With football season officially back, I thought it was a perfect time to share a recipe for taking your game day food to the next level.
Have you ever heard of totchos? If not, you're in for a real treat. If you have, you already know you're in for a real treat. Totchos are the glorious combination of tater tots and nachos. They are a gift from the heavens made of crunch potato pillows, gooey cheese, and all the fixin's that send it over the edge.
Your traditional totcho is going to be built with all of the more traditional nacho toppings -- cheddar and/or jack cheese, tomatoes, onions, meat of choice, sour cream, etc. But these buffalo chicken totchos take two bar food favorites (buffalo wings and nachos) and make them into its own savory treat of paramount excellence. The crunchy but still soft tots are a perfect vessel for the tender chicken tossed in tangy buffalo sauce and the ooey, gooey, pungent blue cheese sauce. Add a distinctive crunch from celery and carrots and you have yourself an unbeatable party snack for any occasion.
These can be made on a big sheet tray for a crowd or you can cut down the proportions to make it for a smaller gathering (or just yourself!) They actually are great for sharing - just serve them up on the baking sheet with a big spoon or spatula so people can plop a big helping on their plate to enjoy.
Word to the wise: Don't skip the carrots and celery. They add the crunch and freshness this needs and takes it to a whole new level.
Make these for the next big game and you're sure to be the MVP 😉
Buffalo Chicken Totchos
(Makes ~ 4-6 servings)
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 15-20 minutes (for cooking tots)Click below to download and print the recipe
Ingredients:
1 C. cooked an shredded chicken (about 1 chicken breast)*
Buffalo sauce, like Frank's Red Hot or homemade
1 celery stalk, finely minced
2-3 baby carrots, finely minced
3-4 C. frozen tater tots
4 oz. blue cheese**
1/2 C. milk***
2 TB butter
2 tsp. flour
Directions:
Cook tater tots according to package instructions. Make sure to cook them until SUPER crispy (if you have convection setting, this helps to make a crispier tot!)
While tots are cooking, toss the chicken with your desired amount of buffalo sauce. Make sure all the chicken is generously coated - a little extra sauce is ok.
To make blue cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. When butter is melted, add the flour and whisk until the flour is a light beige color, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk with the flour/butter mixture, continuing to whisk until the milk begins to thicken and no lumps of flour remain, about 2-3 minutes. Add the blue cheese to the milk and whisk to combine until cheese is completely melted. Continue whisking until the cheese sauce is a thick but pourable consistency. If it gets too thick, add a little extra milk and whisk.
When the tater tots are finished cooking and really crispy, remove them from the oven. Arrange them in a pile (so they aren't a single layer) either on the baking sheet or a new dish for serving.
Spoon the buffalo chicken over the tots, followed by drizzling the cheese sauce, making sure to get into those crevices between the tots. Use as much cheese sauce as you want -- you may decide to not use it all or keep some on the side for the particularly cheesy blue cheese lovers.
Finally, sprinkle over top the minced carrots and celery.
Serve up with a big spoon for people to serve themselves or just a pile of forks if you're feeling communal.
*Recipe notes + Variations*
*I just roast a chicken breast with olive oil, salt, and pepper in the oven at 425° for 15-20 minutes allow to cool slightly then shred or dice. You can also use leftover chicken from dinner the night before or rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
**Use whatever blue cheese you can find-- block or crumbled. It doesn't need to be the super expensive kind. Just something with a good bite. Alternatively, if you don't like blue cheese, simply use some Monterrey jack instead.
***Use whatever milk you have on hand. I use skim because that is what I buy, but any kind will work. I have never made this with dairy-free milk so I don't know how that would turn out.
Try tossing the tots in a little Ranch seasoning before dressing them. Be careful not to use too much though because it can be a little salty.