Recipe Background
Some recipes need paragraphs to explain why they're delicious. Other recipes — such as, say, the one for Loaded Chicken & Tots — simply rely on their names to show you how tasty they'll be. Honestly, going into detail about the crispy, golden-brown tater tots, roasted herbaceous broccoli, tender seasoned chicken, and sharp cheddar that combine to make this dish delicious just feels redundant. The title, Loaded Chicken & Tots, says it all... apart from the fact that it takes less than 45 minutes to make, which is just an added bonus!
Some recipes need paragraphs to explain why they're delicious. Other recipes — such as, say, the one for Loaded Chicken & Tots — simply rely on their names to show you how tasty they'll be. Honestly, going into detail about the crispy, golden-brown tater tots, roasted herbaceous broccoli, tender seasoned chicken, and sharp cheddar that combine to make this dish delicious just feels redundant. The title, Loaded Chicken & Tots, says it all... apart from the fact that it takes less than 45 minutes to make, which is just an added bonus!
Ingredients
- 16 ounces tater tots frozen
- 1 head broccoli cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 pound chicken tenders
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- chives optional, to taste, chopped, for topping
- sour cream optional, to taste, for serving
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- On a rimmed baking sheet, spread the tater tots evenly and bake until crisp and golden, about 25 minutes.
- While the tater tots cook, on a second rimmed baking sheet, toss the broccoli with the olive oil and season with the salt and the pepper.
- After the tater tots have baked for about 5 minutes, put the broccoli in the oven and roast until charred and tender, about 20 minutes. This way, the tater tots and the broccoli should be finished cooking around the same time.
- While the tater tots and the broccoli roast, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
- Cook the bacon slices until crisp, about 7-8 minutes.
- Drain the bacon on paper towels, then break it into pieces.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat and drain the rest from the skillet.
- In a large bowl, toss the chicken tenders with the paprika and the garlic powder, then season with the salt and the pepper.
- Heat the reserved bacon fat in the skillet over medium-high heat.
- Place the seasoned chicken tenders in the skillet and cook until browned on all sides, 1-2 minutes per side.
- Combine the baked tater tots and roasted broccoli onto one rimmed baking sheet in an even layer, then top evenly with the chicken tenders.
- Sprinkle the chicken layer with the shredded cheddar.
- Bake until the cheese is browned and bubbly and the chicken reads 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer, about 5 minutes.
- Top with the bacon pieces, the chives, and the sour cream.
- Serve hot!
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