If you're looking for an easy dinner that's big on flavor that the whole family will love? Then look no further than my Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole!
Buffalo chicken lovers, raise your hand! Buffalo is one of those flavors that, if you love it, you love it. When you find that good sauce, you want to dip anything and everything into it. I mean, hello, it is tailgating season, and there's usually a buffalo recipe at every single one you've been to, right?
This Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole has a super creamy buffalo-ranch sauce that will make any dinner a party. Bonus, it comes together super fast and easy for any weeknight dinner!
If you're craving some crispy, spicy chicken to go with that buffalo flavor, check out my Spicy Gluten-free Fried Chicken recipe.
Why is this buffalo chicken casserole recipe so good?
There are two main sauces that I use for this particular recipe, and yes, they are store-bought. I mean, while I could and do make a lot of my sauces entirely from scratch, sometimes it's nice to have some go-to brands that I trust to be grain-free but still utterly delicious.
The first sauce I use is the Steve's Paleo Goods Wing Sauce. Yes, I know there are a few "better brands" of wing sauces on the market, and some of them are great, but theirs is my favorite because the ingredients are super clean and they are not only paleo (grain-free), but they are also refined sugar-free which I love!
The other sauce I use in this recipe is the Primal Kitchens Ranch. This dressing is used almost like water in our house, especially by my husband and our girls. They will put ranch on anything if I let them. So, for me, it was a complete must that I included this sauce in this recipe. Could you sub a different ranch or make your own? Sure, but this one is not only gluten-free, but it's also paleo, keto, dairy-free, and whole30 approved. So, whether you use it in this recipe or on your favorite salad, it's delicious for everything!
Can you make ahead or freeze this recipe?
The ingredients can be made ahead of time and thrown together, then baked off when you're ready to eat. It can also be made entirely ahead of time, frozen whole, and then defrosted and baked just as quickly. That makes this recipe perfect for the meal planner in you. Then you can have it ready to go when those busy weeknights catch up with you and you are tired at the end of the day and trying to find what to make for dinner.
Tips and Tricks
- Make your spaghetti squash and chicken ahead of time if you can. It will make it easier to handle and toss together.
- Don't like spaghetti squash? That's okay because you can sub in cauliflower rice. Not only will it reduce the carbohydrate count in the casserole, but it adds a little bit of a sweet crunch, whereas the spaghetti squash has more of a baked pasta texture.
- Want it hotter? Steve's Paleo Wing Sauce is more smokey than hot, so if you want a little bit more heat in your buffalo sauce, I recommend adding a few teaspoons of extra hot sauce. I recommend Siete Traditional Hot Sauce. They do have other flavors, but the traditional sauce I think works best in this recipe.
More Family Dinners
- Smokey Apple Bacon Stuffed Pork Chops
- Salisbury Steak
- Meyer Lemon Sheet Pan Roasted Chicken
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
📖 Recipe
Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 C Cooked Chicken diced
- 1 Cooked Spaghetti Squash about 4 cups worth shredded
- 8 OZ Cream Cheese
- 2 C Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 1 C Celery chopped
- 1 C Carrots chopped
- ½ C Wing Sauce I like Steve's Paleogoods
- ½ C Ranch Dressing I like Primal Kichen
- 1-2 TBS Hot Sauce optional
- 1 TBS Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- ½ C Green Onion sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Add the cream cheese, half the cheddar cheese, wing sauce, ranch, hot sauce, if you are using it, and spices into a bowl.
- Add the celery, carrots, and diced cooked chicken into the sauce mixture till combined.
- Next add the shredded spaghetti squash, and mix till coated.
- Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and top with remaining cheese.
- Bake for about 30-45 minutes until the cheese is melted, and the sauce is bubbly.
- Remove the dish from the oven and let it cool for about 5-10 minutes.
- Top with green onions, a drizzle of more ranch, and enjoy it!
Notes
- Make your spaghetti squash and chicken ahead of time if you can. It will make it easier to handle and toss together.
- Don’t like spaghetti squash? That’s okay because you can sub in cauliflower rice. Not only will it reduce the carbohydrate count in the casserole, but it adds a little bit of a sweet crunch where the spaghetti squash has more of a baked pasta texture.
- Want it hotter? Steve’s Paleo Wing Sauce is more smokey than it is hot, so if you want a little bit more heat in your buffalo sauce, I recommend adding a few teaspoons of extra hot sauce. I recommend Siete Traditional Hot Sauce. They do have other flavors, but the traditional sauce I think works best in this recipe.
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