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This Buffalo Chicken and Rice Casserole starts with uncooked rice and leftover chicken and turns them into a creamy, cheesy dinner with plenty of buffalo flavor -- no pre-cooking required! The rice bakes right in a tangy buffalo sauce mellowed with cream cheese, soaking up flavor as it cooks, then gets finished with plenty of melted cheddar for a dump-and-cook casserole that packs serious flavor.
Why This Dump and Cook Casserole Works
If you love buffalo chicken but don't have cooked rice or much time to prep, this casserole keeps things simple without sacrificing flavor. The rice cooks right in the sauce, leftover chicken keeps prep to a minimum, and cream cheese balances the buffalo sauce so you get plenty of tang without overwhelming heat.
- No pre-cooked rice. Uncooked long-grain brown or white rice bakes directly in the seasoned broth, soaking up the sauce as it cooks.
- Built for leftover chicken. Rotisserie, store-bought, homemade, or leftover chicken all work. It goes in near the end so it warms through without turning tough.
- Real buffalo flavor, not just heat. Hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika build the flavor, while cream cheese mellows the heat so it tastes balanced rather than simply spicy.
- Kid-approved, with a caveat. The cream cheese and cheddar tame the heat enough that my kids eat it, though my daughter adds a little extra ranch to hers. If your family is especially sensitive to spice, you may want to stick with a classic like my cheesy chicken and rice casserole.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Rice: Use long-grain brown or long-grain white rice. Jasmine and basmati both work well. I usually use brown rice for the extra whole grains, but I've tested this recipe with both and included bake times for each. White rice needs 45 minutes covered instead of 60.
- Hot sauce: I use Frank's RedHot, and Texas Pete is another good option. I skip prepared buffalo sauce here because the seasonings and cream cheese, combined with the hot sauce, already give it an authentic buffalo flavor. If prepared buffalo sauce is all you have, this is one time you can use it. My homemade buffalo sauce or Frank's RedHot Wings Buffalo Sauce are my picks. Expect the casserole to taste milder.
- Cream cheese: It balances the tang of the hot sauce and makes the rice creamy. Don't use fat-free cream cheese, because it separates when baked.
- Cooked chicken: Store-bought or homemade rotisserie chicken or leftover Instant Pot chicken breasts all work, diced or shredded. I don't recommend starting with raw chicken. In my experience, it overcooks and dries out by the time the rice is tender.
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar pairs best with the buffalo flavor. Monterey Jack or Colby work too.
- For serving: Drizzle with my homemade ranch, or use blue cheese dressing if that's your thing. Top with sliced green onions.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken and Rice Casserole
The steps and photos are here to help, but please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full directions and quantities.
- Heat and season the stock. Microwave the chicken stock in a large glass measuring cup for 3 minutes, or until hot. Carefully remove it, then stir in the salt, pepper, dried spices, and hot sauce.
Note from Kristen
Heating the stock may sound like an extra step, but in my testing it helps the rice cook evenly in the oven.
- Rinse and add the rice. Rinse the rice well, then spread it in the greased dish. Don't skip the rinse. It keeps the rice from clumping and stops it from releasing extra starch that would dilute the buffalo flavor.
- Pour and add the cream cheese. Pour the hot broth over the rice and stir to spread it evenly. Scatter the cream cheese cubes over the top.
- Cover and bake. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour for brown rice, or 45 minutes for white rice. No peeking! Just like when making my taco rice casserole, the foil traps the moisture the uncooked rice needs to cook through.
- Fluff, then add the chicken and cheese. Remove the foil. Most of the liquid should be absorbed, and the rice should look plump. Fluff it with a fork, working the melted cream cheese through. Stir in the chicken, sprinkle the cheddar over the top, and bake uncovered for 10 minutes, until the chicken is warmed through and the cheese has melted.
- Top and serve. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes, then drizzle with ranch, top with sliced green onions (if desired), and serve.
How to Serve Buffalo Chicken and Rice Casserole
Just like my buffalo chicken casserole made with potatoes, I like to serve this casserole with a drizzle of my homemade ranch, though blue cheese dressing is delicious too if that's your thing. To round it out as a full dinner:
- A side salad with ranch dressing.
- Fresh fruit for something sweet alongside the heat.
- Raw veggies with ranch dip on the side.
For kids, put extra ranch on the table. My daughter always adds a little more to hers.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze: I don't recommend freezing. The cream cheese separates once thawed, and while it still tastes good, the texture is off-putting.
- Reheat: Microwave individual servings covered with a damp paper towel. It keeps the rice from drying out, so you shouldn't need to add any extra liquid.
More Buffalo Chicken-Inspired Recipes
If buffalo flavor is your weeknight craving, try these next:
- Buffalo Chicken Pizza: Buffalo chicken, cheese, and ranch layered on a store-bought or homemade pizza crust.
- Buffalo Chicken Bites: Tender chicken bites tossed in buttery hot sauce and ready for dipping.
- Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip: A creamy, cheesy dip made for entertaining.
- Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Chili: The flavor of buffalo chicken in a creamy, cozy chili.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Buffalo Chicken and Rice Casserole
Uncooked rice bakes in a tangy buffalo sauce with cream cheese, then gets stirred together with leftover chicken and topped with melted cheddar for an easy dump-and-cook dinner with no pre-cooked rice required.
Video
Ingredients
- olive oil and cooking spray
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice, rinsed well (see notes if using white rice)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup hot sauce, like Frank's RedHot
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 3 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Ranch or bleu cheese and green onions for serving
Instructions
- Arrange the oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 400℉. Lightly grease a 3-quart baking dish (like a 9x13-inch pan) with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Rinse the rice well in a colander. Shake out the excess liquid and add the rice to the prepared baking dish.
- Add the chicken stock to a large glass measuring cup and microwave for 3 minutes, or until steaming. Carefully remove from the microwave and stir in 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ cup hot sauce.
- Pour the hot broth mixture over the rice and stir to distribute evenly. Scatter the cream cheese cubes evenly over the baking dish.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 60 minutes. NO peeking!
- After 60 minutes, remove the pan from the oven, remove the foil, and fluff the mixture with a fork to fluff the rice and incorporate the cream cheese.
- Stir in the chicken, sprinkle the cheese over the mixture, and return to the oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is warmed through and the cheese has melted.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. If desired, drizzle with ranch and top with sliced green onions before serving.
Notes
Using White Rice? Reduce the covered bake time from 60 minutes to 45 minutes, and use long-grain, not short-grain, white rice.
Cheese: I like sharp cheddar with the buffalo flavor. Monterey Jack or Colby work too.
Hot sauce: I use Frank's RedHot, and Texas Pete is another good option. Prepared Buffalo sauce works too, but it won’t pack the same punch.
Cream cheese: Don't use fat-free cream cheese, because it separates when baked.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days. Microwave individual servings covered with a damp paper towel.
Nutrition
Calories: 407kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 35gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 661mgPotassium: 408mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 514IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 298mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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