Buffalo Chicken Casserole

4.73 from 18 votes

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Buffalo chicken and rice casserole combines your favorite aspects of buffalo chicken into a comforting and healthy casserole recipe. Made with shredded chicken, rice, veggies, and spicy buffalo sauce, then topped with shredded cheese, for a one-pan, 40-minute, high-protein, gluten-free dish.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword buffalo chicken and rice casserole, Buffalo Chicken Casserole, chicken and rice casserole, healthy chicken casserole

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 566kcal

Author Kelly Nardo

Equipment

large skillet

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced onion (120 grams)
1 cup diced carrots (125 grams)
1 cup diced celery (120 grams)
2 cups diced bell pepper (240 grams)
1 cup white rice (uncooked - I used jasmine)
3 cups shredded chicken (12 ounces)
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup buffalo sauce *
1 heaping cup shredded cheddar cheese (3 ounces)
salt and pepper, to taste
for topping - green onions, hot sauce, ranch, blue cheese, parsley, avocado…

Instructions

Rinse your rice. Place rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse for 1-2 minutes until water runs clear.
Sauté your veggies. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Make sure you have a lid for the pan you are using. Add olive oil and let it get hot. Add onion, carrots, celery, and a pinch of salt and pepper, and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add diced peppers and sauté for another 3-4 minutes.
Make casserole. Add rice and shredded chicken and stir to combine. Add broth and buffalo sauce. Mix well again, making sure it is evenly distributed, the ingredients are under the liquid, and nothing is stuck to the bottom. Cover the pan with a lid and turn up the heat to medium. Let it simmer for about 12-18 minutes (I find 15 is the sweet spot), stirring halfway through to make sure the rice doesn’t stick. Once stirred, make sure the ingredients are still under the liquid.
Melt the cheese. After 15 minutes, the liquid should be mostly absorbed and the rice cooked. Remove the lid, turn down the heat to low, and sprinkle the cheese on top. Let the cheese melt for 1-2 minutes. This will also absorb any extra liquid that is in the pan.
Enjoy! Top with toppings of choice and enjoy!

Notes

*you can use either homemade buffalo sauce or store-bought. I prefer homemade as it is so good and easy to make, but both work great! Using a different kind will change the nutrition breakdown.

Nutrition