A satisfying and easy weeknight meal that’s chock-full of veggies, Creamy Buffalo Chicken Casserole is a gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb and Whole30-friendly recipe.
This recipe is sponsored by our friends at Tessemae’s!
Upgrade your dinner menu with this Creamy Buffalo Chicken Casserole.
A hearty, warm and flavorful dish. I love casseroles this time of year and being from Minnesota, it’s a dish that has some pretty strong roots – also known as a “hot dish.” Whatever you choose to call it, this Creamy Buffalo Chicken Casserole is truly a must try. It’s made with a combination of tender chicken (shredded or cubed), cauliflower rice, onion, red pepper, carrots and is held together with the most creamy and flavorful sauce made of buffalo sauce, mayo and eggs. Can you say comforting? You can choose your level of heat by adding a Mild Buffalo Sauce or Hot Buffalo Sauce. For family friendly, I recommend sticking with a mild sauce.
Confused about poultry labeling? Check this post out to learn all about how to choose the best chicken in the grocery store.
Made with Tessemae’s Buffalo Sauce.
We partnered with our friends at Tessemae’s to bring you this incredibly delicious Creamy Buffalo Chicken Casserole featuring buffalo sauce. While making your own buffalo sauce is always an option, we love the convenience of Tesseame’s Buffalo Sauces. With two levels of heat (Mild and Hot), you can choose what suits your preferences. The buffalo sauces are made with only clean ingredients and are Whole30-approved, have no sugar-added, are dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan-friendly. Best of all, they’re packed with flavor and definitely a staple in my house!
You can purchase Tessemae’s Buffalo Sauce online or in stores.
Serve it up with your favorite side.
You really can’t go wrong no matter what you serve with this Creamy Buffalo Chicken Casserole. In fact, you really could just serve it on its own as it’s complete with plenty of satisfying protein and fats. However, if you want to add a little bit more to the plate, you have options. To keep this recipe lower in carbs, I recommend serving it with a green veggie such as broccoli, green beans, Brussels or a side salad. With that said, my ultimate favorite way to serve this recipe is over a baked potato or sweet potato. It adds a little starch (and fiber) to the meal and is so so comforting and delicious!
A satisfying and easy weeknight meal that's chock-full of veggies - Creamy Buffalo Chicken Casserole is a gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb and Whole30-friendly recipe. @tessemaes Click To TweetDon’t forget the drizzle of ranch!
The pairing of Buffalo sauce and ranch is a combo that’s adored by many! Adding a drizzle to your serving of Creamy Buffalo Chicken Casserole is really a no brainer. It adds both creaminess and flavor to this recipe and really takes it to the next level. Tessemae’s Ranch is another staple in my house. I love the creamy texture, the flavor (the best) and the ingredients it’s made of. Many people also like the combination of blue cheese and buffalo sauce. So if that’s your thing and you’re not in need of a recipe that’s dairy-free (or Whole30), you could also add a sprinkle of your favorite blue cheese crumbles.
It’s time to give this Creamy Buffalo Chicken Casserole a try!
Oh and before I forget, this recipe is also freezer-friendly. So if you’re looking to stock your freezer with some tasty meals to enjoy in the future, this recipe is perfect for that!
For even more buffalo chicken deliciousness, I also recommend giving two of our most popular recipes a try – Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash and Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken.
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Creamy Buffalo Chicken Casserole
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Entree, Whole30

Ingredients
- 1¼–1½ lbs. chicken breast, cooked and shredded (~3 heaping cups cooked shredded)
- 1 Tbsp. cooking fat of choice
- 3 cups cauliflower rice, fresh (such as Taylor Farms, Eat Smart, Cece’s Veggie Co., or Earthbound)
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1½ tsp. garlic powder (or 3–4 garlic cloves, minced)
- 1 tsp. dried parsley
- Dash of salt and pepper
- 3/4 cup Tessemae’s Buffalo Sauce (or homemade buffalo sauce)
- ⅓ cup mayo
- 2 whole eggs
- For the top: Tessemae’s Ranch (or homemade ranch), hot sauce or additional buffalo sauce, and sliced green onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease a 3-4 qt. casserole dish (9 x 13 also works) and set aside.
