Our chicken bacon ranch tater tot casserole is going to become a staple. Easy to make with frozen tater tots and canned green beans combined with cream of chicken soup, rotisserie chicken, and cheese baked into kid-favorite dinner. Gluten-free.
This cheesy tater tot casserole is simple, delicious and great for young chefs to make. They will learn everything from how to read a recipe card and following directions to mixing and measuring. Sit back and relax as your kids tackle this recipe on their own!
Over the years, we have made tater tot casserole with sour cream, but recently decided to swap for cream of chicken. What a difference! Tater tot casserole with cream of chicken is creamier and even more flavorful than we could have imagined.
When in a pinch, canned cream of chicken is our go-to but if time allows, we will make a batch of our Gluten Free Cream of Chicken to use instead. It’s made with just 3 ingredients + spices.
Our Kid-Friendly Tater Tot Casserole is another recipe with tater tots that is outstanding & great for dinner any night of the week. Also, a great tater tot bake for kids to make!
We are excited to partner with Pick ‘n Save and Metro Market, a store we’ve proudly supported for years. When shopping in-store or online for pickup, I find that their Kroger and Simple Truth brands ensure quality and savings, adding an extra layer of assurance for families. Create Kids Club values wholesome choices and delicious meals, and our collaboration creates an ideal platform for affordable, quality living.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- 32 ounce bag tater tots ✅ Ore-Ida is labeled GF
- 1 ounce package dry ranch dressing, divided ✅ Hidden Valley Ranch is labeled GF
- 15 ounce can cream of chicken soup ✅Pacific Foods Organic is labeled GF
- 4 ounces cream cheese ✅
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups leftover or rotisserie chicken, shredded ✅Costco is GF
- 15 ounce can French style green beans, drained
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese ✅
- 4-5 slices cooked bacon, crumbled ✅We use frozen precooked. Hormel is labeled GF
Gluten-Free Guide: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten.
How To Make
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Add the tater tots to a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Add 1/2 of the dry ranch seasoning packet to the tater tots. Seal the bag and gently mix until the tater tots are coated. Pour into the baking pan.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine the cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, the remaining dry ranch dressing, and the pepper. Stir well. Add the shredded chicken and the drained green beans. Gently stir. Spread on top of the tater tots.
Sprinkle the cheese and bacon on top. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Serve hot.
Expert Tips
- Preheating the Oven: Make sure to preheat the oven to 400°F as directed. Preheating is crucial to ensure even cooking throughout the baking process.
- Properly Coating Tater Tots: When mixing the tater tots with the dry ranch dressing, use a gentle tossing motion to ensure even coating without breaking the tater tots. This will help achieve a consistent flavor and texture.
- Balancing Creaminess: While combining the sauce ingredients, ensure that the cream cheese is at room temperature for easier mixing. Incorporate the cream cheese into the mixture until it’s completely smooth to avoid any lumps.
- Choosing Chicken: For the shredded chicken, using leftover or rotisserie chicken is a great way to add flavor and save time. Be sure to remove the skin and bones before shredding for a cleaner texture.
- Bacon Crispness: If using cooked bacon, consider adding it closer to the end of the baking time or just before serving to maintain its crispiness. Alternatively, you can partially cook the bacon before adding it to the casserole.
- Monitoring Bake Time: Keep a close eye on the casserole towards the end of the baking time. Oven temperatures can vary, so adjust the baking time if necessary. The cheese should be bubbly and golden brown for an inviting appearance.
- Resting Before Serving: Once the casserole is out of the oven, allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving. This helps the flavors to meld together and makes it easier to cut and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope! Simply toss the frozen tater tots with the ranch seasoning mix then add to the baking dish.
Yes! Make ahead and store in the fridge overnight or in the freezer for up to 3 months then bake. To store, cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or tin foil then remove prior to baking.
Thaw prior to baking or increase the total cooking time by 15 minutes if frozen.
Not a problem, quickly boil chicken or pressure cook from frozen then shred for this recipe.
Covering the dish with foil is not necessary when baking. However, if reheating in the oven, we recommend covering with foil to prevent the cheese from burning.
Kids In The Kitchen
Cooking tips and suggestions for kids making this recipe.
- Double check the Ziplock bag is completely closed before shaking the tater tots with seasoning – you don’t want all your tater tots to end up on the floor!
- Top the casserole with shredded cheddar cheese or your favorite kind of cheese like mozzarella or pepper jack.
- Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds before and after shredding the rotisserie chicken.
More Family Friendly Casserole Recipes
- Grandmas Chicken Casserole
- Dairy Free Breakfast Casserole
- Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole
- Gluten Free Corn Casserole
- Baked Chicken and Brown Rice Casserole
- Butternut Squash Casserole With Pecans
- Turkey Rice Casserole
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Equipment
- 9 x 13-inch baking dish
- gallon sized ziplock bag
Ingredients
- 32 ounce bag tater tots ✅ Ore-Ida is labeled GF
- 1 ounce package dry ranch dressing, divided ✅ Hidden Valley Ranch is labeled GF
- 15 ounce can cream of chicken soup ✅Pacific Foods Organic is labeled GF
- 4 ounces cream cheese ✅
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups leftover or rotisserie chicken, shredded ✅Costco is GF
- 15 ounce can french style green beans, drained
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese ✅
- 4-5 slices cooked bacon, crumbled ✅We use frozen precooked. Hormel is labeled GF
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Mix the tater tots with dry ranch dressing. Add the tater tots to a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Add 1/2 of the dry ranch dressing to the tater tots. Seal the bag and gently mix until the tater tots are coated. Pour into the baking pan.32 ounce bag tater tots, 1 ounce package dry ranch dressing, divided
- Combine the sauce ingredients. In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine the cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, the remaining dry ranch dressing, and the pepper. Stir well. Add the shredded chicken and the drained green beans. Gently stir. Spread on top of the tater tots.1 ounce package dry ranch dressing, divided, 15 ounce can cream of chicken soup, 4 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 2 cups leftover or rotisserie chicken, shredded, 15 ounce can french style green beans, drained
- ⭐️Add the cheese and bacon, then bake. Sprinkle the cheese and bacon on top. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Serve hot.1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 4-5 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
Notes
- Simply toss the frozen tater tots with the ranch seasoning mix then add to the baking dish – no need to thaw!
- Make ahead and store in the fridge overnight or in the freezer for up to 3 months then bake. To store, cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or tin foil then remove prior to baking.
- Quickly boil chicken or pressure cook from frozen then shred for this recipe if you don’t have rotisserie chicken on hand.
Nutrition
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