Spice up your traditional Tater Tot Casserole with this Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole! Let your slow cooker do the hard work for you and have a tasty, full of flavor meal ready to go when you are. This easy recipe will be a favorite for sure!
Tater tot casserole is a staple in our house. Cheesy comfort food is a crowd pleaser! Since I can keep the ingredients on hand we often have it when I haven't planned anything else or forgot to put something in the slow cooker. But I have to admit that I, the person who puts almost everything in the slow cooker, have only ever made it in the oven. I know people make it in the slow cooker all the time so I knew it was time to finally give it a try. But if I'm going to try something new I might as well really try something new, right? So instead of plain tater tot casserole I went for a Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole. The verdict? Success!!
In keeping in line with making just a little more of the meal from scratch (like with these Slow Cooker Cheesy Beef Tacos) I did not use any canned soup. Instead I made a creamy ranch sauce from scratch, and wow did that taste so much better than anything you could get from a can! Your friends and family will thank you, and I promise it's much easier than you think!
Want to have your own homemade ranch mix on hand? Try my homemade version!
A few simple steps and this Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole is prepped in no time at all!
- Brow up your ground chicken in the skillet before it goes in the crock. OR, better yet, use a multi-cooker
and only have one pot to clean! - Once fully cooked, sprinkle in some flour, simmer in the chicken broth, and thicken it all up with some cream (or buttermilk).
- Now, add some yummy seasoning and you are set! It might take a few more minutes than opening up a can but I promise you it is worth the added effort!
and only have one pot to clean!
Assemble in the crock with some optional veggies and you are all set!!! I had this going all day when we ended up making plans to head over to Grandma's for dinner and to swim. So I just packed up the crockpot and took dinner along! Plugged it in to keep it warm while we were at the pool and came in to dinner already done. What more can you ask for on a hot summer day? Cheers to easy recipes!
Take this Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole on the road! This family friendly meal is perfect for:
- Potluck Dinners
- Church Gatherings
- Dinner with Friends/Family
- Birthday Parties
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup cream buttermilk, or milk
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon dried chives
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 32 oz frozen tater tots
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup buffalo wing sauce
- ½ cup shredded carrots optional
- ¼ cup chopped celery optional
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese I used sharp cheddar
- ½ cup blue cheese optional, depending on taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat
- Add ground chicken and cook (breaking up with spatula) until no longer pink
- Sprinkle in flour and stir to coat cooked chicken
- Slowly stir in chicken broth and bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes to thicken and reduce sauce
- Stir in cream (or buttermilk or regular milk)
- Add dried seasonings and salt and pepper and stir all to combine
- Let cook an additional 2-3 minutes until sauce is nice and thickened up
- Melt butter in microwave in large microwave safe mug or cup
- Add buffalo sauce and stir to combine
- Spray crock well with nonstick spray
- Add ½ of the tater tots
- Drizzle with ½ of the buffalo sauce/butter mixture
- Cover with the meat mixture
- Top with carrots, celery and blue cheese if desired
- Add remaining tater tots and drizzle with remaining buffalo sauce
- Top with shredded cheddar cheese
- Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours
Notes
Nutrition
Do you think it would work to use pre-cooked shredded chicken instead of ground chicken?
Yes! I do think that would work.
Thank you!
Is there any way to convert this to an instant pot recipe?? This is one of our FAVORITES but my slow cooker broke this week 🙁
I haven't tested it, but my initial thought would be that it wouldn't work well unless you just use it to make the filling. I'd suggest popping it in the oven instead.
What would the cooking time/I strive fit the oven?
I haven't tested it on this recipe, but my guess based on similar recipes I've make would be 375 degrees for 20-30 mins. You'll have to keep a close eye on it!
I use my Instant Pot! High pressure for about 20 minutes works just right !
I would like to know if this can be made without the chicken? I'm looking for a side dish for Christmas Eve and like the idea of buffalo sauce, but we only eat seafood (no meat) on Christmas Eve. Just wondering if anyone has tried making it with buffalo sauce and no chicken?
I haven't tested it, but I think it could work well to sub out white beans for the chicken if that helps?