It’s time to rewind back to middle school lunch! Two words that should get you there? TATER TOTS. Today we take them to gym class with This Loaded Tater Tot Slow Cooker Chicken recipe! Packed with protein and great for meal prep.
Five things that make life easier?
- Dishwasher
- Washing machine
- Garbage disposal
- Remote control
AND 5, the real MVP? A SLOW COOKER!
If I could only choose one of those 5, I would without second thought choose a slow cooker. The slow cooker I use was around 30 bucks and I’ve had it for almost a decade now.
The best part? Having a slow cooker allows you to prep a weeks worth of meals in around 10-15 minutes!
Tater Tot Slow Cooker Chicken
Now that I convinced you to buy a slow cooker, start this recipe off with a bag of tater tots. The ones I’m using in this recipe are literally the first ones I saw at my grocery store. If you don’t like this style OR if you want a healthier option, look for an alternative like sweet potato tots which are just as good in this recipe!
Add half of your tater tots into the bottom of your slow cooker and sprinkle them with some reduced fat cheese (whatever kind you want, I use a blend).
Follow with bacon bits and a couple squirts of some optional hot sauce.
This is where you could change up the recipe by adding in whatever sauces you want like barbecue, ranch, caesar, and so on.
Next, chop up 3 pounds of chicken breast and add that on top of your first layer. If you don’t chop up your chicken breast they’ll take a bit longer to cook so keep that in mind.
Tater Tot Chicken Layers
Repeat your cheese, bacon bits, and hot sauce layers on top of your chicken with whatever you have left, I usually do two.
In total, you’ll use 1 1/2 cups of reduced fat cheese, 6 tablespoons of bacon bits, and a tablespoon or two of hot sauce.
Pour in 1 1/2 cups of a milk or milk substitute, cover it up, and turn your slow cooker on high heat for around 4 hours.
You could throw it on low heat for 6-8 hours but high will give you more of a crispy tater tot shell.
Shepherds pie, any cottage cheese recipe, oatmeal, and now this. Meals that look like modern day art but taste amazing! Post some other examples of meals that look like this but taste great below.
Room for a healthy dessert? Try our Cottage Cheese Cheesecake next!
Loaded Tater Tot Slow Cooker Chicken
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Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Tater Tots
- 1 ½ Cups Cheese - Reduced Fat (Your choice)
- 6 Tablespoons Bacon Bits
- 1-2 Tablespoons Hot Sauce
- 3 Pounds Chicken Breast
- 12 Ounces Milk - or Milk Substitute
Instructions
- Add in half your bag of Tater Tots (1 Pound) to the bottom of your slow cooker
- Sprinkle on top of your Tater Tots some of your Cheese, Bacon Bits, and Hot Sauce
- Chop up your Chicken Breast and add your chopped up pieces into your slow cooker
- Top your pieces with some more of your Cheese, Bacon Bits, and Hot Sauce
- Add in the rest of your Tater Tots followed by the rest of your Cheese, Bacon Bits, and Hot Sauce
- Pour in your Milk
- Slow cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours
Video
Notes
- Calories: 2795
- Fat: 99g
- Saturated Fat: 31g
- Sodium: 2686mg
- Carbs: 197g = 175g NET CARBS!
- Fiber: 22g
- Sugar: 36g
- Protein: 279g
- Calories: 465
- Fat: 16.5g
- Saturated Fat: 5.1g
- Sodium: 447.6mg
- Carbs: 32.8g
- Fiber: 3.6g
- Sugar: 6g
- Protein: 46.5g
Nutrition
29 Comments
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Hello Derek! This recipe looks amazing and I’m on a huge tater tot kick. My question is this, will the tater tot’s be crispy or soggy? I’m thinking with the liquid it would make them soggy but I’m unsure. What has happened for you? I love a crispy tot so not sure if I can do that here.
Hi David! They don’t get soggy and the top portion should crisp up nicely.
I do not have a slow cooker. I had my mom’s slow cooker that was older than me, which is up there! Lol and that cooker was broken and I can’t bring myself to replace it. Can I put this recipe in a glass dish and throw in air fryer, convection, or regular bake oven? Then for how long on which option. Thanks! Loving your recipes!!
You might be able to get it repaired, those older ones are almost indestructible. Oven at 350F should work but I can’t say I’ve tried it myself!
Can I double this recipe in the slow cooker?
If you have a big enough slow cooker, yes.
What is the serving size 1 cup ?
The weight? This would be determined by weighing the total recipe and dividing that number by 6. I usually just eye this one into 6 equal portions though!
Why do you say the cost of the recipe os $8.50 if the 3lbs of chicken breast alone are more than $10 :/ ?
Hi Juan! My apologies, chicken breast where I live is around $1.29-$1.49/lb which is what it’s based off of. Where are you from?
Texas! hahah but no worries recipe still delicious, big fan of yours Derek!
How long would you cook this without the chicken in it? Id do it on the side.
I use veggie tots in mine. Either cauliflower or broccoli
Love it!!!
This recipe looks delicious as always Derek! Quick question, for whatever reason, I seem to have slight issues with my skin if I drink milk so I haven’t done so in years. I could try the milk substitute, but would forgoing it be an option/what else could be used? I do like almond milk
Almond milk is absolutely fine. You could use a broth too but it may change the flavor/texture up a tad!
This looks great the first time around. Does it re-heat well in the microwave?
Hi Mitchell! Yes, it sure does!
I made this this weekend. Hard to believe you can eat 2 Lbs of tots and a boat load of cheese *over 6 meals) and its still relatively healthy. Tots never tasted so good. Adding this to my monthly meal plans for sure. Thanks for the recipe Derek.
How do you go about heating it up in the microwave? Just a few minutes? Is it just as good?
I do :30-:45 seconds and give it a flip then repeat until hot enough!
My man!!! Awesome stuff.
Do a live show. loving the recipies…
Thanks Greg!