Enjoy a dish that’s equal parts delicious and easy—slow-cooker tater tot casserole with chicken, ranch flavor, and bacon. This hearty, satisfying meal is perfect for busy weeknights, potlucks, holiday dinners, or anytime you’re craving something warm and cheesy.
I’ve loved tater tot casseroles since I was a kid, since they were one of Mom’s favorite types of casseroles. There is just something extra comforting about the combination of crispy tater tots, savory meat, and gooey cheese.
So, figuring out how to make tater tot casserole in the slow cooker is a game changer. At the end of a long day, you can have a piping hot, delicious dinner ready and waiting for you.
Classic tater tot casserole features ground beef, but I prefer this version with chicken, ranch flavor, and bacon. It’s like all my favorite flavors topped with a layer of crispy tater tots!
The tater tots are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, the perfect vehicle for soaking up all that creamy, ranchy goodness. And the bacon? Let’s just say it takes this casserole from delicious to irresistible.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the simple steps for making this casserole. I’ll also share some tips for customizing the recipe to your liking and even suggest some tasty side dishes to round out your plate. It’s the ideal recipe for busy weeknights or lazy weekends.
Are you looking for more slow cooker comfort food favorites? Try slow cooker Salisbury steak, beef beer sliders, or pasta e fagioli soup.
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🥘Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Leftover cooked chicken: For this recipe, I like to use rotisserie chicken or cook chicken breasts in the Instant Pot.
- Cream of chicken soup: Cream of mushroom soup works too.
- Sour cream
- Ranch seasoning
- Cooked bacon: Because everything’s better with bacon!
- Shredded cheese: I love an excellent Colby jack blend, but you can use your favorite shredded cheese.
- Scallions
- Frozen tater tots
🥣How to Make Slow Cooker Tater Tot Casserole
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, ranch seasoning, half of the bacon, 1 cup of cheese, and ¼ cup of scallions.
- Pour the mixture into your slow cooker and spread it out evenly.
- Arrange the frozen tater tots on top in a single layer. Depending on the size of your slow cooker, you might not need the whole bag.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese, bacon, and scallions on top.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours until the tater tots are crispy and the casserole is bubbly.
🍴Serving Ideas
Here are a few simple ideas for making the slow cooker tater tot casserole a complete meal.
- Side salad: Add a simple green salad with your favorite veggies and dressing to add freshness to the plate.
- Roasted veggies: Toss some broccoli, carrots, or green beans with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast them in the oven while the casserole cooks.
- Crusty bread: Serve sliced crusty bread or garlic knots on the side to sop up that creamy sauce.
- Corn on the cob: Air fry some sweet corn to serve alongside the casserole for a classic comfort food combo.
💭How to Store
If you have leftovers, transfer the casserole to an airtight container or portion it into individual serving containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, scoop out a portion and microwave it for 2-3 minutes until heated. You can also reheat it in the oven at 350°F for about 20-30 minutes.
⭐Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Swap out the chicken for ground beef or turkey for a different flavor.
- To make cleanup easy, use a slow cooker liner.
- Want to spice things up? Add diced jalapenos or green chilies, or swap out the cheese for pepper jack.
- Try adding diced bell peppers, onions, or frozen mixed veggies to the casserole for a little extra nutrition and flavor.
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Slow Cooker Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken cooked and chopped
- 1 can cream of chicken soup 10.5 ounces
- 16 ounce sour cream
- 1 envelope ranch seasoning 1 ounce
- 12 sliced cooked bacon crumbled, divided
- 2 cups Colby jack cheese shredded, divided
- ½ cup scallions chopped, divided
- 16 ounces frozen tater tots
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, ranch seasoning, half of the cooked chopped bacon, 1 cup of shredded Colby jack cheese, and ¼ cup of the scallions.3 cups chicken, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 16 ounce sour cream, 1 envelope ranch seasoning, 12 sliced cooked bacon, 2 cups Colby jack cheese, ½ cup scallions
- Stir together and spread in your slow cooker.
- Top the whole thing with a layer of frozen tater tots. You may not need all of them. I like to arrange them in a circle.16 ounces frozen tater tots
- Top with the remaining cheese, bacon, and scallions.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.
Notes
- Swap out the chicken for ground beef or turkey for a different flavor.
- To make cleanup easy, use a slow cooker liner.
- Want to spice things up? Add diced jalapenos or green chilies, or swap out the cheese for pepper jack.
- Try adding diced bell peppers, onions, or frozen mixed veggies to the casserole for a little extra nutrition and flavor.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
Just an FYI. I cannot have salt so I make my own “cream of whatever” by making a thick white sauce and adding in mushrooms for cream of mushroom, beef or chicken bouillon for cream of chicken or beef. Works great and really reduces the ever present salt in recipes. I have had 10 cardiac surgeries. Salt is a killer!