Easy Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Rice Casserole

by Kayla Berman on October 2, 2024 0 comments

Buffalo Chicken & Rice Casserole is better-for-you comfort food at its finest! This high protein casserole is full of shredded chicken, filling rice, flavorful buffalo sauce, and cheesy goodness. All you need is about 45 minutes to get this easy dinner recipe on the table!

Big fan of buffalo chicken? You’ll have to try out my Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Thighs or Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats next.

This post is sponsored by Success Rice but all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Wellness by Kay possible!

Why I Love This Buffalo Chicken Recipe

High Protein: The number one thing I am looking for in my recipes these days is that they are high protein. Focusing on increasing my protein intake and eating lots of protein rich foods throughout my day has seriously changed my life! I am aiming for 120-130g of protein per day and at least 30g of protein per meal. This has 33 grams of protein per serving, which checks off the high protein box perfectly!
Super Quick & Easy: This buffalo chicken casserole is SO easy to make. This is mainly due to Success Rice Boil-in-Bag Basmati Rice. The rice comes out perfectly cooked and fluffy in just 10 minutes every single time.
Lighter Comfort Food: As we approach the colder months, I start to crave cozy comfort food like soups and pastas and casseroles. I love to indulge in all the cheesy, creamy, and carb-filled deliciousness, but I still want to reach my health and fitness goals. This recipe is absolutely perfect because it allows me to do both! It is a better for you comfort food at its finest.
Meal Prep: This easy recipe is great for meal prep too. It is one of those rare recipes that actually tastes good when heated up the next day. Plus the microwave is all you need to reheat which is perfect for a work lunch or just a busy day when all you have is a minute to whip up lunch!

Buffalo Chicken Rice Casserole Nutritional Deep Dive

I am not a dietician or nutritionist, but I am very passionate about health, fitness, and wellness. I have found over the past year or so that eating a diet high in both fiber and protein has been amazing for me. Therefore, I try to focus on those two nutrients in my day-to-day meals and in my recipes.

Here is a more in depth look at the nutritional breakdown of this buffalo chicken and rice bake. Especially the protein and fiber! Extra nutritional information is included on the recipe card. All info is calculated based on the exact ingredients I used which are listed below.

I divided this easy casserole into 4 servings. Each serving is 340 calories, 24g carbs, 11g fat, and 33g protein. There is unfortunately 0g of fiber in the casserole itself, but I have tons of ideas below for how you could add some in.

Add Fiber: To add fiber to this rice skillet you could add vegetables into the chicken mixture. I would suggest carrots or zucchini. You could also swap in a higher fiber grain option, such as brown rice or quinoa. Ditching the rice completely for cauliflower rice is another great option. Last, but not least you can keep the skillet exactly as is and just add fiber on the side of your meal in the form of a side salad or roasted vegetables.

Lower Carb: It’s also incredibly easy to make this recipe low carb. Simply use cauliflower rice! This would add fiber too. It’s a win win! However, if you do decide to do this I would recommend upping the serving size to perhaps 1/3 or 1/2 of the skillet to make sure the meal is large enough.

If you are interested in adding more protein and fiber to your diet too, I suggest you checkout my Protein Chia Seed Pudding, Mexican Tuna Salad, and High Protein Breakfast Burrito next.

Buffalo Chicken Rice Casserole Ingredients

This creamy buffalo chicken casserole is made with less than 10 ingredients! Here are the exact ones I used:

