Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken, Bacon, & Tater Tot Bake

Name: Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken, Bacon, & Tater Tot Bake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 190 min
Total time: 200 min
Ingredients: 32 ounces frozen tater tots ((1 bag)); 6 slices thick-cut bacon; 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch cubes); 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon onion powder; ¾ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon pepper; 8 ounces cheddar or Colby jack cheese (shredded); ⅔ cup 2% milk (or whole milk)

This Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken, Bacon, & Tater Tot Bake takes everyone’s favorite ingredients and combines them to make one tasty meal!

With a list of ingredients like this, it doesn’t take a food critic to know that Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken, Bacon, & Tater Tot Bake will be a smash hit at the dinner table. Layer all of these delicious ingredients into your crock pot, set it, and forget it for three hours, and come back to the perfect family dinner indulgence.

LONG NAME, SIMPLE DISH

Chicken, cheese, bacon, and tots- oh my! When a recipe title lists its ingredients out like this, you know that they are all equally important- and delicious! This tater tot bake recipe has the added bonus of being ridiculously easy to make too!

INGREDIENTS

Chicken: This chicken bake recipe calls for 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts.

Bacon: You’ll need 6 slices of cooked thick-cut bacon. You can use ready-to-serve bacon if you want to save time.

Tots: Don’t forget the most important part! A 32-ounce bag of frozen tots.

Dairy: You’ll need a package of shredded cheese and some milk. I usually use cheddar or a Colby Jack cheese.

Seasoning: Season this cheesy chicken bake with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT CHEESY CHICKEN, BACON, & TATER TOT BAKE

STEP ONE: For this cheesy chicken and bacon bake, start by coating the inside of your crock pot with non-stick cooking spray. Dump half of the bag of frozen tater tots into the crock pot and spread them evenly along the bottom. Top the bottom layer of tots with 1/3 of the cheese and 1/2 of the crumbled bacon bits.

STEP TWO: Place the uncooked chicken cubes on top of the tater tot layer. Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Top the chicken layer with 1/3 of the cheese.

STEP THREE: Spread the remaining frozen tater tots over the chicken layer and top them with the remaining bacon and cheese. Finally, pour the milk over the top of the crock pot contents.

STEP FOUR: Once assembled, cover the crock pot and bake this Cheesy Chicken, Bacon, & Tater Tot Bake on HIGH for 3 hours or until the chicken is fully cooked through. Serve warm and enjoy!

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

If you don’t feel like frying bacon, try cooking it in the oven!
Remember, chicken is safely cooked once it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and is no longer pink in the middle.

HOW REHEAT A CHICKEN TATER TOT BAKE

If you end up with leftovers, transfer them from the crock pot into an airtight container and store them in a fridge for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to reheat, I suggest transferring leftovers to a casserole dish and reheating them in the oven. Reheating in the oven is the only way you will get back some of the crispiness from the tots! Cover the dish with foil and reheat it at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

CAN YOU USE COOKED CHICKEN IN A CROCK POT TATER TOT BAKE

I have used chopped-up rotisserie chicken in this recipe before. If you opt to use pre-cooked chicken, you can cut the cooking time in half, which is a great way to save time in a pinch!