This Buffalo Chicken Casserole is an outrageously flavorful, yet simple casserole, made with chicken, potatoes, bacon, and cheese. Served with bleu cheese or ranch dressing, this Buffalo Chicken Potato Casserole is an all-time family-favorite dinner recipe.
Not many things beat the flavor of buffalo chicken.
From Buffalo Chicken Pizza to Buffalo Chicken Tacos to Buffalo Chicken Salad, to this Buffalo Chicken Potato Casserole, I LOVE the flavor that buffalo sauce imparts to chicken.
Tender potatoes, juicy chicken, sharp cheese, and salty bacon are tossed in a combination of seasonings and hot sauce to flavor each bite with the classic notes of Buffalo sauce. This chicken and potato casserole is hearty, flavorful, and delicious!
Not to mention it is extremely easy to make and budget-friendly to boot.
Notes on Ingredients
- Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or tenders.
- Potatoes: Any variety of starchy potatoes work well, such as red potatoes, russet potatoes, or Yukon Gold potatoes.
- Hot Sauce: This recipe is flavorful enough, so there is no need to use or make buffalo sauce. You only need a cayenne hot sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot Sauce.
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar is my preferred cheese in this easy Buffalo Chicken Bake, but mozzarella, Colby, or provolone all work. Remember freshly shredded cheese will melt best.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Casserole
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Mix the potatoes with oil and seasonings in a large bowl.
- Pour potatoes into a large casserole dish and spread them out into an even layer so that potatoes can get crispy, and not steam while they bake. Set mixing bowl aside to use for the chicken.
- Bake the potatoes until just fork-tender at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This allows these potatoes to get crispy, like roasted red potatoes.
- While the potatoes are baking, add the cubed chicken to the same dish you mixed the potatoes with the seasonings. Add additional spices and hot sauce and toss to coat, incorporating any leftover spices from the potatoes into the chicken.
- Remove the partially baked potatoes from the oven and layer the chicken onto the potatoes.
- Sprinkle the dish evenly with bacon and cheese.
- Return to the oven for 15 minutes to cook the chicken and bacon and melt the cheese.
- Serve with blue cheese or homemade ranch dressing.
Speed It Up
While this casserole is not difficult to prepare from start to finish, it is also a great way to use up leftovers AND speed up the process of cooking dinner.
- Using Leftover Red Potatoes: If you have leftover roasted red potatoes on hand, you can simply toss them with hot sauce, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, and a pinch of salt. Skip the step of pre-roasting them. The leftover potatoes should heat up in the time it takes for the chicken to cook.
- Use Leftover Baked Potatoes: Dice cold leftover Instant Pot Baked Potatoes or Air Fryer Baked Potatoes into cubes. Toss them with hot sauce, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, and a pinch of salt. Skip the step of pre-roasting them. The leftover potatoes should heat up in the time it takes for the chicken to cook.
- Using Leftover Cooked Bacon: If you happen to have leftover baked bacon, simply crumble it up and sprinkle it over the chicken when you add the cheese. It will get super crispy and be perfect!
- Using Leftover Rotisserie Chicken: In place of using raw, cubed chicken, you can toss cooked shredded chicken with the seasonings as directed. Decrease the baking time from 15 minutes to 10 minutes.
Storage Instructions
Allow the leftover Buffalo Chicken Casserole to cool to room temperature and then transfer it into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for 3 days. To reheat, place leftovers onto a sheet pan and broil until warm or microwave individual servings for 45 seconds to 1 minute. I don't recommend freezing leftovers, as the texture of the potatoes will change.
Recipe FAQs
I would classify this dish as mild-medium spice level. To keep the spice level lower, cut the amount of hot sauce in half. Alternatively, omit the hot sauce and use BBQ sauce instead for a delicious, mild BBQ chicken and potato casserole.
The bacon will cook through, and the fat from the bacon will render into the chicken, adding flavor and keeping the chicken super moist. But the bacon does not get super crispy. If you like crispy bacon, par-bake the bacon until just cooked before adding the casserole (I recommend doing this while the potatoes bake). Then chop up the bacon and add it to the casserole as directed. The result will be crispy bacon.
No! While the bacon adds flavor to this dish, feel free to omit it.
More Family Favorite Casseroles
- Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Tater Tot Casserole
- Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
- Homemade Turkey Tetrazzini
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole
If you enjoyed this Buffalo Chicken Bake, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Buffalo Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 medium/large russet potatoes cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 tablespoon Frank's Red Hot Sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 slices bacon cut into thin strips
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- ¼ cup chives, for serving optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the potatoes together with oil, 1 tablespoon hot sauce, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, and salt.
