Buffalo Chicken Casserole

If you’re looking for a dish that packs a punch with both flavor and comfort, look no further than this Buffalo chicken casserole. With tender chunks of chicken, a creamy ranch sauce and a spicy kick thanks to the Buffalo wing sauce, this is an easy-to-make meal the whole family will love. Whether you’ve got friends coming over for the big game or you’re just craving some hearty goodness, this casserole combines the beloved flavors of Buffalo wings with the cozy appeal of a baked dish. Serve this Buffalo chicken casserole recipe with garlic bread (or garlic toast) and a crunchy green salad.

Ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Casserole

• Pasta: Our recommendation is penne, but you can use whichever pasta shape you prefer, like mini shells, elbow, curly pasta or even angel hair pasta.
• Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and cut them into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Spices: Use garlic powder, salt and pepper to give an earthy, flavorful boost to your Buffalo chicken casserole.
• Olive oil: We recommend using a lighter extra virgin olive oil for best results, as a deeper flavor will compete with the rest of the flavors here.
• Ranch salad dressing: Creamy ranch dressing helps to balance the spiciness of the Buffalo sauce (you can sub Alfredo sauce for the ranch, which will change up the flavor but be delicious nonetheless).
• Sour cream: Although sour cream is the creamiest option, feel free to sub mayo, heavy cream or half-and-half.
• Buffalo wing sauce: This spicy sauce is what gives the casserole its distinct flavor. Feel free to sub a hot sauce of your choice.
• Cheese: Use a mix of shredded mozzarella cheese and crumbled blue cheese for a distinct, cheesy blend.
• Green onions (optional): It may be optional to garnish with sliced green onions, but we highly recommend it. It gives a boost in both color and flavor.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the pasta

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, then drain it and set it aside.

Editor’s Tip: Slightly undercook the pasta for the best results.

Step 2: Prep and cook the chicken

Julia Hartbeck for Taste of Home

While the pasta is cooking, sprinkle the chicken with the garlic powder, salt and pepper. In a large skillet, cook the chicken in the oil until it’s no longer pink, five to seven minutes. Remove it from the heat, then stir in the cooked pasta. Set the skillet aside.

Step 3: Make the sauce, assemble the casserole

Julia Hartbeck for Taste of Home

In a small bowl, mix the ranch dressing, sour cream and Buffalo sauce until thoroughly combined. Pour this mixture over the chicken and pasta, then toss to coat everything evenly. Transfer the chicken and pasta to a greased 13×9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and crumbled blue cheese over the top.

Step 4: Bake the casserole

Julia Hartbeck for Taste of Home

Bake the casserole, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until it’s heated through. Uncover it, then continue baking until the cheese is bubbly and golden-brown, about five more minutes. Let the casserole stand for five minutes before serving. If desired, garnish it with chopped green onions.

Editor’s Tip: Set the chopped onions and additional sour cream in a bowl on the table. These can be added to individual servings, as desired, rather than topping the entire casserole.

Julia Hartbeck for Taste of Home

Buffalo Chicken Casserole Variations

• Add extra garnishes: Possible garnishes include chopped black olives, purple onions and chopped lettuce (we recommend iceberg or romaine, as both will remain crunchy). It’s also nice to serve sour cream on the side, especially for those who need to tone down the spice of the Buffalo sauce.
• Nix the pasta: Skip the penne and add a white bean, such as great northern or garbanzo beans.
• Add veggies: Frozen corn, broccoli, mushrooms or green peppers are nice additions to this dish.

How to Store Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Keep any leftovers in the baking dish that you used to bake the casserole. Once it has completely cooled, re-cover the dish in aluminum foil. It will keep in the fridge this way for three to four days.

You can also freeze leftovers. Once cooled, transfer the leftovers to an airtight, freezer-safe baking dish or storage container. It is safe to consume Buffalo chicken casserole up to three months after initially freezing it.

How do you reheat Buffalo chicken casseroles?

To reheat this, simply transfer the dish to the oven. Set the oven to 350°, and leave the aluminum foil securely on. Reheat it for 25 minutes, or until it’s heated through.

Buffalo Chicken Casserole Tips

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Why is my casserole soupy?

To prevent a soupy casserole, make sure you’ve thoroughly drained the pasta. Extra water will lead to a soupier texture. You can also add more cheese and chicken to the mix if you’d like a thicker casserole.

Why is my chicken dry?

Because you’re cooking the chicken twice (first in the skillet, then in the oven), it’s easy to end up with dry chicken. To avoid this, the initial cook of the chicken should be done as quickly as possible. If you cook chicken too slowly, with temperatures that are too low, the fibers of the meat will break down, which results in a dry texture. To avoid this, cook the chicken on medium-high heat and until the meat is just no longer pink. This typically takes about three minutes per side.

How else can I mix up this recipe?

Some tasty ideas include swapping the penne for potatoes—specifically tater tots. Using tots as a base will bring this spicy dish to a whole new level of indulgence. You can also switch up the sauce, using mayonnaise, heavy cream, sour cream or even Alfredo sauce with bread crumbs. Essentially, this is a versatile recipe that you can absolutely play around with. The main ingredients (the chicken and the Buffalo sauce) are the two essentials; everything else can be tailored to your specific desire or craving.