This Buffalo Chicken and Rice Bake is a comforting casserole that brings all the spicy, tangy flavors of wings into a hearty, family-friendly meal. Loaded with tender chicken, fluffy rice, and a creamy cheese sauce, it is a satisfying dinner that requires minimal effort.
With a golden layer of melted white cheddar and a kick from the buffalo sauce, this dish is destined to become a weeknight favorite.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: It features the classic tangy heat of Buffalo sauce balanced by rich cream cheese and savory chicken broth, all absorbed into the rice.
- Texture: The rice cooks up fluffy and tender, while the sautéed vegetables add a slight bite, all held together by a gooey, cheesy consistency.
- Time: 15 minutes prep/active cooking, 50 minutes bake time, 10 minutes rest.
- Difficulty: Easy. It involves a quick sauté on the stove followed by a hands-off bake in the oven.
What You’ll Need
To make this casserole, you will need a large skillet to sauté the vegetable base and toast the rice. You will also need a 9×13 baking dish to assemble and bake the final dish. The ingredients list relies on pantry staples like rice and broth, plus cooked chicken (perfect for rotisserie leftovers) and your favorite hot sauce.
Ingredient Notes
- Rice – Use white long grain rice for this recipe. It absorbs the liquid perfectly within the baking time provided.
- Cream Cheese – It is essential that the block of cream cheese is softened. This ensures it melts and incorporates into the warm rice mixture without leaving lumps.
- Chicken – This recipe calls for shredded cooked chicken. You can use leftover roast chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken to save time.
- Buffalo Sauce – Frank’s Red Hot Sauce is recommended for that authentic buffalo flavor, but any vinegar-based cayenne hot sauce works.
- Vegetables – A classic base of onion, carrots, and celery (mirepoix) adds savory depth and texture to the rice.
- White Cheddar Cheese – Sharp white cheddar adds a nice bite that complements the spicy sauce, but mild cheddar works too.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Rice Varieties – Stick to white long grain rice. Brown rice requires more liquid and a much longer cooking time, which would affect the texture of the vegetables and chicken.
- Milder Version – If you are sensitive to spice, you can reduce the amount of Buffalo sauce slightly, though this will alter the liquid ratio slightly, or simply serve with extra sour cream to cool it down.
- Cheese – Monterey Jack or a Mexican cheese blend can be substituted for the white cheddar if you prefer a smoother melt.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken and Rice Bake
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 400˚F.
- Sauté the Veggies: Heat the olive oil in a skillet set over medium heat. Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 20 seconds until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Toast the Rice: Add the white long grain rice to the skillet with the veggies and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir frequently until the rice is slightly toasted.
- Assemble: Transfer the rice and vegetable mixture to a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish. Stir in the softened cream cheese until it is well incorporated into the warm rice. Next, add the chicken broth, shredded cooked chicken, and buffalo sauce to the baking dish. Stir everything to combine well.
- Bake: Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Remove the foil and stir the casserole to fluff it up.
- Finish: Top the casserole with the shredded white cheddar cheese. Continue to bake, uncovered, for about 10 more minutes or until the cheese is completely melted. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Serve: Top with sliced green onions, blue cheese crumbles, and sour cream, and serve warm.
Pro Tip: Do not skip the resting step! Letting the casserole sit for 10 minutes after baking allows the rice to finish steaming and absorbing any remaining moisture, ensuring the dish isn’t runny when you scoop it.
Recipe Tips
- Toast the Rice: Toasting the rice in the skillet with the oil and veggies adds a nutty flavor and helps the grains hold their structure during the long bake.
- Softened Cream Cheese: If your cream cheese is cold, it will be very difficult to mix into the rice. Leave it out on the counter while you prep the veggies to ensure it is soft.
- Cover Tightly: Ensure the foil creates a tight seal around the baking dish so the steam stays trapped. This is necessary for the rice to cook through evenly.
FAQs
- Can I use raw chicken? This recipe requires cooked chicken. If you have raw chicken breasts, poach or bake them first, then shred them before adding to the casserole.
- Can I use brown rice? No, do not substitute brown rice in this specific method. Brown rice takes significantly longer to cook and requires more liquid, which would result in undercooked rice or overcooked vegetables.
- Is this dish very spicy? It has a medium kick due to the 3/4 cup of hot sauce. You can control the heat by serving it with cooling toppings like sour cream or blue cheese dressing.
Serving Suggestions
- Salad: A crisp green salad with ranch dressing pairs perfectly with the spicy flavors.
- Vegetables: Roasted broccoli or green beans make excellent sides.
- Bread: Serve with garlic bread or dinner rolls to scoop up the creamy sauce.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Prep Ahead: You can chop the onions, carrots, and celery and shred the chicken a day in advance to speed up the process.
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.
- Freezing: This casserole freezes well. Bake it fully, let it cool, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Buffalo Chicken and Rice Bake
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This Buffalo Chicken and Rice Bake is a comforting casserole that brings all the spicy, tangy flavors of wings into a hearty, family-friendly meal. Loaded with tender chicken, fluffy rice, and a creamy cheese sauce, it is a satisfying dinner that requires minimal effort. Topped with a golden layer of melted white cheddar and a kick from the buffalo sauce, this dish is destined to become a weeknight favorite.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced or thinly sliced
- 1 stalk celery, diced or thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups white long grain rice
- 1 block (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound shredded cooked chicken
- 3/4 cups Buffalo sauce (I use Frank’s Red Hot Sauce)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
- Sliced green onions, blue cheese crumbles, and sour cream, for serving
Instructions
Prep
Preheat your oven to 400˚F.
Sauté the Veggies
Heat the olive oil in a skillet set over medium heat. Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 20 seconds until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Toast the Rice
Add the dry white long grain rice to the skillet with the sautéed vegetables and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir frequently until the rice is slightly toasted.
Assemble
Transfer the rice and vegetable mixture to a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish. Stir in the softened cream cheese until it is well incorporated into the warm rice. Next, add the chicken broth, shredded cooked chicken, and buffalo sauce to the baking dish. Stir everything to combine well.
Bake
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Remove the foil and stir the casserole gently to fluff it up.
Finish
Top the casserole evenly with the shredded white cheddar cheese. Continue to bake, uncovered, for about 10 more minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and bubbly.
Serve
Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Top with sliced green onions, blue cheese crumbles, and sour cream, and serve warm.
Notes
Resting is Key: Do not skip the 10-minute resting period after baking. This allows the rice to finish steaming and absorbing any remaining moisture, ensuring the casserole holds its shape and isn’t runny when served.
Soften the Cream Cheese: Leave your cream cheese out on the counter while you prep the vegetables. If it is cold, it will not mix smoothly into the rice and will leave white lumps.
Spice Control: This dish has a medium kick. If you are serving children or those sensitive to spice, serve with plenty of sour cream or blue cheese dressing to cool down the heat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 590
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 1250mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: buffalo chicken casserole, chicken and rice bake, spicy chicken dinner, easy weeknight casserole, baked chicken and rice, gluten free dinner, comfort food recipe
