Buffalo Chicken Casserole

This creamy Buffalo chicken casserole combines spicy hot sauce and ranch-style flavor with chicken, cheese, and pasta for a hearty meal that’s so much easier than making chicken wings.

overhead shot of bowl of buffalo chicken casserole with text overlay for facebook


 

Combining the chicken, cream cheese, sauce, and ranch together feels a bit like making a Buffalo chicken dip. But then, the cheesy mixture gets mixed with ziti before baking — it’s the ultimate spicy, creamy comfort food.

The next time you’re looking for an easy dinner recipe, or a casserole to feed a crowd on game day, check out this creamy casserole.

close up of overhead shot of buffalo chicken casserole

Why You’ll Love Buffalo Chicken Casserole

If you’re a fan of fast and flavorful casseroles you’ll love this one.

  • Easy – If you love Buffalo chicken wings, you’ll love this recipe that’s way easier to make than frying up wings.
  • Convenient – It’s not nearly as messy as eating handheld wings and the leftovers are perfect to take to work or school the next day.
  • Customizable – You can make this as spicy or mild as you like. 
  • Affordable – You may have many of the ingredients already and most are fairly inexpensive.
serving spoon full of cheesy casserole

Ingredients

These simple ingredients come together quickly to make this delicious casserole.

  • Ziti pasta – This tube-shaped pasta is the perfect size for this dish and will also capture the sauce and ingredients inside of it.
  • Cream cheese – Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature so that it is easier to mix with the other ingredients.
  • Ranch seasoning – You can buy a packet at the store or you can make your own homemade ranch dressing mix.
  • Milk – We prefer to use full fat milk because that makes it creamy but you can use a lower fat variety if you prefer. 
  • Celery – Finely chop the celery into uniform sized pieces.
  • Onion – Dice the onion into pieces similar in size to the celery so that they cook evenly.
  • Hot sauce – You can choose your favorite brand (like Frank’s Red hot Sauce) and make it as spicy or milk as you like.
  • Chicken – Use cooked chicken for this recipe — it can be any cut from chicken breasts to chicken thighs. You can make it yourself or get a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store — just make sure to shred it (or you can use diced chicken).
  • Monterey Jack cheese – Grate it yourself for the best flavor or purchase it shredded already.
  • Green onions – Slice these and sprinkle on top for garnish.
overhead shot of bowl of buffalo chicken casserole

How To Make Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole

This easy recipe comes together in a matter of minutes once the pasta has been cooked.

  1. Prepare the pasta by cooking it al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
  2. Add the cream cheese, milk, and ranch seasoning to a large bowl. 
  3. Using a wooden spoon or stiff rubber spatula, mix the ingredients together to completely combine.
  4. Pour sauce, celery, onion, and half of the cheese into the cream cheese mixture. 
  5. Stir again until all ingredients are incorporated. 
  6. Add the shredded chicken and pasta to the cheese mixture and fold it in until all ingredients are evenly dispersed. 
  7. Pour the chicken mixture into the prepared casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray (or coated with olive oil)
  8. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the casserole.
  9. Bake the casserole until it is bubbly and the cheese has melted.
  10. After removing from the oven, sprinkle sliced green onions on top and serve immediately on its own or with a side salad.

Variations 

You can use our suggestions or come up with your own creative swaps or add-ins for this basic casserole.

  • Pasta shapes – You can use other tubular pastas like rigatoni or penne.
  • Spices and herbs – Add any seasonings you like — garlic powder, onion powder, and ground black pepper are just a few options.
  • Heat – If you want even more spicy flavor, shake in some cayenne pepper or chili powder. You can also dice jalapenos or other hot peppers and mix those in as well.
  • Cheese – Substitute pepper jack, mozzarella cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, or your favorite shredded cheese. You can also sprinkle blue cheese over top after baking.
  • Bacon – Add crumbled crispy bacon to the top of the casserole.
  • Cauliflower – Replace the pasta with chopped cauliflower florets or cauliflower rice to make a low carb or keto buffalo chicken casserole.
  • Sour cream – For a little tang, try adding a bit of sour cream to the mixture before baking.
  • Buffalo wing sauce – Use this instead of hot sauce. But it at the store or make your own Buffalo sauce.
  • Vegetables – If you’re looking to incorporate more veggies, add diced bell peppers, chopped broccoli florets, or corn.
close up of fork full of buffalo chicken pasta

Storage and Freezing

You can easily store leftover casserole which makes it as perfect for meal prep as it is an easy weeknight dinner.

Make-Ahead: You can cook and shred the chicken ahead of time. You can also make the entire casserole and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. 

Refrigerator: Store Buffalo chicken casserole for 3-4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Freezer: Buffalo chicken casserole can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.

collage of buffalo chicken casserole for pinterest

Other Easy Chicken Dishes

There is nothing quite like a chicken dinner or a casserole recipe. Here are a few more you might like.

inside of chicken taco topped with cilantro and chopped onions

Chicken Birria Taco Recipe

These EASY Birria Tacos, packed spicy, earthy, and aromatic flavors are made with chicken instead of beef! They will have you looking forward to taco Tuesday at home!
See The Recipe!
marry me chicken on a spoon

Marry Me Chicken Recipe

Juicy chicken breasts in a creamy sauce and ready in under an hour, this Marry Me Chicken recipe is the perfect weeknight meal!
See The Recipe!
overhead shot of sliced air fryer chicken parmesan

Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan

With fresh ingredients and full of authentic Italian flavor, this Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan recipe might be your new favorite method!
See The Recipe!
overhead shot of casserole dish with buffalo chicken pasta with text overlay for pinterest
overhead shot of bowl of buffalo chicken casserole

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

4 from 12 votes
This creamy Buffalo Chicken Casserole combines spicy hot sauce and ranch-style flavor with chicken, cheese, and pasta to make a hearty meal!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cook pasta al dente, drain, and cool. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick spray.
  • In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, milk, and ranch seasoning. Stir to combine.
  • Add in celery, onion, hot sauce, and half the cheese. Stir to combine.
  • Fold in the chicken and cooked pasta.
  • Spread into the prepared dish and top with remaining cheese.
  • Bake at 375F for 25-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbling.
  • Remove from the oven, garnish with sliced green onions. Serve warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 441 kcal, Carbohydrates: 27 g, Protein: 20 g, Fat: 28 g, Saturated Fat: 17 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8 g, Cholesterol: 81 mg, Sodium: 1104 mg, Potassium: 222 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 4 g, Vitamin A: 894 IU, Vitamin C: 12 mg, Calcium: 481 mg, Iron: 1 mg
Author: Jessica Formicola
Calories: 441
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: buffalo chicken casserole
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Chef Jessica Anne Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and chef behind Savory Experiments. You might see her on the Emmy- nominated TV show Plate It! or on bookshelves as a cookbook author. Jessica is a Le Cordon Bleu certified recipe developer and regularly contributed to Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal, Mashed and more!

Read More About Jessica

4 from 12 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Questions and Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    So tasty – this casserole is one of my husband’s new favorites! I love how quick and easy this is, too. Thanks for the recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    This is such a great way to enjoy pasta and those crave-worthy Buffalo wing flavors! Love this idea. Made it for dinner a few nights ago and it was a hit!

  3. 5 stars
    Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it was a savory success! Quick, easy and packed with flavor; a new favorite, indeed!