- In a large pan over medium-high heat, add oil. Once oil is hot, add the cauliflower rice, carrots, red pepper, yellow onion, garlic powder, dried parsley, and a dash or salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and veggies are partially cooked through – about 10-12 minutes. Adjust heat as necessary. Transfer to the casserole dish.
- While veggies are sautéing, in a bowl, combine the buffalo sauce, mayo and eggs.
- In the casserole dish, mix together the veggies, chicken and sauce. Spread out evenly.
- Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until center is set.
- Remove from oven and drizzle with ranch, hot sauce or additional buffalo sauce, sliced green onion and black pepper. Serve hot.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 325
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 21 g
Pin now to make later!
Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter.
This post was made possible by our friends at Tessemae’s. Though we received compensation for this post, the opinions expressed here are – as always -100% our own. Thank you for supporting the great companies we work with thereby allowing us to continue creating great recipes and content for you.
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madeleine says
how many cups is a serving?
Stacie Hassing says
About 3/4-1 cup is a serving! Or 1/8 of the recipe.
Elizabeth says
Any suggestions to do this egg free?
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Elizabeth. You could simply leave the eggs out. The casserole won’t hold together as well but it will still be delicious! 🙂
Nicole says
Omg this was sooooooo good we loved it
Jessica Beacom says
Yay! So glad you love it!
Nicole Foster says
Are the leftovers freezable? Or should it be frozen to cook later? I am thinking of portioning it out in freezable containers after its cooked to reheat at work for lunches.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Nicole,
We haven’t tried freezing this dish yet though my guess is that you can – it just may be a little watery when reheated.
Leah Kuchler says
Such a great casserole! Will definitely make again!
Jessica Beacom says
We’re so glad you loved it!
Emily Fowler says
What would be a good substitute for the Mayo? My family loves this recipe but because we don’t cook with mayo, very often, it adds an unappealing taste.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Emily,
You could just leave it out. It won’t be as creamy that way but it won’t ruin the dish either.
Marisa says
Would love to try this! Can we sub chicken thighs for breasts? And, would thawed frozen cauliflower rice work? Thanks!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Marisa,
Yes, you can substitute chicken thighs for breasts. And you can use frozen cauliflower rice that’s been thawed and drained well.
Chrissy says
Is there a way to make without eggs?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Chrissy,
You can just leave the eggs out. It won’t hold together quite as well but it’s still delicious.
Amber says
Are there any substitutions for the mayonnaise?
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Amber! Substitutions could be ranch, coconut cream, or plain Greek yogurt (non-dairy if needed). Enjoy!
Katherine says
Since Buffalo sauce is essentially Frank’s Red Hot + butter, could I sub in FRD?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Katherine,
I’m not sure what you mean by FRD. Can you please clarify?
rachel says
She means Frank’s Red Hot
apryl says
This was fantastic! Thanks for sharing the recipe. Where are the calories primarily coming from? We made this last night and based on your serving suggestion of 1/8, I probably had 2 servings. It did not feel like a 650 calorie meal though – it felt light given the cauli rice and veggies.
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Apryl! Glad to hear your love this recipe, too. The calories come from the mayo, ranch dressing and buffalo sauce. So depending on what brand of dressing and buffalo sauce you use can really change the nutrition profile. The Tessemae’s buffalo sauce is made with oil which makes it a bit higher in calories. Other buffalo sauces I’ve seen have much less calories as they are not made with oil. Hope that makes sense.
Amanda M. says
This is so good! My husband and kids loved it and getting everyone to like something is an amazing accomplishment! This will definitely be going into the permanent cookbook and dinner rotation. We even used the leftovers in our eggs the next morning!
★★★★★
Kayla says
Obsessed with therealfoodrd recipes and this one dodNOT dissapoint!!!
★★★★★
Jennifer Heisserer says
Made this recipe tonight! It was delicious! My husband and I do not typically like Mayo so I put 1/4 cup instead of 1/3 cup. It made a ton of food and came out delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Stacie Hassing says
So great to hear you enjoyed this recipe! And good to know it still turns out great with 1/4 cup of mayo.
Emily says
Super yum! My family of 5 loved this, and they all went back for seconds!
★★★★★
Michelle says
Could you substitute brown or white rice for the cauliflower rice?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Michelle,
While we have not tested the recipe using rice, I imagine it would work fine as long as the rice is precooked before adding it to the other ingredients.
