Introducing Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole! Made with rotisserie chicken (or leftovers of any sort), zesty buffalo sauce, and crispy tater tots, it's the perfect grown-up casserole for busy weeknights.
Do you like things spicy? Well, then you're going to love this hot take on a classic American casserole. Featuring a creamy buffalo sauce, tender chicken, and crispy potato tots, this is one hot dish that will throw the potluck for a loop!
It has all of the flavor of buffalo wings, the convenience of a casserole, and the nostalgia of family dinner hour. I would say it's one for the whole family - but that's only true if the family likes it hot and spicy!
Serve it up with some celery sticks, and add a drizzle of blue cheese dressing (or ranch) on top of the casserole for the ultimate comfort food dinner.
Why You'll Love It:
- Inspired by the classic. Love buffalo chicken dip, but want something for weeknight dinners? This spicy Tater Tot casserole is the one for you.
- A great way to use leftover chicken. Whether you picked up a rotisserie chicken at Costco or you have leftovers to use up in the fridge, this easy recipe is the perfect way to prevent it from going to waste.
- Easy to make gluten-free. Since this recipe is made without cream of chicken soup or flour, it's really easy to make it gluten-free.
Ingredients
- Cooked chicken: We love to use leftover chicken, whether it's from a store-bought rotisserie or a homemade roasted whole chicken. Any leftover chicken can be used as long as it's chopped, free from bones, and has the skin removed.
- Tater Tots: Also known as potato puffs, these are like crispy hashbrowns compressed into a delicious cylinder. They make the perfect casserole topping!
- Cheddar cheese: We recommend sharp cheddar cheese that's freshly grated from the block. Pre-shredded is fine in a pinch, but freshly grated is our top pick.
- Buffalo sauce: Use a good-quality cayenne pepper sauce that is not prepared buffalo wing sauce (it should not contain any creamy ingredients). We recommend Frank's Red Hot Sauce.
You will also need:
- Ranch seasoning (store-bought or homemade ranch dressing mix)
- Softened cream cheese
- Butter
- Mayonnaise (just a tad)
- Worcestershire sauce
- Garlic powder
- Cayenne
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Casserole
This simple, yet spicy buffalo chicken casserole features a layer of crispy tater tots. The creamy base layer is inspired by my buffalo chicken dip recipe, while the topping is inspired by classic Tater Tot Casserole, which is one of my most popular recipes.
- Step 1: Add softened cream cheese, ranch seasoning, cayenne pepper sauce (such as Frank's Red Hot Sauce), a dollop of mayonnaise, melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and a pinch of cayenne to a large bowl.
- Step 2: Mix well using an electric hand mixer or fold together by hand with a rubber spatula (using some serious elbow grease). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Minimal lumps should remain once you have finished.
- Step 3: Add the cooked chicken and shredded cheddar cheese to the bowl.
- Step 4: Fold everything together until it is evenly combined.
- Step 5: Transfer the buffalo chicken mixture to a well-greased medium-sized baking dish (7.5 x 10" or 9 x 9"). Smooth it into an even layer.
- Step 6: Top the creamy buffalo chicken layer with frozen tater tots, evenly spaced and lined up in rows so that they brown evenly. You will use a little less than a full package, which is about 54-72 tots.
Baking the Casserole
- Step 7: Place the baking dish in an oven that has been preheated to 400ºF (204ºC) and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the tater tots are golden brown and crispy.
- Optional: To help crisp and brown the tots, you can switch your oven to "BROIL" for several minutes at the end of the baking time - just be sure to watch it carefully!
- Garnish and serve: Allow the casserole to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with green onions (or chives), blue cheese crumbles, a drizzle of buffalo sauce, or ranch dressing.
Storing Leftovers
Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container, or allow the baking dish to cool completely before wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap.
Reheat in the microwave or air fryer until completely heated throughout. The tater tots will lose their crispiness when reheated in the microwave, so if you want to maintain the texture, we recommend using the air fryer reheating function instead.
Can you freeze it?
Because this recipe contains cream cheese, we do not recommend freezing it. We have found that it separates and changes texture after freezing.
Substitutions
With turkey: If you have leftover turkey from Thanksgiving or another dinner, feel free to use it in this recipe! Swap it one-to-one with chopped chicken - just be sure the pieces are smaller than 1".
Gluten free: All of the ingredients in this recipe are either naturally gluten-free or have gluten-free versions readily available; check the packaging to ensure they are labeled as such. The last time I checked, Tater Tots are gluten-free, and many store brands are as well. Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning is currently gluten-free, as is Frank's Red Hot.
Low carb: The buffalo chicken layer of this recipe is actually very low in carbohydrates! If you want to keep the casserole low-carb, you can use your favorite type of cauliflower tots or top it with a fine layer of crushed pork rinds.
More Easy Casserole Recipes
If you loved this recipe for Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole, let me know by leaving a 5-star review in the recipe card or comment below! You can also tag me on Instagram @dashfordinner.
Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 8oz package cream cheese softened* at room temperature
- 1 package ranch seasoning (or 2-3 tablespoons homemade ranch dressing mix)
- 6 tablespoons cayenne pepper sauce like Frank's Red Hot Sauce
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter melted and cooled
- ½ teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne (optional)
- 1 ½ cups chopped cooked chicken
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese packed (shredded fresh from the block)
- 1 package frozen tater tots about 54-72 tots
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC) and lightly grease a medium baking dish (9x9" or 7.5 x 10").
- Add the cream cheese, ranch seasoning, Frank's Red Hot Sauce, mayonnaise, melted butter, worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and ground cayenne to a large bowl.
- Using an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer), beat the cream cheese and other ingredients until smooth and mostly lump-free.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again until completely combined.
- Add the chicken and shredded cheddar cheese and fold everything together using a silicone spatula.
- Transfer the chicken mixture to the bottom of the prepared baking dish, smoothing it into an even layer.
- Top the buffalo chicken layer with the frozen tater tots; line them up in a single layer to ensure even cooking and browning. (Tip: Spray the tater tots with cooking spray to help with texture and browning).
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, or until the tater tot tops are golden brown and the casserole mixture is bubbly and hot.
- Optional: To crisp up the tater tots, set the oven to "broil" at the end of the cooking time and broil for 2-4 minutes**, watching it very carefully. Be ready to pull it out quickly. If your baking dish is not broiler-safe, you can increase the heat to 450ºF and bake for an additional 5 minutes (if desired).
- Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped green onions, a drizzle of ranch dressing, blue cheese crumbles, or additional hot sauce (if desired).
Notes
Substitutions:
- Gluten-free: Most brands (both national and generic) are gluten-free, but it's important to check the label to be sure. All of the other ingredients in the recipe are gluten-free, but a quick check of the label should be done to make sure.
- Using turkey: I've had a lot of success swapping the chicken in buffalo chicken recipes with cooked turkey. This is particularly great for Thanksgiving leftovers or if you have some stashed in your freezer. It's an easy swap - no adjustments are needed, and you shouldn't notice a difference!
- Low carb: The buffalo chicken base is very low in carbs, but tater tots are made with potatoes and are, therefore, higher in carbohydrates. Swap them for your favorite cauliflower tots (or a sprinkle of crushed pork rinds) for an easy substitution!
Nutrition
Please note that some of my blog posts here at Dash for Dinner may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. Please see my Disclaimer for more information.
Dorothy Bigelow says
We have really enjoyed this recipe! It's a great way to use up the last bits of buffalo chicken, PLUS you can get your buffalo chicken dip craving worked into your weeknight dinner plan. Score!