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Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

chicken tater tot casserole with serving spoon resting in dish

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5 from 1 review

This creamy and comforting dish is like a hybrid of chicken pot pie and tater tot casserole! This recipe uses frozen veggies and rotisserie chicken to save time on prep; you can make the whole casserole in about 1 hour!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 cups (180 g) chopped onion (about 1 large onion)
  • 4 cups (500 g) shredded rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded (from about 1 medium rotisserie chicken) (see note 1)
  • 4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste (see note 2)
  • 4 tablespoons (60 g) all-purpose flour
  • 16 ounces (454 g) frozen peas & carrots
  • 2 1/2 cups (590 ml) chicken broth/stock
  • 1 1/4 cups (300 g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature (see note 3)
  • 24 ounces (680 g) frozen tater tots (about 5 1/2 cups)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
  2. Chop the onion, set aside.
  3. Shred the rotisserie chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding the skin and bones. Set aside.
  4. Set a large pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the butter and allow to melt.
  5. When the butter is completely melted, add the chopped onion, dried thyme, black pepper, garlic powder, and kosher salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 - 4 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
  6. Add in the frozen peas and carrots (no need to thaw first). Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 3 - 4 minutes.
  7. Sprinkle the flour overtop the vegetables. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
  8. Pour in the chicken broth or stock. Stir well to combine, using the wooden spoon to scrape up any bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pot. Turn the heat up to high to bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat as needed to maintain a gentle boil. Gently boil the mixture for 3 - 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the broth/stock is thickened and has reduced slightly.
  9. Turn off the stove and remove the pot from the hot burner. Add in the shredded chicken and stir to combine. Stir in the sour cream. Taste the mixture and stir in more salt and/or pepper if needed.
  10. Pour the casserole mixture into a 9 x 13 inch (33 x 23 cm) oven-safe pan or casserole dish. Use the wooden spoon to spread out the ingredients evenly.
  11. Cover the top of the casserole with the frozen tater tots. Bake the casserole, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 30 - 35 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the tater tots are golden brown.
  12. For a thicker consistency, let the casserole rest for 10 - 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

If you don’t want to use rotisserie chicken, you can use any boneless, skinless leftover chicken (white and/or dark meat) or cook your own. You will need 4 cups of cooked, shredded chicken. If you are cooking your own chicken, make sure to season it with salt and pepper!

I used Diamond Crystal Kosher salt for this recipe, which is lighter and flakier than Morton Kosher salt. To substitute Morton Kosher salt or regular table salt, start with adding only 1/4 teaspoon in with the onion and other seasonings. Then, be sure to taste the casserole mixture before adding it to the casserole dish, adding in more salt and/or pepper if needed.

I recommend bringing the sour cream up to room temperature to help prevent the sour cream from curdling when being added to the hot liquid. It doesn't mean if you add it in cold it will necessarily curdle, but I like the extra insurance just in case! I usually just measure out the sour cream before I start any of the other prep for the recipe, and I find that is long enough.

The nutrition information below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator; the nutrition counts of your dish will vary based on the brand and exact amounts of ingredients used. This nutrition estimate should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. See our full disclosure policy.

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