This updated version of a classic is a comfort food win. Try this One Pot Chicken Cordon Bleu Hotdish for your next weeknight dinner!
Have you ever heard of hotdish? It’s a casserole that usually contains a starch, a meat, and a canned or frozen vegetable mixed with canned soup. The dish originated in the Midwest, but it’s recently found a resurgence all over the country. For whatever reason, tater tots have really had a comeback as of late. I mean totchos are huge now, and you can find tots on the menu at almost any hipster restaurant. Anyway, if you’ve ever been to a family reunion or church potluck in Minnesota, you’ve definitely had hotdish. Today I’m sharing with you my One Pot Chicken Cordon Bleu Hotdish, which is a quick and easy way to feed a crowd.
To be fair, I’d never had hot dish before I started seeing people like Molly Yeh and Pinch of Yum post about it on their blogs. Truth be told, I would never think to put frozen tater tots on top of something and call it good. I mean, I grew up in Kentucky where fried chicken was our family reunion and church potluck food, and we still treat it like it’s gold. But, tater tots? I was skeptical, to say the least. If you are too, hear me out. First of all, you have everything you need in one pot. Carbs, cheese, protein, and vegetables are all piled on top of one another, and you only need one pot to accomplish it. Score! Plus, it’s like having a crispy hashbrown on top whatever you want. I’m now a convert of the hotdish and you should be too. Let’s all give a big Midwestern thank you to the ladies that chose to accompany their Jell-O salad with this dish.
Check out my Chicken Cordon Bleu Burgers!
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 oz diced ham
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 6 oz shredded swiss
- 3 cups shredded chicken
- 1 cup frozen peas
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bag of frozen tater tots (you won’t use them all)
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
- chopped parsley to garnish
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a 10.25-inch cast iron skillet. Add the onion garlic, and diced ham to the butter and saute until onions are soft. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to coat. When you can’t see any more dry flour, add the milk slowly, stirring after each addition, until smooth. Add the shredded swiss and stir until melted.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and peas. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed.
- Top with a full single layer of tater tots.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes. Let stand for a few minutes before serving. Top with crumbled bacon and chopped parsley to serve.