- Scoop the potatoes from the bowl, leaving behind excess seasoning in the bowl, and spread the potatoes out evenly in a 9x13 pan. Bake for 45 minutes, flipping the potatoes once half-way through cooking.
- In the meantime, place the cubed chicken into the mixing bowl with the remaining seasoning from the potatoes. Add in the remaining tablespoon of hot sauce and toss to coat.
- Once the potatoes have baked, remove them from the oven and turn the oven temperature down to 400 degrees. Top the potatoes with chicken, cheese, and bacon, and return to the oven for 15 minutes.
- Serve with ranch dressing and chopped chives if desired.
Equipment Needed
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2015 but was updated in 2021 with new pictures and a new video.
Meg
Oh my goodness!! This was so yummy !!! My teenage boys LOVED it ! I will be making this a lot !
Samantha
I wasn’t just curious if anyone had tried substituting the dried seasonings with ranch dressing seasoning? I think I’m going to give it a try.
Kristen Chidsey
Oh that is a fabulous idea Samantha and would give this casserole a whole new twist. Let us all know how it goes. And here is my recipe for DIY Ranch Seasoning if needed.
Samantha
I made it with the ranch seasoning mix and even my kids loved it! It took away some of the spice but I used extra hot sauce to compensate. It was delicious.
Kristen Chidsey
Yay!! I am so glad you all enjoyed! Thanks for taking the time to let us know.
Gwen
Looking forward to trying this! Just wondering...are the potatoes peeled?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Gwen! I do not peel my potatoes (love the added fiber and nutrients) but feel free to peel.
michele
I can't believe id never thought of making a casserole with buffalo chicken! Buffalo seasoning is like my most favorite thing ever! I have this in the oven right now and I can't wait to have it for dinner in a bit! It was so easy and I can already tell its going to be a favorite recipe in our house!!
Kristen Chidsey
Yay!!! You will love this so much Michelle
Julie Evink
This was so easy to make, yet had so much flavor! There wasn't any left at the end of dinner. That's how I know it's a win!
Kristen Chidsey
That's always the sign of a winning dish for sure. So glad you enjoyed Julie.
Theresa
Do you cook the chicken first? or throw the chicken on top of the potatoes raw?
Kristen Chidsey
Throw it on raw 🙂
Jeff the Chef
I have to draw the line here. This looks like the kind of thing that's so good. I'd never stop eating it until I'd eaten the entire thing.
Kristen Chidsey
Yes, it is quite hard to refraining from eating the entire casserole 🙂
Cheryl T
This sounds so good but the only problem is that my husband and I can't handle the spicy stuff, so what would be a recommendation for an alternative flavoring base to substitute for the hot sauce.
Kristen Chidsey
Well Cheryl, you are not alon in not being able to handle spicy foods. My daughter HATES spicy food--so I always make a small ramekin just for her. To cut back on spiciness of entire dish I would omit the chili powder and only use 1/2 tablespoon hot sauce. Also cut the garlic powder in half. That should take this down a few notches but still have tons of flavor! Enjoy!
Lauren Kelly Nutrition
I just love a healthy, one dish meal! This looks fantastic!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks Lauren--I love one-pot wonders as well!
Analida's Ethnic Spoon
My son the culinary student loves to make sauces and buffalo style is one of his favorites! I am send this his way to see if he will make this for his "turn" at family dinner. Sounds delicious!
Kristen Chidsey
Oh you lucky Mom--let me know what he thinks!
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life
This is right up my alley. I could eat buffalo chicken all day long...I am addicted to it. Definitely need to try this!
Kristen Chidsey
Yes you do Michelle!!
Shashi at RunninSrilankan
This sounds delicious! And easy - I'm loving the whole flavor and dump and bake dealio!
Kristen Chidsey
I am all about easy 🙂
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass
What a gorgeous and easy meal, I love the spicy factor!!! We love to use potatoes when we can. It really fills up the boys and they love them any way I make them. They are going to love this recipe!
Kristen Chidsey
I totally get that--potatoes fill up my boys too!! And this is always a winner at my house!
Marye
Oh my goodness, this sounds absolutely delicious!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks so much Marye!
Jessica @ Stuck On Sweet
My husband would love this meal! It's comforting and filling and full of flavor - love the ingredients!
Kristen Chidsey
It is totally one of my husband's favorites. I hope yours enjoys it as much as mine does!!
Amy
Made the buffalo chicken--YUM! and a hit with my family--thanks:-)
kchidsey
Yea!! I am so glad your family enjoyed it!!!