Best 5 Cheesy Chili Tots Recipes

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Calling all chili and tater tot lovers! This Cheesy Chili Tots recipe combines the best of both worlds, creating a dish that's both hearty and delicious. Crispy tater tots are smothered in a flavorful chili con carne and melted cheese, making for a perfect appetizer, snack, or main course.

The recipe starts with making a simple chili con carne using ground beef, tomatoes, beans, and spices. Once the chili is cooked, it's poured over a layer of frozen tater tots in a baking dish. The dish is then topped with shredded cheese and baked until the cheese is melted and bubbly. The result is a cheesy, chili-covered tater tot casserole that's sure to be a hit with people of all ages.

But that's not all! This article also includes two additional recipes for chili tots: Air Fryer Chili Tots and Chili Tot Casserole. The Air Fryer Chili Tots recipe is a healthier version of the classic dish, using an air fryer to crisp up the tater tots instead of baking them. The Chili Tot Casserole recipe is a more substantial version of the dish, with layers of chili, tater tots, and cheese, topped with a creamy sour cream and salsa mixture.

No matter which recipe you choose, you're sure to enjoy this delicious and versatile dish. So grab your favorite chili recipe and some tater tots, and let's get cooking!

Let's cook with our recipes!

CRISPY CHEESY NACHO TOTS



Crispy Cheesy Nacho Tots image

Provided by Valerie Bertinelli

Categories     appetizer

Time 35m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 pound frozen Tater Tots®
1/4 cup half-and-half
1 1/4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons pico de gallo or chopped tomato
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
Sour cream, for topping

Steps:

  • Bake the Tater Tots® until very crispy, following the package directions.
  • Meanwhile, combine the half-and-half, 1 cup of the cheese, and the cornstarch in a small saucepan. Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until melted and smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the pico de gallo.
  • When the Tater Tots are done, transfer them an 8-inch cast-iron skillet. Preheat the broiler to high. Spoon the cheese sauce over the tots and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Broil until the cheese is bubbling and melted, about 1 minute. Top with the cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.

CHEESY CHICKEN AND TATER TOT CASSEROLE



Cheesy Chicken and Tater Tot Casserole image

This spin on a classic Midwestern ''hotdish'' taps into taco seasonings and ingredients and builds them into a satisfying skillet casserole. Potato tots and lots of luscious cheese make it a crowd-pleaser.

Provided by Catherine McCord

Categories     main-dish

Time 1h

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 bell peppers (red, yellow or orange) cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
One 14.5-ounce can low-sodium chicken broth
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces
One 14.5-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 1/2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
80 frozen potato tots, such as Tater Tots (from about one 32-ounce bag)
Guacamole, sour cream, mild salsa and cilantro, for serving, optional

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Combine the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper in a large bowl. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture and the chicken to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside and has released some juices, about 5 minutes (the chicken will finish cooking in the oven). Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to a medium bowl; leave the juices and as much oil as possible in the skillet.
  • Add the bell peppers, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir to combine. Once the mixture looks sandy, add the broth and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until smooth. Fold in the beans, corn, chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Sprinkle the top with 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Remove from the heat.
  • Add the potato tots to the bowl with the remaining 3 tablespoons spice mixture and toss to coat. Arrange the tots over the chicken mixture in a single layer in concentric circles. Sprinkle with any spice mixture left at the bottom of the bowl and the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Bake until the tots are crispy and the casserole is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Serve garnished with guacamole, sour cream, salsa and cilantro, if desired.

CHEESY BACON TATER TOTS®



Cheesy Bacon Tater Tots® image

These delicious tots are great as a side dish or as a game day appetizer. The potatoes crisp in bacon grease before being baked with Cheddar cheese for an easy bacony, cheesy treat.

