My house is full of chicken-eaters. I can cook chicken just about any way and my family would gobble it up. Gobble. Ha! Poultry jokes, thatās right, folks. I swear I donāt plan out the dork, it just flows naturally. I digress. Anyway, as much as I, too, enjoy chicken- sometimes it gets a little boring. Sometimes you have to change things up a little. Maybe even put a spin on a classic. Enter Cheesy Chicken Tot Pie.
This Cheesy Chicken Tot Pie is just like a pot pie. That is, if pot pie ditched itās boring crust for crispy, cheesy tater tots. I donāt think Iāve ever met anyone that didnāt like tater tots. And with good reason. Perfectly cooked tater tots have a lovely, crispy outside and tender insides. A great way to enjoy a potato. And a great new way to change up the traditional chicken pot pie.
Let me show you how I made this Cheesy Chicken Tot Pie šš»
Start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season 1 1/2 LBS of cubed chicken pieces with salt and pepper and then add them to the skillet.
Brown the chicken until it has some color. Technically, the chicken doesnāt need to be cooked all the way through because it will go in the oven to finish cooking, but you want some nice color on the chicken.
Remove the chicken to a bowl or plate.
Next add 2 tbsp of butter to that same skillet over medium-high heat. Let the butter melt. Then add 1 cup of diced celery, 1 cup of (sliced or diced) carrots, and 1 medium diced onion. Cook until the veggies soften.
Once the veggies have softened, add 2 tbsp of flour and stir constantly to cook the flour and coat the veggies, cook for about 1-2 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium and slowly whisk in 2 cups of chicken broth. Whisk until the broth is smooth. No lumps!
Add 1 tbsp of dried parsley, 2 tsp of Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp of ground turmeric, and 1 tsp each of salt and pepper.
Let the filling simmer for about 2-3 minutes until it thickens slightly. Then add the chicken back to skillet, along with 1/2 cup of frozen peas and 1/2 cup of frozen corn. Stir to combine.
Pour the chicken filling into an 8×10ā casserole dish. You could actually use whatever size dish you like, but just remember that the bigger the dish means the more tater tots that youāll need to cover the top.
Funny story: I ran out of tater tots in the middle of topping the casserole. š¤¦š»āāļø My husband was kind enough to run to the store to get more. So I included an approximate number of how many I used so you, too, donāt guess wrong. š
Top the chicken filling with even rows of frozen tater tots until itās completely covered in all of itās tater tot glory. Then put it in the oven and cook for about 25 minutes until the tots are crispy and golden brown.
The next step is optional, but when I say optional, I mean that you should definitely do it… Remove the casserole dish from the oven and top those crispy tots with some freshly shredded cheddar cheese (about 1 cup).
Pop it back in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese is completely melted. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving so the filling can set. And then it wonāt be as hot as molten lava.
To serve: Spoon the Chicken Tot Pie into bowls and top with some fresh parsley.
Enjoy!!
These are the recommended products that I used to make this delicious recipe! These are not only products that I use, but products that I love.
Cheesy Chicken Tot Pie
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into cubes
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1 Medium White Onion, diced
- 1 Cup Celery, diced
- 1 Cup Carrots, diced
- 2 Tbsp AP Flour
- 2 Cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
- 1 Tbsp Dried Parsley
- 2 Tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 Tsp Ground Tumeric
- 1/2 Cup Frozen Sweet Peas
- 1/2 Cup Frozen Corn
- 1/2 Bag Frozen Tater Tots (about 60-70 Tots)
- 1 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded (I used white cheddar)
- Salt & Pepper
- Chopped Fresh Parsley, for topping (Optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Season the cubed chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until the chicken is cooked through and has a little color, about 5-7 minutes. When done, remove to a plate and set aside.
- Add the butter to the skillet and melt. Add the celery, carrots, and onion. Cook until the veggies are softened. Add the flour and stir constantly to cook the flour for 1 -2 minutes until the veggies are coated.
- Slowly add the chicken broth, whisking while adding. Whisk until the broth is incorporated and smooth (no lumps). Add the parsley, Italian seasoning, ground turmeric, and a teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
- Let it simmer until the broth thickens slightly, about 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken back to the skillet, along with the frozen peas and corn. Stir to combine. Pour the chicken filling into a casserole dish (I used an 8×10ā).
- Top the chicken filling with even rows of frozen tater tots. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until the tater tots are crispy and golden brown.
- Remove the casserole dish from the oven and top with the shredded cheddar cheese. Place back in the oven and bake until the cheese is gooey and melted, about 5 minutes.
- Spoon the tot pie into bowls and top with fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Welcome to Cupcakes and Sarcasm! My name is Maggie and I am the creator of C & S. I am a wife and mom of two beautiful kiddos. I grew up in Columbus, Ohio and now live in Northeast Ohio with my family. I have been cooking and baking since I was a kid. I decided in 2017 that I wanted to share my passion (and recipes) with all of you! On this site, you’ll find easy and delicious recipes- both savory and sweet. I’ll also sprinkle in some stories of parenting and our adventures along the way.