Buffalo Chicken Casserole
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Sep 30, 2026 
Whenever I’m craving Buffalo wings but need something a little more substantial for dinner, I make this Buffalo Chicken Casserole recipe! I combine tender chicken and cheesy rice with plenty of zesty Buffalo sauce and tangy blue cheese for those bold wing flavors I love. And because the whole casserole comes together in one skillet, I get an easy family dinner without a huge mess to clean up.
Buffalo Chicken… These are two words that fill my family’s heart with joy. If I incorporate chicken and buffalo sauce in any kind of recipe, they will come running to the kitchen in a short time. Today’s recipe combines our family’s beloved dynamic duo of ingredients with my personal childhood comfort food, chicken and rice. Nana’s chicken and rice recipe is a simple dish my mom made regularly. An old-school one-pot hero! Mom would slow-cook a whole chicken with onions, celery, and carrots, then add in the rice to cook the last hour or so. When she pulled out the chicken, the meat was so tender it fell off the bones, making it easy to fold into the rice. In this Buffalo Chicken Casserole, I’ve made a quickie version of my mom’s recipe, adding buffalo sauce to the broth to cook the rice. Then at the end, I stir in shredded cheddar, blue cheese crumbles, and some chopped green onion. You will be amazed at the praise this dish receives… And the battle over the last few scoops of rice in the skillet!
Karen – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Yup! This is my family’s favorite dish! And it’s soooooo easy!!! I can not thank you enough for this recipe! Any other recommendations for one skillet meals w so much flavor and so few ingredients?
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
One-pan dinner – I just love a meal that doesn’t leave me with a sink full of dirty dishes! This saucy dish comes together in one skillet, so there’s minimal prep and cleanup after dinner. It’s an easy option for my busy weeknights when I want a complete dinner without a lot of prep work or steps.
BIG buffalo flavor – If you love Buffalo chicken wings, this skillet delivers those same bold and spicy flavors in a crowd-pleasing dinner. You’ve got all the components… Chicken, tangy sauce, veggies, blue cheese, and then fluffy rice to soak up all the flavors.
A complete meal in every scoop – This isn’t just Buffalo chicken served over plain rice, you know. I cook everything together so the rice absorbs the flavorful broth and sauce while the chicken at the same time. That way, I don’t need to make a bunch of sides to turn it into a satisfying family dinner.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Boneless chicken breasts – I use boneless and skinless chicken breasts and cut them into bite-sized pieces so they cook quickly right in the skillet.
- Butter – I use butter to sauté the chicken and vegetables and give the dish a rich flavor. After all, Buffalo sauce and butter are a classic combination for a reason!
- Chopped onion and celery – Onion creates a savory-sweet base to balance the spicy Buffalo sauce. And you can’t have Buffalo chicken without celery! Make sure to chop them both small and even.
- Long-grain rice – I use regular long-grain white rice, but jasmine and basmati will work as well. Make sure you’re using uncooked rice, not instant or quick-cooking rice, since those require different amounts of liquid and cooking time.
- Frank’s RedHot Sauce – I love Frank’s for its recognizable cayenne-pepper flavor, but you can adjust the amount depending on how spicy you like things.
- Chicken broth or water – Either works for cooking the rice, but I prefer chicken broth when I want to add another layer of savory flavor. If you use broth, I recommend watching the added salt since the hot sauce and cheeses are already salty.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – I like to shred my own cheese when possible because it melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese caked with preservatives.
- Crumbled blue cheese – For me, this is the perfect contrast to the spicy sauce. If you’re not a blue cheese fan, you can simply leave it off or add extra cheddar.
- Chopped green onions – I sprinkle fresh green onions over the finished skillet for a pop of color and fresh, zesty flavor.
How to Make
Prep the chicken and veggies – First, I cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and chop the onions, celery, and green onions. I try to keep the chicken pieces about the same size so they cook evenly. Having everything chopped before I start also makes this recipe come together super fast!
Sauté the veggies – Next, I melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. I add the chopped onions and celery and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until they’re soft and sweet. This quick step brings out their flavor, to season the entire skillet.
Load up the skillet – I add the chicken, uncooked long-grain rice, hot sauce, chicken broth or water, and about 1 teaspoon of salt. Then I give everything a good stir so the rice is evenly distributed. Shake the pan a little if needed, so the rice is down in the broth. No crunchy rice for me!
Cover and simmer – I cover the skillet and bring the mixture to a boil. Then I immediately reduce the heat and let it gently simmer for about 15 minutes, without lifting the lid. I know it’s ready when the liquid has been absorbed and I can see little steam vent holes across the surface of the rice. Those holes are how I always know when my rice is cooked and fluffy!
