Creamy Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Casserole is cheesy, spicy, and crazy delicious! Made with only 5 ingredients, it’s low in carbs and suitable for those following a keto, low carb, or gluten free diet!
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Being the food-loving blogger that I am, a restrictive diet can be really challenging. Food needs to taste good. Really good.
The idea for this Creamy Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Casserole had been a long time coming. I was inspired to make this simple dinner recipe by my love for any and all things made with Buffalo sauce – especially Buffalo Chicken Dip. Because the sauce has 0 calories, and therefore 0 carbs, it’s a great condiment to use to add big flavor!
In fact, I love Buffalo sauce so much that it has inspired quite a few other recipes! Bacon Wrapped Buffalo Chicken Poppers, Buffalo Chicken Pizza, and Buffalo Chicken Salad are three more low carb recipes where Buffalo chicken is the star!
Why This Recipe Works
- 5 ingredients is all it takes to make this super flavorful casserole dish!
- Cream cheese is blended with a sharp cheddar cheese for a smooth, creamy base.
- Classic Buffalo sauce brings plenty flavor and spiciness.
- Cauliflower rice is used in place of regular rice to reduce the carbohydrates. Chunks of chicken add plenty of protein making this casserole suitable for those on low carb or keto diets.
- This recipe is naturally gluten free.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Casserole
Prep!
Set the cream cheese out to come to room temperature about an hour before you begin to make mixing a bit easier. You can skip this step, but the casserole mixture will be harder to combine.
Dice and cook your chicken, or shred it, if preferred. Leftover or rotisserie chicken works great for this recipe! I also like to use my Instant Pot to cook the chicken which makes it super easy to dice and shred.
Rice the cauliflower. I recommend using fresh cauliflower, when possible. Using frozen may give you a runnier sauce. You can rice the cauliflower by using a grater or by adding the florets to a food processor and pulsing a few times until it resembles rice.
Shred the cheddar cheese. It is not recommended to use a bagged shredded cheese as it contains a starch to keep it from sticking together. That starch makes it so the cheese doesn’t melt as nicely and increases the carb count of this Creamy Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Casserole recipe.
Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Create!
In a large bowl, combine the chicken, riced cauliflower, buffalo sauce, cream cheese, and half of the cheddar cheese. The mixture will be thick.
Spread into a medium casserole dish.
Top with the remaining cheddar cheese.
Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Present!
Top the Creamy Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Casserole is with extra Buffalo sauce and fresh, minced parsley, if desired.
Enjoy!
Tips and Techniques for the Best Creamy Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Casserole
- Setting the cream cheese out to come to room temperature an hour before you begin will make it easier to combine all of the ingredients.
- Cut the chicken into bite size cubes and cook in a skillet with olive oil until just done through, or use an Instant Pot, or use leftover or rotisserie chicken to save time.
- It is best to shred the sharp cheddar cheese from a block rather than buying a bag of pre-shredded cheese which contains a starch and doesn’t melt as well.
- I recommend using fresh cauliflower, when possible. Using frozen may give you a runnier sauce. You can rice the cauliflower by using a grater or by adding the florets to a food processor and pulsing a few times until it resembles rice.
FAQ’s
- Can store Buffalo Chicken Casserole in the freezer? Yes, it can be stored tightly covered and unbaked, for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before baking. Increase the cook time to 35 minutes covered, then 10 minutes uncovered.
- Can Buffalo Chicken Casserole be made ahead of time? This casserole can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator, tightly covered. It is recommended to bake it within 2 days. Increase the cook time to 35 minutes covered, then 10 minutes uncovered.
- How long can you store leftover Buffalo Chicken Casserole? Store any leftover casserole in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days.
Other Recipes to Try
- Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole
- Keto Broccoli Casserole
- Skillet Creamy Lemon Chicken with Cauliflower Rice
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For more Keto and Low Carb recipes, you can click here to visit the Low Carb section of my Recipe Index or sign up for my Keto and Low Carb Newsletter to get new keto and low carb recipes sent right to your inbox!
