Description
Hearty Pioneer Woman Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole delivers spicy comfort straight from midwest kitchens. Crispy potato tots nestled with shredded chicken and zesty buffalo sauce create a crowd-pleasing meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound (454 grams) frozen potato tots
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 ½ cups shredded pepper jack cheese
- 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sauces and Dressings:
- ¾ cup cayenne hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cups ranch dressing
- ¼ cup blue cheese crumbles
- Celery leaves (for garnish)
- Green onions (half reserved for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232 degrees Celsius). Spread frozen potato tots on a baking sheet and generously coat with chili powder and cumin, ensuring even distribution of seasonings.
- Bake potato tots for approximately 35 minutes until they achieve a golden, crispy exterior. Meanwhile, prepare the chicken mixture by heating a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Melt butter in the skillet and add chicken pieces seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook chicken for 3 minutes, then incorporate chopped celery, minced garlic, and half of the sliced green onions.
- Continue cooking the chicken mixture, stirring occasionally, until chicken is thoroughly cooked and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius), about 5 additional minutes.
- Pour hot sauce into the skillet with chicken and allow the mixture to simmer, creating a slightly thickened coating on the meat. Remove from heat once sauce reduces.
- Switch oven setting to broil. Carefully distribute half of the shredded cheese over the crispy potato tots, then layer the chicken mixture on top.
- Sprinkle remaining cheese over the chicken layer. Place the baking sheet under the broiler for approximately 3 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Simultaneously, prepare the blue cheese ranch by combining ranch dressing and crumbled blue cheese in a small mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove the potato tot casserole from the broiler once cheese is melted and slightly browned. Drizzle with prepared blue cheese ranch and any remaining hot sauce from the skillet.
- Garnish with reserved celery leaves and remaining green onions. Serve immediately, either directly from the baking sheet or transferred to a serving dish.
Notes
- Spice Control: Start with a conservative amount of hot sauce, gradually increasing to suit individual heat preferences without overwhelming the entire dish.
- Advance Prep: Whip up the Blue Cheese Ranch dressing beforehand and refrigerate, allowing flavors to meld and saving valuable cooking time.
- Texture Perfection: Ensure potato tots achieve a golden, crisp exterior before introducing additional ingredients to maintain their satisfying crunch.
- Uniform Cooking: Slice chicken into consistent sizes, guaranteeing even heat distribution and preventing any pieces from becoming tough or undercooked.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking, Broiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 778 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 1800 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 77 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg