Description
This recipe infuses those cozy principles with bold southern barbecue flavors. The foundation is a rich, velvety chicken layer mixed with cream cheese, sour cream, and spices. Above that base lies a blanket of freshly shredded cheddar and mozzarella. The top is lined with frozen potato nuggets. They crisp up into a beautiful golden crust in the oven.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Casserole
- 1½ lbs (680 g) frozen tater tots
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works great)
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
For Toppings
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled (optional)
- 3 green onions, sliced
- Extra BBQ sauce drizzle
- Fresh parsley or cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, mix shredded chicken, BBQ sauce, sour cream, cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Spread the BBQ chicken mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle cheddar and mozzarella cheese over the chicken layer.
- Arrange frozen tater tots in a single layer on top.
- Bake uncovered for 35–40 minutes, or until the tater tots are golden and crispy.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with crumbled bacon and green onions.
- Drizzle with extra BBQ sauce if desired.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Casserole / Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 520 kcal
Keywords: barbecue chicken tater tot casserole, loaded chicken tater tot bake, BBQ chicken tot casserole