Make it cheesy – Once the rice is tender, I fluff it gently with a fork. Then I stir in the shredded cheddar, crumbled blue cheese, and chopped green onions. The cheeses melt right into the hot rice, making the whole skillet creamy, while balancing that spicy Buffalo sauce.
Taste, garnish, and dig in – Finally, I taste and season with extra salt and pepper if needed. I pile the Buffalo chicken and rice into bowls and garnish with a little extra cheese and green onions. If you’re a Buffalo sauce fanatic like me, an extra drizzle of hot sauce over the top never hurts!
Serving Suggestions
For me, this is a meal in a bowl. No sides required! But if you like to round out the meal a little bit more, serve it with my Red Cabbage Slaw, a green salad with my Parmesan Peppercorn Dressing, Fried Apples, and/or Honey Glazed Carrots!
Or go full-buffalo with…
Storage
The leftover chicken casserole should be stored in an airtight container, and can last in your refrigerator for 3-5 days. You can reheat the leftovers in the microwave, on the stovetop, or even bake it in the oven for a few minutes. I would not suggest storing this dish in the freezer. The thawing process would change the consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can swap the blue cheese with chevre (goat cheese) or simply omit it.
Try stirring the chicken pieces in 30 minutes after you start cooking the rice. In most cases, brown rice takes 45 to 60 minutes to cook.
You could use many types of rice in this recipe, and each one has a different cooking time. Regular long-grain rice should only take about 15 minutes to cook, but other types of rice could have a longer cooking time.
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More One-Pan Dinner Recipes
Buffalo Chicken Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 1/2 cups long grain rice
- 1/2 cup Frank’s RedHot Sauce
- 2 1/2 cups water or chicken broth
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch bite-size pieces. Chop all the vegetables.
- Place the butter in a large skillet or sauté pan, with a lid. Set over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and celery. Sauté for 3-5 minutes to soften.
- Add the chicken pieces, rice, hot sauce, broth, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir, then cover the skillet. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the broth has absorbed and there are air vent holes in the top of the rice.
- Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the cheddar, blue cheese, and green onions. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.
I’ve made this so many times. Definitely a favorite!
I have made this twice now and it is a family favorite. Everyone gets excited for dinner when I tell them that I am making Buffalo chicken and rice! I substitute our local pizza shop’s wing sauce or Wild Wings Medium wing sauce for the Frank’s. Not everyone is a fan of blue cheese in my house, so I just sprinkle cheddar on at the end and put the lid back on for a few minutes to let it melt. I also serve it with a little more wing sauce and our favorite blue cheese dressing for drizzling! I have also left out the celery and onions in a hurry, but it is so good with that extra step!
Wow wow wow. This is going to be my new go-to rice dish. I’m in love. I only had 1/4c buffalo sauce on hand, but it was perfectly spicy and delicious. My mom loved it as well. I also used vegetarian chicken strips that I had in the fridge and they worked great. I would recommend this recipe to everyone.
Just made this and it was delicious! Ironically, I do not like Buffalo sauce but have found I like it in certain things such as Mellow Mushroom’s Buffalo Chicken pizza. This is definitely a recipe that the Buffalo sauce gives it just enough flavor and kick to be very tasty. I cooked the onions and celery a little longer as my family is not huge fans of onions or celery. I also used mostly chicken broth with about 1/2 cup of it being water. This is a great one-pan recipe that cooks on the stove top. You can have all the ingredients cut up and measured the night before so when you come home from work it only takes about 30 minutes to prepare. Definitely going in the keeper recipe box!
I love how flavorful this is! Adding this to our menu for next week!
So easy to make and the flavors are spot on! This will definitely be a new go-to for dinner!
This is one of our go-to family dinners. It’s easy, filling, and delicious. Thank you!!!
What could I use to replace the blue cheese?
Hi Nikki,
You can swap the blue cheese with chevre (goat cheese) or simply omit it. :)
Hello, I cannot seem to get the broth to simmer so it’s very liquidy I have no clue what I did wrong.
Sounds delicious and just what I was looking for. I only have brown rice which has much longer cook time. Suggestion on how I can best work it into the recipe in place of the long grain?
Hi Michelle,
Try stirring the chicken piece in 30 minutes through cooking the rice. In most cases, brown rice take 45-60 minutes to cook.
Also this meal is super easy for busy weeknights & reheats nicely. I make a double batch so there are plenty of leftovers for easy tasty lunches. We are a family of 4 – mom, dad, 18 yr old son who’s 6’3” & an 11 yr old girl who is in too many sports & is currently eating us out of house & home.
My family is huge on buffalo wing so they LOVED this meal! It’s now on our go-to meals rotation. Made just as written with the exception of adding extra franks buffalo sauce