Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Casserole (Print Page)
Creamy buffalo chicken baked with gooey cheese and pasta, ready in 50 minutes for a bold crowd-pleasing meal.
# 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)
# Directions:
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 - Fold in the shredded chicken, cooked pasta, 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese, and 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Mix until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
04 - Transfer the mixture into the prepared casserole dish, spreading it into an even layer. Top with the remaining cheddar and mozzarella cheeses.
05 - Sprinkle blue cheese crumbles and panko breadcrumbs over the top for added 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.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Everything you crave about buffalo chicken dip, but hearty enough to stand on its own as a real dinner.
- The creamy, tangy, spicy sauce clings to every single pasta shell like it was made for it.
02 -
- Undercooked pasta will finish in the oven, but overcooked pasta will turn to mush, so always pull it one minute before the package says it is done.
- Reserving half a cup of pasta water before draining can save a sauce that ends up too thick after mixing.
03 -
- Mix the cream cheese base a day ahead and refrigerate it, then fold in the chicken and pasta right before baking to save time on busy days.
- Shred your own cheese from a block instead of buying pre shredded bags, because the anti caking agents on pre shredded cheese prevent it from melting smoothly.