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a serving of buffalo chicken casserole on a white plate with a fork.
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Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Buffalo Chicken Casserole is a cheesy, creamy, filling and comforting hot dish made with spicy shredded chicken, blue cheese, and pasta.
Author Diana
Servings 6 Servings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (450 g) dried pasta Penne or other short pasta
  • 2 pounds (900 g) skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
  • 1 cup (240 ml) buffalo wing sauce
  • ½ cup (120 ml) ranch dressing
  • ½ cup (120 ml) milk whole or 2%
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup (112 g) shredded mozzarella cheese divided
  • ½ cup (67 g) crumbled blue cheese
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup (21 g) grated Parmesan cheese
  • Additional crumbled blue cheese for garnish
  • Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C), or 170°C for a fan oven. Grease a 9x13-inch (approx 22x33 cm) baking dish.
  • Cook penne according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  • In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, sautéing until translucent. Add the cooked, shredded chicken and buffalo wing sauce, stirring to combine. Cook for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked penne, buffalo chicken mixture, ranch dressing, milk, half of the mozzarella cheese, and salt and pepper. Mix well.
  • Transfer the pasta and chicken mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining mozzarella and blue cheese crumbles.
  • In a small bowl, mix together panko breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole.
  • Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling.
  • Garnish with additional crumbled blue cheese and chopped fresh parsley. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Cook the pasta to al dente: The pasta will continue to cook while the casserole is baking, so it's important that you don't overcook it while boiling.
  • Choose your baking dish: A 9x13-inch (22x33 cm) glass or ceramic baking dish is the perfect size for this recipe. If you use one that is a different size, you may need to adjust your baking time since the casserole will be thinner or thicker.
  • Taste and adjust: The amount of wing sauce used in this recipe is enough to be sure that you taste it, but not so much that it's too spicy. Feel free to add some extra hot sauce to the chicken mixture if you want extra heat.
  • Use the right sauce: This recipe calls for "wing sauce" which is generally hot sauce that is mellowed out by mixing it with butter. Be sure not to use straight hot sauce, or your casserole will be much too spicy.
  • Storing Leftovers: Store leftover buffalo chicken pasta bake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 712kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 52g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 2145mg | Potassium: 856mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 335IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 260mg | Iron: 2mg