
- Buffalo sauce: Traditional buffalo wing sauce (typically a mix of hot sauce and butter) can be substituted with Frank’s RedHot or any buffalo wing sauce.
- Sour cream: I use sour cream instead of cream cheese to make this buffalo chicken casserole extra creamy without all the added calories.
- Ranch dressing: Pairs so well with the spicy buffalo chicken. Blue cheese works too!
- Cooked shredded chicken: You can either boil chicken, or for quicker preparation, use two to three 9.75oz cans of cooked chicken or shred leftover or rotisserie chicken.
- Shredded cheese: You’ll need shredded sharp cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese to get all that gooey goodness.
- Green onions: I love the flavor green onions add to this casserole. Make sure to save extra for garnish!
- Frozen tater tots: You can’t have a tater tot casserole without delicious tater tots!
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
Step 1: Make the Sauce
Start by preheating your oven to 375°F.
In a large bowl, mix the buffalo sauce, sour cream, and ranch dressing until well combined.
Step 2: Mix Everything Together
Next, add the shredded chicken, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and green onions to the buffalo sauce mixture. Give it a good stir until everything is nicely combined.
Step 3: Assemble & Bake
Spread the buffalo chicken mixture evenly into a 9×13 baking dish. Arrange the tater tots in a single even layer on top, then sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese over them.
Top Tips
- I like to leave just a little space in between each tot so that the cheese can bubble up.
- We don’t want to get too heavy with the cheese on top, as it can interfere with the browning of the tater tots. We want those nice light crips that they provide.
Place the tater tots in the oven and bake them uncovered for 40–45 minutes, until they are golden and crisp.
Step 4: Garnish & Serve
Garnish with extra green onions and serve warm. Enjoy!
Toppings and Garnishments
There are so many ways to serve this dish and so many toppings you can use. The sky is the limit! Here are some of my favorite ideas:
- Blue cheese crumbles: Sprinkle some crumbled blue cheese over the top of the casserole for an extra tangy and savory flavor.
- Sour Cream: Dab or spread some sour cream over the top of the casserole for a creamy and cooling contrast to the spicy buffalo sauce.
- Chopped scallions (green onions): Add some chopped scallions to the top of the casserole for a fresh and zesty flavor.
- Bacon bits: Sprinkle some bacon bits over the top of the casserole for an added salty crunch and all-around amazingness!
- Jalapeños: Slice up some fresh jalapeños and scatter them over the top of the casserole for an extra spicy kick.
- Fresh parsley: Sprinkle some fresh herbs like chopped parsley over the top of the casserole for a fresh and herbaceous flavor.
Storage & Reheating
Store your cooked casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Freezing chicken tater tot casserole is a great way to meal prep and have a quick and easy meal on hand for busy days.
Here’s how you can freeze your chicken tater tot casserole:
- Allow the casserole to cool to room temperature to prevent freezer burn.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container (e.g., plastic with lid, freezer bag). Label with dish name and date.
- Cover tightly – ensure lid is secure or remove air from bag.
- Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat the casserole, preheat your oven to 350°F. Remove the casserole from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bake it in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until it’s heated through and the tater tots are crispy.
You can also reheat in the microwave for about 3-5 minutes or until heated through. Keep in mind, though, that the tater tots can be soggy this way.
Recipe
Best Damn Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings
Description
This easy-to-make casserole features cooked chicken in a tangy, spicy, cheesy sauce, topped with golden crispy tater tots. Whether you’re hosting a game-day party or looking for a comforting family dinner, this dish is sure to please.
Ingredients
- 1 cup buffalo sauce
- 8 oz sour cream
- 1 cup ranch dressing (blue cheese works too!)
- 4 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup green onions, sliced (plus extra for garnish)
- 1 (32 oz) bag frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, mix the buffalo sauce, sour cream, and ranch dressing until well combined.
- Add the shredded chicken, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and green onions to the buffalo sauce mixture. Mix until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Spread the buffalo chicken mixture evenly into a 9×13 baking dish. Arrange the tater tots in a single layer over the top, then sprinkle on the remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese.
- Place in the oven and bake uncovered for 40–45 minutes, until the tater tots are golden and crisp.
- Garnish with extra green onions and serve warm.
Notes
Use 1 cooked rotisserie chicken from the supermarket, skin removed and meat shredded or cubed. You can also use canned cooked chicken. Use 2 or 3 cans (9.75oz), drained. In total you’re looking for 1-1.5lbs of cooked chicken.
Spiciness (heat) level, as prepared, is about a 3 out of 10. Add another 4 oz of cream cheese to make thicker and to cut down on spiciness.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Samantha Kempen says
I made this for dinner on Monday and my husband and I devoured the entire casserole by Tuesday evening. It is now Wednesday and we are making another one because it’s just that good!
Helen says
This turned out quite well! I had two very large chicken breasts left over from Beer Can Chicken, which were perfect for this dish. I followed the recipe except for using the entire block of cream cheese since I didn’t have anything to do with the remaining 4 ounces, which made it thicker and creamier, in other words a great consistency. Definitely will be making it again, although next time I might use Frank’s “extra hot” hot sauce for a bit more spice!
Barb says
Going to make this for dinner tonight. I’m assuming that you add the HOT SAUCE when you’re mixing up the sauce mixture. You don’t use it to sprinkle over the mixture, do you?
Looking forward to dinner.
Thanks
RecipeTeacher says
Hi Barb. You are exactly correct. The hot sauce gets mixed in with all the other ingredients. I’ve made the correction on the recipes card. Thanks!