There’s something so comforting and warming about a casserole that has all the elements of a meal in one pan. The veggie, carbs, and protein all together gives you a bit of everything in each bite.
With this Buffalo chicken ranch casserole you’ve got a lot of flavor in the mix, but there’s also some broccoli, chicken, and creamy rice. It’s the better part of a whole meal served in a 9″x13″ pan.
The first step is to make a cream sauce that will coat everything in the casserole. This tasty sauce has a touch of ranch seasoning in it for a hit of flavor that’s both savory and a bit bright at the same time. If you don’t want to buy a mix you can make your own following this recipe.
This is where you put the broccoli in to begin cooking it. Then add this to the casserole pan along with some chicken, rice, and hot sauce.
The main flavors of this classic sauce from New York State are vinegar-based hot sauce and butter, but in this recipe the cream sauce and some cheddar cheese stand in for the butter.
The end result is both rich and just a little spicy. This recipe as written will produce a mild flavor, so double the hot sauce if you really want to crank up the heat a bit. That’s the nice thing about making your own Buffalo sauce flavored dishes- you can make them as spicy (or mild) as you like.
The final step is a tasty breadcrumb topping that crisps up in the oven to add a bit of crunch. When you dig into this casserole you get that creamy, cheesy, comforting flavor along with a serving of veggies and chicken. It’s a tasty dinner- and in my opinion the leftovers are even better.
Buffalo Chicken Ranch Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups milk, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 (1 oz) packet powdered ranch seasoning
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (from 1 large rotisserie chicken)
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce, plus more for topping
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium. Whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes or until lightly golden. Slowly add in milk, whisking constantly. Bring to low boil and cook for 3 minutes or until thickened, stirring often. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and ranch and stir.
- Fold broccoli into sauce and cook for 2 minutes or until broccoli is bright green. Transfer to 9”x13” baking dish
- Stir in rice, chicken, cheese, and hot sauce. Melt remaining butter. Top casserole with breadcrumbs and drizzle melted butter on top.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Turn oven to broil on low. Broil for 2 minutes or until top is brown and crispy.
- Let cool for 5 minutes. Serve with extra hot sauce drizzled on top if desired.
Recipe adapted from Southern Living.