Crack Chicken Casserole is the ultimate entrée!
Welcome the cooler weather with a hearty casserole! With this easy recipe, everyone’s favorite tasty crack chicken can be made casserole style! This main dish is made from cheesy tater tots, chicken, and a creamy Ranch sour cream dressing. Feed the family or feed a crowd with this super simple recipe. It’s totally addictive and the kids will want it every week, so don’t be surprised if this one ends up on the menu rotation.
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Cheesy Crack Chicken Casserole
- Prep in advance and take and bake later!
- Scoop into tortillas for a grab-and-go burrito!
What’s in Crack Chicken Casserole?
SPUDS: Tater tots are everyone’s favorite way to eat potatoes, so naturally they are the perfect base for this deliciously filling casserole!
PROTEIN: Chicken, a creamy cheese filling, and a bacon topping create a delicious dish that no one can say no to! For an extra boost of nutrition, add healthy veggies like spinach, kale, zucchini, sweet potatoes, or peas.
SEASONED CHEESE: The seasoned cheesy filling brings everything together! Mix up the flavors and use this Italian seasoning in place of the Ranch.
TOPPINGS: All cheesy casseroles should have a crispy topping! Seasoned breadcrumbs or crushed Ritz crackers top this dish perfectly. Or, make a keto crust and use crushed pork rinds.
Variations
- This is a great recipe to use up leftovers! Got chicken? Use shredded chicken, or other cooked chicken pieces, turkey, sliced smoked sausage, even crumbled ground sausage! Anything goes!
- Make a plain, meat-free version just using veggies like slices of zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions, and switch out the tater tots for wide egg noodles, or white or long-grain brown rice.
- So many different ways to make this casserole, even low carb! Simply layer the bottom of the casserole dish with broccoli or cauliflower florets instead of the tater tots and lower the calories without compromising the flavor!
How to Make Crack Chicken Casserole
It’s super easy to put this casserole together:
- Pour tots into a casserole dish. Cook the chicken.
- Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, cream cheese, and ranch seasoning. Stir in cooked chicken and 1 cup cheese.
- Top with remaining cheddar cheese, bacon pieces, & green onions.
- Bake (per recipe below). Serve with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, or ketchup!
PRO TIP: Bake tots first or air fry them so they are extra crunchy!
How to Make Crack Chicken Casserole in the Instant Pot
- Set Instant Pot to sauté and cook seasoned chicken in butter.
- Mix in tater tots and add the remaining ingredients, except for cheese, bacon, and green onion topping.
- Seal lid and cook on high for 10 minutes, allow the steam to naturally release.
- Open the Instant Pot lid, stir the crack chicken casserole, then top with cheese, bacon pieces, and green onion.
- Close the lid and let the cheese melt before serving.
How to Make Crack Chicken Casserole in the Crock Pot
- Place tater tots in the bottom of the Crock Pot.
- Cook the seasoned chicken in a sauté pan and transfer to the slow cooker.
- Mix remaining ingredients together and scoop over the tater tots and chicken. Stir well.
- Cook on high for 1 hour or on low for 2 hours.
- Sprinkle on the remaining cheese, bacon pieces, and green onion. Replace the lid and let the cheese melt before serving.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop and add a little milk to thin out the sauce. Freeze in quart-sized bags with the date labeled on the outside for up to 4 weeks. Simply pop out and thaw the night before, and take to work or school for a hot, healthy lunch!
Other Easy Casserole Recipes To Try!
- Chicken Parmesan Casserole – oven or crock pot recipe!
- Pierogi Casserole – quick 15 minute prep!
- Leftover Pulled Pork Tater Tot Casserole Recipe – easy one dish dinner.
- Tater Tot Casserole – delicious meal in under an hour.
Crack Chicken Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds tater tots
- 3 chicken breasts chopped (about 1 pound or 3 cups)
- 2 Tablespoons ranch seasoning divided, or more to taste (ranch dressing mix)
- 2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- 2 slices bacon cooked, chopped (or more to taste)
- 2 green onion chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish.
- Place the tater tots* in casserole dish and set aside.
- In a medium bowl or zip top bag, toss chicken with 1 Tablespoon ranch seasoning.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat butter until melted. Add chicken and saute until browned and fully cooked (chicken should have an internal temperature of 165°F). Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, mix together sour cream, mayonnaise, cream cheese, and remaining Tablespoon ranch seasoning.
- Add chicken and 1 cup of cheddar cheese and mix to combine.
- Add chicken mixture to the casserole dish and carefully mix with tater tots.
- Sprinkle casserole with remaining cheddar cheese, bacon, and green onions.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
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This is delicious! Thank you for shraing this recipe.
You’re welcome Nancy! I’m so glad to hear that you love this chicken dish so much!
Im gonna try putting the tots on top and a good layer of cheese over the chicken mixture. May add corn!
That sounds amazing Allyson! Let us know how it turns out if you try it!