Recipe Details
What You’ll Need
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, split into separate portions
1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch bite-sized chunks
2 ½ cups diced celery
1 ½ cups diced carrot
1 cup finely diced yellow onion
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 (32 fluid ounce) carton chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup instant mashed potato flakes
½ cup freshly chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 ½ lbs frozen bite-sized potato nuggets (such as Ore-Ida® Tater Tots®)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) and set a large baking sheet aside for assembly later.
Warm 1 tablespoon of the split olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken chunks, and cook, turning occasionally, until evenly browned on all sides (8 to 10 minutes total). Transfer the browned chicken to a large bowl and set it aside.
Lower the heat to medium, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, celery, carrot, and onion to the same pan. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until all vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute, until fragrant.
Return the cooked chicken to the pan, then add the chicken broth, butter, heavy whipping cream, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring the whole mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, then stir in the instant potato flakes. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture thickens and bubbles, then fold in the fresh parsley.
While the filling finishes, prep the tot crust: add all frozen potato nuggets to a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high power, stirring once per minute, until fully defrosted and easy to break apart (about 5 minutes total). Stir in the remaining ¼ cup olive oil until evenly combined.
Arrange six 14- to 16-oz individual baking dishes on your prepared baking sheet. Divide the warm chicken mixture evenly between the dishes. Spoon the tot mixture over top of each portion of filling, then press gently to flatten it into a uniform top crust.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and hot around the edges of the dishes.
Switch your oven to preheat the broiler on high, then broil the casseroles for roughly 1 minute, until the tot crust is deep golden brown and extra crisp. Watch very closely during this step to avoid burning. Let the dish cool slightly before serving.