Creamy Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Casserole
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs cooked chicken *diced or shredded
- 5 cup riced cauliflower * from one large head
- 1/2 Cup buffalo sauce
- 8 ounces cream cheese *at room temperature
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese *shredded from block
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, riced cauliflower, buffalo sauce, cream cheese, and half of the cheddar cheese. The mixture will be thick.
- Spread into a medium casserole dish and top with the remaining cheddar cheese.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Garnish with extra Buffalo sauce and fresh, minced parsley, if desired. Serve hot.
Notes
Tips and Techniques for the Best Creamy Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Casserole
- Setting the cream cheese out to come to room temperature an hour before you begin will make it easier to combine all of the ingredients.
- Cut the chicken into bite size cubes and cook in a skillet with olive oil until just done through, or use an Instant Pot, or use leftover or rotisserie chicken to save time.
- It is best to shred the sharp cheddar cheese from a block rather than buying a bag of pre-shredded cheese which contains a starch and doesn't melt as well.
- I recommend using fresh cauliflower, when possible. Using frozen may give you a runnier sauce. You can rice the cauliflower by using a grater or by adding the florets to a food processor and pulsing a few times until it resembles rice.
How to Store Creamy Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Casserole
- You can store this casserole in the freezer, tightly covered and unbaked, for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before baking. Increase the cook time to 35 minutes covered, then 10 minutes uncovered.
- This casserole can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator, tightly covered. It is recommended to bake it within 2 days. Increase the cook time to 35 minutes covered, then 10 minutes uncovered.
- Store leftover Creamy Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Casserole in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on October 26, 2017. Images and text were updated in January 2019. No changes were made to the recipe itself.
Alexa Verdade says
May 14, 2019 at 7:47 pmI was curious if you used low fat cream cheese or regular? thanks so much cannot wait to make this!!
Lauren says
May 15, 2019 at 1:37 pmHi Alexa! I use full fat cream cheese. I haven’t tested the recipe with low fat so I can’t say how it would be different. I hope you enjoy it!!
Keely Langer says
March 7, 2019 at 3:29 pmI was wondering about using just cauliflower florets? Do you think it would work if I steamed them a bit first?
Lauren says
March 7, 2019 at 4:18 pmHi Keely! That should work. I would make sure to cut them bite-size and steam until just fork tender – or they may get super soft and fall apart (unless you want that result 🙂 Hope you love this recipe!! – Lauren
Brittany says
February 28, 2019 at 7:22 pmMade this tonight and it was a hit!! I also used frozen cauliflower rice and It was the perfect consistency! I cooked it as the package said on medium heat in a nonstick skillet for 5 minutes then I patted dry to make sure there wasn’t excess moisture!
Lauren says
February 28, 2019 at 7:51 pmHi Brittany! Thanks so much for the tips on using frozen cauliflower 🙂 Glad the recipe turned out great for you! – Lauren
Kelsey says
February 25, 2019 at 6:42 pmLoved this! I boiled my chicken, and used frozen cauliflower because I’m lazy and it was perfect!
Lauren says
February 26, 2019 at 10:37 amGlad to hear you loved it!!
Mindy says
February 21, 2019 at 7:33 pmDelicious! I used two steamable bags of frozen riced cauliflower cooked a couple of minutes to thaw. I browned the chicken in a little olive oil, then melted the cream cheese into the hot chicken and mixed it all up in a big bowl. When it came out of the oven it was kinda soupy (more like oatmeal), but as it cooled it thickened up some. A little high on sodium. This is going into my keto rotation!
Lauren says
February 21, 2019 at 8:22 pmHi Mindy – I need to add a little tip to use fresh cauliflower if possible. I have had other people say they have used frozen with good results, but I tend to get a “soupier” result with frozen vs. fresh. I think the sodium is coming from the cheese, but it does seem high – I’ll recheck the calculations to see if the information it gave me is a little off, or if that’s actually correct. Thanks for coming back to comment and rate the recipe – I appreciate it! Lauren
Susan says
February 21, 2019 at 7:30 pmWhen you say to “rice the cauliflower”, what exactly does that entail?
