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This Totchos recipe combines BBQ chicken with queso for the best loaded totchos ever! Crispy tots topped with creamy cheese sauce, shredded BBQ chicken, and all the toppings is an easy appetizer or snack for game-day and parties. Or, make a batch for a fun dinner!
Table of Contents
What are Totchos?
What happens when you combine crispy tater tots with nachos and BBQ chicken? Spoiler alert: you get fantastic BBQ chicken totchos!
If you’re new to homemade totchos, allow me to introduce you. This is a Disney totchos recipe inspired by the ones you get at the parks. There are all kinds of totchos recipes, and the one I’m sharing is always a favorite.
If you’ve ever had Sonic totchos, they’re basically the same thing – a combination of tots topped with creamy cheese sauce and all the toppings like jalapeno, more cheese, diced tomatoes, and sour cream.
So, like nachos but with hot and crispy tots instead and topped with BBQ chicken. They are the best game-day snack, party appetizer, or fun Friday night dinner for the family. Plus, they’re easy!
What are Totchos made of?
Frozen Tater Tots: The tater tots are the “chips” of the nachos. Buy whatever brand you like.
Queso: I’ll show you how to make that below – you can also substitute shredded cheese.
Shredded chicken – I use rotisserie chicken and toss it with BBQ sauce. Use up leftover chicken for this, or make instant pot shredded chicken!
BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite. I’m loving G Hughes sugar free sauces right now but you can use your favorite brand/flavor.
Toppings: You can choose your favorites, but we use diced tomatoes, sliced jalapenos, diced red onion, and sour cream with a sprinkle of lime.
How to make Queso for Totchos
I LOVE these BBQ totchos with queso, and it’s very easy to make. If you’ve never made homemade cheese sauce, I think you’ll love it! Here’s what you need to make it:
- Butter: Salted or unsalted
- Flour: All purpose flour
- Whole milk: You can substitute low or nonfat
- Cheese: Monterey jack cheese or queso quesadilla cheese – shredded so it melts easier.
- Spices: Salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne
You can make the queso while the tater tots are baking – by the time they’re done, your cheese sauce will be ready!
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once it’s melted, sprinkle the flour over the top and whisk until the mixture is foamy.
- Slowly pour the milk into the butter and flour mixture while whisking. Whisk continuously, so no lumps form.
- Cook the sauce for a few minutes while stirring until it’s thickened. When it coats the back of a spoon, it’s ready.
- Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the shredded cheese. Once it’s melted and the cheese sauce is smooth, add all the spices and stir to combine.
How to make Totchos with BBQ Chicken
- Bake the tater tots following the package instructions.
- Spoon the queso over the tots.
- Top the cheese and tater tots with the BBQ chicken.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top.
- Bake the totchos until they are warmed, and the cheese is melted.
- Garnish with jalapenos, red onion, sour cream, and lime zest.
- Devour!
Variations
Just like nachos, you can switch up the ingredients in these BBQ chicken totchos with your favorite toppings.
- I think the queso is amazing, but you can skip it and top your totchos with shredded cheese. Instead of Monterey jack, try pepper jack cheese or cheddar cheese.
- Top them with your favorite salsa before serving.
- Add some guacamole or diced avocado.
- Garnish with green onions instead of red onions.
- Add a sprinkle of chopped cilantro for garnish.
FAQ
Store totchos with queso in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for a few days, but the tots won’t be as crispy. I think they’re best when they’re made.
Did you bake the tater tots long enough? You need to bake them until they’re hot, golden brown, and crispy on the outside. That way, they won’t immediately soften once you add the toppings.
Also, keep in mind that they will get soggy if they sit out for a while. Totchos are best eaten not long after they’re assembled.
Nope, but I highly recommend it! If you’re short on time, you can use jarred queso or skip it and top the totchos with shredded cheese.
Double-check that you measured the flour correctly. The flour and butter are the thickeners, and if less flour is added, the queso won’t thicken properly.
If you measured the flour correctly, it might be that you didn’t cook the milk long enough. It takes a few minutes for the flour to thicken it. The easiest way to know when it’s ready is to see if the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Yes, but the queso won’t be as thick or rich.
More Appetizers or Snacks Perfect for Parties
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BBQ Chicken Totchos Recipe
Ingredients
For the Queso
- 1 tablespoon (14g) butter
- 1 tablespoon (8g) flour
- 1½ cups (355ml) whole milk
- 1 cup (112g) monterey jack cheese or queso quesadilla cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne or to taste
For the Nachos
- 32 ounce bag (907g) of tater tots
- 2 cups (140g) shredded chicken
- 1 cup (237ml) barbecue sauce
- 2 roma tomatoes diced (¼ inch)
- 2 jalapenos sliced and seeded (or use pickled)
- ¼ cup diced red onion ¼ inch
- 2 tablespoons (15g) sour cream garnish
Instructions
- Place tater tots in a single layer on a cookie sheet or 9×13-inch pan. Bake according to package directions.
- Mix shredded chicken with barbecue sauce and set aside.
- While tots are baking, make the queso. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Sprinkle flour over butter and whisk until foamy.
- Slowly pour in milk, continuing to whisk until mixture is smooth.
- Allow the mixture to thicken (it should coat the back of a spoon), stirring constantly.
- Once thickened, remove the skillet from heat.
- Add in 1 cup of shredded cheese and mix until melted.
- Add in salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and cayenne and mix.
- Cover and set queso aside.
- Spoon some queso over the tater tots.
- Spoon barbecue chicken onto the dish.
- Sprinkle the ½ cup of queso quesadilla cheese over the chicken.
- Place the dish in the oven and bake for 7-9 minutes until warmed through and the cheese is melted.
- Remove the dish from the oven and garnish with tomato, red onion, and sliced jalapenos and drizzle with crema.
- Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
2. If you would like to make ahead, prep the toppings (tomatoes, onions, jalapenos) and store in airtight containers. Make the queso and store in an airtight container. When ready to serve, heat the queso in a skillet over medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes until warmed through and creamy.
3. The amount of queso you use is totally up to you!
4. If you prefer crispier totchos, add an extra 5 minutes to the instructed baking time on the package and use less queso when layering. Or, keep the queso separate altogether and serve as a side that can be spooned over the top of the totchos.
Recipe Nutrition
BBQ Chicken Totchos are perfect for snacks, hosting, parties or even a fun dinner when you’re wanting something crispy and tasty!
The recipe looks and sounds so good . Love all the fresh veggies added . Think I will maybe top mine with more tomatoes green and other color peppers, some black sliced olives and maybe some water chestnuts for crunch !!!!
If you love the BBQ Chicken Pizza the you will love these. It tasted just like the pizza. This is a keeper and I will definitely make it again.
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