Mohamed Shili Pioneer Woman chicken tater tot casserole layers shredded rotisserie chicken, cream of celery soup, and frozen mixed vegetables under a crispy blanket of tater tots, ready in about 1 hour.
This is Ree Drummond’s Chicken Tot Pie from Food Network, made on The Pioneer Woman during the “Home Sweet Home: Crazy 8’s” episode. Ree built it as a shortcut version of her classic chicken pot pie, swapping the pastry crust for a full layer of tater tots and using a store-bought rotisserie chicken to skip the boiling step.
Arrange the thawed tater tots in tightly packed rows without pressing them into the filling. Pushing them down buries the tots in the sauce, so they steam instead of crisping, and you lose the crunchy top that makes this casserole work.
Pioneer Woman Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
Description
A five-ingredient chicken casserole where creamy soup and vegetables bubble underneath rows of golden, crispy tater tots. Rotisserie chicken keeps the prep under 20 minutes so the oven does most of the work.
Ingredients
For the filling:
For the topping:
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450F (230C).
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Saute the diced onion until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the shredded chicken, both cans of cream of celery soup, half a can of water, and the frozen mixed vegetables to the skillet.
- Stir everything together and cook until just heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Pour the chicken mixture into a 9×13 inch (23x33cm) baking dish and spread it evenly.
- Arrange the thawed tater tots in tightly packed rows to completely cover the top, without pressing them into the filling.
- Bake until the tater tots are browned and the chicken mixture is bubbling around the edges, about 30 minutes.
- Serve straight from the baking dish while the tots are still crispy.
FAQs
Why does Ree use cream of celery soup instead of cream of chicken?
Cream of celery has a milder, slightly herbal flavor that lets the chicken and vegetables come through without tasting like double chicken. Cream of chicken soup on top of rotisserie chicken makes the filling taste flat and one-dimensional.
The celery soup also has a thinner consistency than cream of chicken, so it creates a looser sauce that bubbles up around the tater tots during baking. That bubbling is what crisps the bottom edges of the tots where they meet the filling.
Why thaw the tater tots before arranging them on top?
Frozen tots release moisture as they defrost in the oven, which steams the top layer instead of browning it. Thawing them first removes that extra water so they start crisping as soon as the heat hits them.
Thawed tots are also easier to arrange in tight, even rows because they are not stuck together in frozen clumps. Ree packs them snugly so there are no gaps where the filling can bubble over and burn on the pan edges.
Why add half a can of water to the soup mixture?
The cream of celery soup straight from the can is thick enough to set like paste once it bakes at 450F. That half can of water loosens the filling just enough to stay saucy under the tot layer for the full 30-minute bake.
Too much water makes the filling soupy and soaks the tater tots from below. Half a can is the balance point where the sauce stays creamy and pourable but thickens into a gravy consistency as it heats through in the oven.
Can you use fresh chicken instead of rotisserie?
Boneless skinless breasts or thighs work if you poach or bake them first and shred the meat. The trade-off is an extra 25 to 30 minutes of cooking time, which defeats the shortcut design Ree built this recipe around.
Rotisserie chicken also has more flavor because it was seasoned and roasted with the skin on. The dark meat from the legs and thighs adds richness that plain poached breast cannot match. Pull from two areas of the bird for the best mix.
How do you store and reheat leftovers without soggy tots?
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within two hours and eat within three days. The filling reheats well, but the tater tots on top will soften in the fridge no matter what you do.
Reheat individual portions in a 425F (220C) oven for 12 to 15 minutes, uncovered, so the tots have a chance to re-crisp on top. The microwave heats the filling faster but turns the tots completely soft and chewy. This casserole does not freeze well because the tots turn mushy after thawing.