Rice: I absolutely love to use Success Rice products in all my rice and quinoa recipes. They make every recipe so much easier! Success Boil-in-Bag Basmati Rice was perfection here.
Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is my favorite to use in casserole recipes. I love that the meat is pre-cooked and sometimes even pre-shredded. Got leftover rotisserie chicken? Use it up in my Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad, Buffalo Chicken Flatbread, or Chicken Couscous Soup.
Cottage Cheese: Any cottage cheese should do the trick here, but my ultimate favorite is Daisy Lowfat Cottage Cheese. It is the best!
Cheddar Cheese: My one tip for cheese is to buy a block and shred it yourself. Any block of cheddar works.
Buffalo Hot Sauce: Again, use any buffalo sauce you’d like. I LOVE the Frank’s Red Hot Garlic Buffalo Wing Sauce. It just adds a bit of extra flavor!
Onion & Garlic: Use fresh for the best flavor, but jarred minced garlic and pre-diced onion are total timesavers that I am not afraid to take advantage of.
Salt & Pepper: Add to taste
Olive Oil: If you are trying to eat a lower calorie diet opt for olive oil spray. While EVOO is fabulous it does add quite a few sneaky calories!

INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHT: Cottage cheese is the star of this show. It takes the traditionally heavy buffalo chicken dip and turns it into a much lighter alternative that is higher in protein, but still has that same creamy, cheesy taste. You can try it out in Alfredo sauce too!

How To Make This Recipe

Step 1: Set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2: Prepare the Success Boil-in-Bag Basmati Rice according to the package directions. Set aside.

Step 3: Make cottage cheese sauce. Next add the cottage cheese and buffalo sauce to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

Step 4: Sauté aromatics. Add olive oil or olive oil spray to a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté for a few minutes until soft and fragrant.

Step 5: Buffalo chicken & rice mixture. Turn the heat to low and add the chicken, cooked rice, and blended cottage cheese mixture to the skillet. Combine evenly. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Step 6: Add cheese. Flatten out the mixture in the skillet. Top with the shredded cheddar cheese. Alternatively transfer the mixture to a casserole dish before adding the cheese if you are not using an oven safe skillet.

Step 7: Bake. Add to the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted to your liking.

Step 8: Serve and enjoy! Top the chicken and rice casserole with an extra drizzle of blue cheese or ranch dressing and green onion.

buffalo sauce and cottage cheese in a blender

blended cottage cheese and buffalo sauce

Optional Buffalo Chicken and Rice Casserole Variations

This cheesy chicken and rice recipe is fabulous as is, but here are some ideas for variations and adjustments you could make:

Rice: Any rice will work in this recipe. White rice or brown rice! Success Rice has every variety you could want.
Chicken: You can use any form of chicken you’d like here! Diced chicken breast, rotisserie chicken, or even canned chicken. I know people can find canned chicken to be a little freaky but I love it in recipes like this! Ground chicken or ground turkey could also be used instead of shredded chicken.
Cheese: Any shredded cheese will work in this recipe. I use cheddar cheese, but feel free to swap in others. Perhaps pepper jack for an even spicier vibe or mozzarella for a creamier vibe. A blue cheese crumble on top would be a wonderful touch as well!
Seasonings: I kept seasonings incredibly simple in this buffalo chicken and rice casserole, but a bunch would work super well in here. Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, etc!

Buffalo Chicken Rice Casserole Serving Suggestions

I love to serve this buffalo chicken rice skillet with a drizzle of ranch dressing and a sprinkle of green onion on top! It is just adds the perfect fresh, cooling balance to the spicy, warm casserole. Then I love to pair with a fiber-rich side:

Raw veggies – Carrot & celery sticks
Roasted veggies – Cruciferous veggies will add lots of fiber. Like broccoli!
Simple side salad – Use a leafy green to get the most bang for your buck here
Fresh berries – I know not a traditional dinner side, but I find it can be a lovely little sweet post-dinner treat. Plus berries are one of the best high fiber foods!

Storing Suggestions

You can store leftover chicken rice casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep best for 3-5 days! To reheat, simply pop in the microwave for about 60-90 seconds depending on your serving size.

Pro Tip! When you reheat this casserole, add an extra scoop of cottage cheese on top. Leftovers will dry out a bit when stored in the fridge, so this will help get that creamy texture back and add an extra bit of protein.

Related Recipes

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If you make this easy dinner recipe or any of my other recipes, I would absolutely love to know! Tag me @wellnessbykay on Instagram so I can see and share your recreations.

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