Lauren says
February 21, 2019 at 8:17 pmHi Susan! I’m sorry – I’ve been trying to explain this in any posts that use riced cauliflower, but I have yet to add it here. You can buy riced cauliflower from some grocery store produce departments, or rice it yourself with a grater or by putting cauliflower florets in a food processor and pulsing a few times until it resembles rice. I hope this helps – Lauren
Traci says
February 15, 2019 at 8:35 pmI too added some celery. Excellent dish!!
Laura says
February 11, 2019 at 4:36 pmHi,
What is the serving size? 1 cup?
Thanks.
Lauren says
February 11, 2019 at 6:48 pmHi Laura – nutritional information is only an estimate and based on 1/6th of the recipe. It’s not a measurement based on exact cups etc. since that is extremely hard to do especially just out of a home kitchen. Thanks for understanding 🙂
Jenny says
March 3, 2019 at 8:33 pmDoes the rice cauliflower need to be precooked? Seems like raw cauliflower wouldn’t have time to cook in that much time. 😊
Lauren says
March 4, 2019 at 7:47 amHi Jenny! I don’t precook the cauliflower and haven’t had any issues with it being raw still. I would say just to make sure when you process/rice it to make it more rice-sized – sometimes the pre-riced cauliflower can be bigger and if so, you may want to add a few minutes to the cook time.
Monica says
February 10, 2019 at 9:16 pmHow much is one serving? A cup? Half a cup?
Lauren says
February 11, 2019 at 7:10 amHi Monica – nutritional information is only an estimate and based on 1/6th of the recipe. It’s not a measurement based on exact cups etc. since that is extremely hard to do especially just out of a home kitchen. Thanks for understanding 🙂
Jeni Morrow says
January 27, 2019 at 7:27 pmThis dish was easy & delicious! I will make this again! Thanks for sharing! I will definitely be trying your other recipes! I’m so glad I found your site!
Lauren says
January 28, 2019 at 7:49 amHi Jeni! SO happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for coming back to let me know – I hope you find more to try 🙂 Lauren
Sarah says
January 20, 2019 at 3:55 pmVery yummy! I added a little extra hot sauce, craving that kick I guess. I used neufchatel instead of cream cheese. I also was a little short on cheddar so topped it with colby. I also used frozen riced cauliflower which made this an incredibly easy casserole and one that could work for a weeknight. Delish, thanks!
Lauren says
January 22, 2019 at 10:29 amSo happy to hear you liked the recipe! Glad to hear frozen cauliflower worked out too!
Alli says
January 13, 2019 at 8:52 amThis is a great recipe, I used reduced fat cream cheese & Cabot 50% less fat sharp cheddar cheese & it was still delicious!
Lauren says
January 14, 2019 at 6:38 amSo glad to hear you love the recipe! Thanks for the info on the results with different cheeses and for rating the recipe too! 🙂 Lauren
MaryAnne says
January 7, 2019 at 1:34 pm4 STARS!!! This is so easy and so delicious. I cooked some chicken breast in my instant pot and chopped them up and I added 2 stalks of chopped celery for some crunch. I served it with extra Franks hot sauce and crumbled blue cheese on the side. So yummy and such a hit with my boys. Great for leftovers too…make extra for lunch the next day with a salad!
Lauren says
January 8, 2019 at 8:32 pmSO glad to hear you love it! This is one of my family’s favorite so we rarely have leftovers – I had to make a Buffalo Chicken Salad recipe on it’s own hahaha! I appreciate you coming back to let me know how it went and for rating the recipe 🙂 – Lauren
Jenni LeBaron says
June 8, 2018 at 11:33 amYum! This low-carb dish sounds right up my alley!
Elizabeth says
June 8, 2018 at 11:28 amGosh this looks fantastic! I need to make this soon for my family as I think they will love it!
kim says
June 8, 2018 at 11:12 amYum! I’m always up for healthier comfort food. