Jalapeno Buffalo Chicken Casserole (Printable Version)
Spicy buffalo chicken baked with jalapenos, cream cheese, and melted cheddar for a hearty comforting dinner.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 4 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed
→ Vegetables
02 - 2–3 jalapeño peppers, sliced (seeds removed for less heat)
03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 cup celery, diced
→ Dairy & Sauces
06 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
07 - 1 cup sour cream
08 - 1/2 cup Buffalo wing sauce
09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
10 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
→ Toppings
11 - 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles (optional)
12 - 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
→ Seasonings
13 - 1/2 tsp salt
14 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
15 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the diced onion, celery, and sliced jalapeños in a small amount of oil until softened, about 4–5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, Buffalo wing sauce, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Stir until smooth and well blended.
04 - Fold the shredded chicken, sautéed vegetable mixture, half of the cheddar cheese, and half of the mozzarella cheese into the cream sauce base. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
05 - Transfer the chicken mixture to the prepared casserole dish and spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar and mozzarella cheeses evenly across the top.
06 - Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown on top.
07 - Remove from the oven and scatter blue cheese crumbles and sliced green onions over the top if desired. Allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving to set.
# Quick Tips:
01 -
- It pulls together from pantry staples and leftover chicken in under an hour, which makes it my back pocket meal for unexpected guests.
- The cream cheese and sour cream mellow the Buffalo heat just enough that even my heat shy neighbor went back for seconds.
02 -
- Do not skip softening the cream cheese first because once I rushed it and spent ten minutes chasing cold lumps around the bowl with a fork.
- Taste your Buffalo sauce before adding the full amount, since brands vary wildly in heat and saltiness and you can always add more but cannot take it away.
03 -
- Rotisserie chicken is the single biggest time saver here, and the darker meat actually adds more flavor than plain breast meat alone.
- Check that your Buffalo sauce is gluten free if that matters to your table, because some brands sneak wheat into the ingredient list.