Beth says
Super easy and super delicious!!
★★★★★
Lisa says
This is definitely a keeper recipe! I made this last night for dinner. I was thinking I should have cut the recipe in half because it made a lot. However, I’m glad I didn’t, my husband and son each had a second helping. My son even had it for lunch today in a wrap! I also made a double batch of your Buffalo Sauce. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Joan says
This was so delicious. Served this for my family, teenagers and in-laws. Glad I doubled recipe because most had seconds.
★★★★★
Stacie says
Hi! And thank you for helping us whole30rs sustain!!! Any thoughts on using acorn squash instead of spaghetti squash for this? (Simply because it’s what I have in the house today!) Any compromise on flavor or texture? Thank you!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Stacie,
The texture of acorn and spaghetti squashes are very different so I would say that yes, it will affect the texture. Acorn squash would likely give you a texture and consistency similar to mashed potatoes and would certainly be sweeter than spaghetti squash.
Ashley Kravat says
I am obsessed with this recipe and will be making it often. Everyone that tried it has asked me to make it again because they all loved it so much!
Marlena Edney says
How am I supposed to cook the chicken?
Jessica Beacom says
You can cook the chicken anyway you choose or use rotisserie chicken if you have that available to you. Here are some suggestions for cooking chicken that may be helpful: How to Make the Perfect Chicken Breast (stovetop) or How to Make an Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Mary says
Could this be assembled earlier in the day and then refrigerated until baking for dinner?! Thanks!
Jessica Beacom says
Yes, it can be.
Rachel K. says
Can this be made without eggs or an egg substitute? It looks delicious!!
Jessica Beacom says
You can just leave the eggs out. It won’t hold together as well but it’s still delicious.
Annie says
Hello! Are the red peppers in this recipe the spicy red peppers or do you mean red bell peppers?
Just wanting to clarify before cooking! Can’t wait to make this recipe!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Annie,
That should be red bell peppers. We’ll update the recipe to make that clear. Enjoy!
Jenna says
WOW! This is hands-down the best buffalo chicken dish I’ve had! I don’t miss the standard cheddar and cream cheese at all! Thank y’all for making guilty pleasure food guilt free!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
This makes us SO happy to hear!!
Linda says
My family loved this. I cooked 4 chicken breasts in the insta pot with some Franks buffalo sauce and used Franks in the recipe too. Also I added a yellow squash.
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
Oh that’s so great to hear! We love when our recipes can be enjoyed by an entire family! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Megan says
Hi! I can’t wait to try this recipe! I love the Tessamae’s Buffalo sauce, it’s a staple in my house! I was wondering, for someone like me who really doesn’t like Mayo and doesn’t cook with it, do you maybe have a substitute option for the Mayo? Could I use the Tessamae’s creamy ranch (maybe not as much)??? Thanks for any suggestions!
Jessica Beacom says
You can definitely use creamy ranch dressing.
Liz says
Can you sub mayo for Greek yogurt?
Jessica Beacom says
You sure can!
Julie says
Thanks so much for this recipe! I made it for lunch today and used your buffalo sauce recipe too. So very good…especially with bleu cheese! We’ll eat the leftovers with celery sticks later.
Nicole says
How do you suggest freezing this? After cooking? What about Re-heating from frozen?
Jessica Beacom says
We haven’t tried freezing it but my guess is that you’d want to freeze it after cooking (and after it’s been completely cooled and chilled in the fridge). To reheat from frozen, I would suggest placing it in an oven-proof baking dish then cover it with foil before placing it in a preheated 375F oven for 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Stacey says
Yum!!! This recipe is so great!! It is part of our regular rotation of meal prep recipes we love it so much. So delicious and actually quite easy to put together. Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Laurie Shaw-DeTreville says
Fantastic recipe! My whole very picky family loved it!
Stacie Hassing says
AHHHHMAZING!!!
Abigail says
I made this on a whim for meal prep because I had everything I needed for it and the husband wanted Buffalo something. I packed in extra veggies because we had zucchini that needed to be used and only one pepper. This is a dish you can really clean out the veggies drawer with which I love! Adding this to our rotation!
Jessica Beacom says
We love that this recipe helped you clean our the crisper!