Provided by fabeveryday

Time 35m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 6

6 slices bacon
1 (32 ounce) package frozen bite-size potato nuggets (such as Tater Tots®)
½ teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
¼ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped green onions

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
  • Cook bacon in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until crispy on both sides, about 10 minutes. Place on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside, keeping the bacon grease in the skillet.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and add potato nuggets to the skillet. Season with garlic salt and toss until evenly coated. Cook until the outsides are crisp, about 10 minutes, turning carefully with a spatula once or twice. Remove the skillet from heat.
  • Carefully remove 1/2 of the potato nuggets from the skillet and spread out remaining nuggets in a single layer. Top with 1/2 of the Cheddar cheese. Place remaining nuggets on top of the cheese and top with remaining cheese.
  • Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake until nuggets are warmed through and the cheese is melted and starts to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes.
  • While the nuggets are baking, crumble the cooked bacon. Remove the skillet from the oven and top with crumbled bacon, sour cream, and green onions.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 359.7 calories, Carbohydrate 28.9 g, Cholesterol 40.4 mg, Fat 24.4 g, Fiber 2.7 g, Protein 12.5 g, SaturatedFat 9.8 g, Sodium 905.2 mg, Sugar 0.9 g

CHEESY TOTS



Cheesy Tots image

These aren't your average tots! Loaded with cheese, they're yummy on their own or dipped in your favorite sauce. They freeze well for later use as well!

Provided by SunnyDaysNora

Categories     Side Dish     Potato Side Dish Recipes

Time 1h4m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled
3 ounces grated Cheddar cheese
3 ounces grated fontina cheese
1 ½ teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
2 cups panko bread crumbs
vegetable oil for frying
salt

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add whole potatoes; boil until just soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Shred potatoes using a food processor. Transfer to a large bowl; allow to cool, about 10 minutes.
  • Mix Cheddar cheese, fontina cheese, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and black pepper into potatoes until well combined. Shape 2 tablespoons of potato mixture at a time into thick disk shapes.
  • Pour flour into a bowl. Whisk eggs together in a separate bowl. Pour panko into a separate bowl. Roll potato disks in flour, coat with egg, and roll in panko.
  • Heat 2 inches oil in a heavy skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fry tots in batches until crispy and golden, about 4 minutes. Cool on a paper towel-lined tray, about 5 minutes. Season with salt.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 251.4 calories, Carbohydrate 33.7 g, Cholesterol 77.7 mg, Fat 10.6 g, Fiber 2.3 g, Protein 10.1 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, Sodium 345.5 mg, Sugar 1.1 g

CHEESY CHILI



Cheesy Chili image

My six grandchildren enjoy feasting on big bowls of this zesty chili. It's so creamy and tasty you can even serve it as a dip at parties. -Codie Ray, Tallulah, Louisiana

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner     Lunch

Time 25m

Yield 12 servings (about 3 quarts).

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 pounds ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cans (10 ounces each) diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chiles
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds Velveeta, cubed
Optional: Sour cream, sliced jalapeno pepper, chopped tomato and minced fresh cilantro

Steps:

  • In a large saucepan, cook the beef, onions and garlic until meat is no longer pink, breaking meat into crumbles; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, chiles and pepper; bring to a boil. , Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes. Stir in cheese until melted. Serve immediately. If desired, top with sour cream, jalapenos, tomatoes and cilantro. , Freeze option: Freeze cooled chili in freezer containers; it may be frozen for up to 3 months. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add a little broth or water if necessary.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 396 calories, Fat 25g fat (15g saturated fat), Cholesterol 85mg cholesterol, Sodium 1166mg sodium, Carbohydrate 13g carbohydrate (9g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 29g protein.

Tips:

  • Choose the right potatoes: Russet potatoes are the best choice for tater tots because they are starchy and hold their shape well. Yukon Gold potatoes can also be used, but they may be a bit softer.
  • Shred the potatoes finely: This will help them cook evenly and prevent them from becoming too mushy.
  • Season the potatoes well: Salt, pepper, and garlic powder are all essential seasonings for tater tots. You can also add other spices, such as chili powder, cumin, or paprika, to taste.
  • Use a generous amount of cheese: The more cheese you use, the more flavorful and gooey your tater tots will be. A good rule of thumb is to use about 1 cup of cheese per pound of potatoes.
  • Cook the tater tots until they are golden brown and crispy: This will ensure that they are cooked through and have a delicious texture.
  • Serve the tater tots with your favorite dipping sauce: Ketchup, ranch dressing, and honey mustard are all popular choices.

Conclusion:

Cheesy chili tots are a delicious and easy-to-make appetizer or side dish. They are perfect for parties, potlucks, or game day gatherings. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a dish that everyone will love. So next time you are looking for a fun and tasty snack, give cheesy chili tots a try. You won't be disappointed!

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