Buffalo Chicken Casserole Easy Recipe

This buffalo chicken pasta casserole is my ultimate comfort food, combining all my favorite bold flavors into one epic dish. The creamy, cheesy goodness with a spicy kick from the buffalo sauce never fails to make my taste buds do a happy dance!

This casserole combines tender chicken coated in a spicy buffalo sauce with a protein-rich pasta base. (Buffalo Chicken Pasta Casserole?!) If you’d like your meal to melt away stress as well as tension and you have a couple of hours to devote to cooking, try this recipe.

The creamy blue cheese and sharp cheddar in this dish amply plate the protein palette and meld ridiculously well with the spiral pasta. My wife Sandi doesn’t like blue cheese.

I have a hunch that most people don’t know how nuts blue cheese crumbles are when placed in a blender or a food processor so they become creamy and smooth. And yet this is a main part of the sauce.

Sandi doesn’t know I used blue cheese. She thinks I’m nuts.

But she’s really not a fan of blue cheese.

Ingredients

Shredded Cooked Chicken:
Rich in proteins; accommodates muscle augmentation and restoration.

Buffalo Sauce:
Imparts a zesty punch; low-cal seasoning.

Ranch Dressing:
Tangy flavor; smooth texture.

Shredded Cheddar Cheese:
Yields calcium; full-bodied, savory flavor.

Crumbled Blue Cheese:
The flavor is strong; the protein and calcium content are high.

Green Onions:
Antioxidants are abundant in this form.

It is a source of a great many antioxidants and therefore an excellent candidate for a source that could potentially confer freshness benefits.

Ingredient Quantities

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• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup buffalo sauce
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 3 cups cooked pasta
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup diced celery

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Instructions

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and put a touch of butter on a baking dish to keep the casserole from sticking.

2. In a big mixing bowl, mix the cooked chicken, which you have shredded, with the sauce, buffalo in nature, and stir until the chicken is well coated in this sauce.

3. Combine the ranch dressing, sour cream, and celery in a bowl and mix well.

4. Carefully incorporate the cooked pasta, making certain that all components are evenly mixed together.

5. Pour the mixture into the baking dish you’ve prepared and spread it evenly.

6. Evenly distribute the shredded cheddar cheese across the top surface of the casserole.

7. Evenly crumble the blue cheese over the cheddar.

8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake in this oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

9. Take the casserole out of the oven and let it sit for a short time.

10. Chopped green onions make a delightful garnish for this dish served piping hot from the oven. It is a flavorful casserole that is sure to please your taste buds with all the elements of buffalo chicken.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven
2. Baking dish
3. Mixing bowl (large)
4. Mixing bowl (medium)
5. Mixing spoon or spatula
6. Measuring cups
7. Knife
8. Cutting board
9. Oven mitts

FAQ

• Can I use a different type of cheese?Certainly, you can replace cheddar cheese with either Monterey Jack or mozzarella to achieve a flavor that’s a tad different. Cheddar cheese can be substituted with the following:
  1. Monterey Jack
  2. Mozzarella (slightly different flavor)
• What kind of pasta works best?Pasta shapes with short profiles, such as penne, rotini, or shells, are excellent for absorbing the sauce and producing a satisfying texture. They also give you more surface area for the sauce to cling to, so you get a better flavor in every bite.
• Is there a substitute for buffalo sauce?If you don’t have buffalo sauce, a mixture of hot sauce and melted butter can serve as a stand-in.
• Can I make this casserole ahead of time?Certainly, you can ready and put together the casserole, then chill it for as long as a day, before putting it in the oven.
• What can I serve with this casserole?It’s a complete meal when enjoyed with a side salad, garlic bread, or steamed veggies.

  Those are just some meal pairings. Here are several more that might tempt your taste buds:

• Is there a lower-calorie option for ranch dressing?A lighter alternative would be ranch dressing made with Greek yogurt.

Substitutions and Variations

You can use hot sauce or a mixture of hot sauce and melted butter in place of buffalo sauce.
For ranch dressing, try substituting blue cheese dressing for a slightly different flavor.
Substitute shredded cheddar cheese with Monterey Jack cheese or Colby cheese for a milder flavor.
Substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream in a recipe to make it healthier.
An alternative to using diced celery is to use diced cucumbers. They have the same crunchy texture but better nutritional value and flavor profile. I did not say that.

Pro Tips

1. Perfect the Buffalo Sauce Mix For richer flavor, use homemade buffalo sauce or enhance store-bought sauce by adding a bit of melted butter, garlic powder, and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

2. Cheese Layering Technique For a nice crust, mix a small portion of breadcrumbs with the shredded cheddar before sprinkling it over the casserole. This will add a subtle crunch and ensure an even melt.

3. Customizable Heat Adjust the heat level to your preference by modifying the buffalo sauce. Add extra hot sauce for more spice or mix in a bit of honey for a milder, slightly sweet finish.

4. Pasta Cooking Tip Cook the pasta slightly al dente, as it will continue to cook in the oven and absorb more flavors without becoming mushy.

5. Enhanced Texture Lightly toast the celery in a pan with a touch of butter before mixing it into the casserole to add depth of flavor and maintain a crisp consistency.