Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Casserole (Printable Version)
Creamy buffalo chicken and pasta bake loaded with melted cheddar and mozzarella for a comforting crowd-pleaser.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded (rotisserie or poached)
→ Casserole Base
02 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 1 cup ranch dressing
04 - 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce, adjusted to taste
05 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
06 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
07 - 8 oz cooked pasta shells or rotini
→ Topping
08 - 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles (optional)
09 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
10 - 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray or butter.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, ranch dressing, and buffalo wing sauce. Stir until smooth and creamy.
03 - Add the shredded chicken, cooked pasta, 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese, and 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese to the bowl. Fold everything together until evenly combined.
04 - Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared casserole dish. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.
05 - Sprinkle blue cheese crumbles and panko breadcrumbs over the top for extra flavor and crunch, if desired.
06 - Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden on top.
07 - Remove from the oven and garnish with thinly sliced green onions. Serve hot with celery sticks, tortilla chips, or a crisp green salad.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- It tastes like buffalo wings met a mac and cheese and they decided to live happily ever after in a baking dish.
- You can throw it together with rotisserie chicken and pantry staples in about fifteen minutes before baking.
- The leftovers reheat beautifully which means lunch the next day is something you actually look forward to.
02 -
- Cold cream cheese will leave you with lumpy sauce no matter how hard you stir so set it out on the counter for at least an hour before starting.
- If you assemble the whole casserole ahead of time and refrigerate it add about ten extra minutes to the baking time since it will be cold going into the oven.
03 -
- Shred your own cheese from a block rather than buying pre shredded bags because the anti caking agents on bagged cheese prevent it from melting as smoothly.
- If you want extra depth of flavor toss the shredded chicken with a tablespoon of buffalo sauce before folding it into the mixture so every piece is seasoned through.