Jalapeno Buffalo Chicken Casserole (Printable Format)
Spicy baked chicken with buffalo sauce, jalapeños, cream cheese, and melted cheddar mozzarella topping.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 4 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded (about 2 large breasts)
→ Vegetables
02 - 3 medium jalapeños, seeded and diced (more for extra heat)
03 - 1 small red onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1/2 cup celery, diced
→ Dairy & Eggs
06 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
07 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
→ Sauces & Condiments
09 - 3/4 cup buffalo wing sauce
10 - 1/2 cup ranch dressing (or blue cheese dressing)
→ Pantry
11 - 1/2 tsp salt
12 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
→ Garnishes
13 - 2 tbsp sliced green onions
14 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray or butter.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, diced jalapeños, red onion, minced garlic, and diced celery.
03 - Add the softened cream cheese, buffalo wing sauce, ranch dressing, salt, and black pepper. Stir until everything is evenly coated and the mixture is creamy.
04 - Fold in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese into the chicken mixture.
05 - Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared casserole dish. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.
06 - Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until the edges are bubbly and the top cheese layer is golden brown.
07 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with sliced green onions and chopped fresh cilantro before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The cream cheese pulls everything together into something so velvety that you will catch yourself eating it straight from the spatula before it even hits the baking dish.
- It takes barely any effort but tastes like you spent hours, which makes it the ultimate trick for weeknight dinners when motivation is running low.
02 -
- Undercooked casseroles will look done on top but stay soupy underneath, so always check that the center is bubbling before pulling it from the oven.
- Using cold cream cheese is the fastest way to ruin this dish, because no amount of stirring will fix those chalky lumps once they form.
03 -
- Shred your own cheese from a block instead of buying pre shredded bags, because the anti caking agents on bagged cheese prevent it from melting smoothly.
- Let the casserole rest for the full five minutes before serving, because cutting into it too early means everything runs apart on the plate.