Tailgate Tots

This is the perfect recipe for that next game day event! Bacon, jalapeno, and chicken atop crispy tater tots; all smothered in gooey cheddar cheese! What could be better?!? Easy to throw together and serve up in support of your favorite team. 

Don't have any game plans? No problem. This recipe also makes a great dinner option. You'll be the MVP at your table... 

 Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:

• 6 slices Bacon, chopped
• 32 oz. bag frozen Tater Tots
• 2 Chicken Breasts, chopped
• 1 fresh Jalapeno (seeded, deveined, chopped)
• 1/2 can Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1/4 cup Sour Cream
• 1 Tbs dry Ranch seasoning
• 1 - 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar, divided
• Jalapeno Slices (from a jar)
• Salt & Pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Begin by cooking your bacon pieces in a skillet, over medium heat. Once crisp, remove them to paper towels with a slotted spoon. Leave as much of the bacon drippings in the pan as possible.

Pour all but 1 - 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings into a 9 x 13 baking pan. (The tiny bits of bacon seasonings will mostly stay in the skillet. That's what you want.) Tilt the baking pan around to distribute the drippings evenly around the bottom.

Pour 3/4 of the bag of frozen tots into the prepared baking pan. Roll them around in the bacon fat a little bit, to get a slight coating on them. (This will help them crisp up.) Arrange them in a single layer and bake uncovered, in the preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. (Baking them separately first, ensures the crunch factor.)  

Meanwhile, return the skillet (with the 1 - 2 Tbs of bacon drippings) to the stove, and cook the chopped chicken and jalapeno, until the chicken is no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper as desired, while you cook. Use the slotted spoon to move the cooked chicken and jalapeno to a mixing bowl. To this add the rest of the tots, 1/2 of the cooked bacon pieces, the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, ranch mix, and 1/2 cup of the cheese.

When the tots have finished cooking for the 15 minutes, pull them out of the oven and spoon the chicken mixture evenly over the top. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.

Once that is complete, pull them out again and layer evenly with the toppings as follows:
1/2 cup cheese -> Other 1/2 of the bacon -> Jalapeno slices -> 1/4 cup cheese over the top. (The cheese on top and bottom helps to hold everything together.)

Return to the oven, and bake for 5 minutes more - just long enough to melt the cheese & bring it all together. Nom. Nom. Nom.

Serves 6-8

Go Team!