Description
This Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole is the ultimate one-pan comfort meal—juicy shredded chicken, crispy bacon, creamy ranch béchamel, gooey cheddar, and golden tater tots all baked into a satisfying dish perfect for weeknights or gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 32 oz bag frozen tater tots
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: pinch of paprika
- Optional garnish: chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook bacon until crispy. Drain and crumble. Set aside.
- Shred pre-cooked chicken breasts into bite-size pieces using two forks.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly until thickened, about 2–3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and whisk in ranch dressing. Season with salt, pepper, and optional paprika.
- In a large bowl, mix shredded chicken, crumbled bacon, and ranch sauce until well combined. Spread evenly into the prepared dish.
- Arrange frozen tater tots in a single layer on top of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the tots.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, rotating once, until the casserole is bubbling and the tots are golden brown. Broil for 2 minutes at the end for extra crispiness, if desired.
- Let casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
- Use rotisserie or leftover chicken to save time.
- Don’t thaw tater tots; bake them straight from frozen for best texture.
- Swap cheddar for Monterey Jack for extra meltiness or pepper Jack for spice.
- Can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 24 hours before baking.
- Double the recipe and freeze one unbaked for later.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 of 6 servings
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg
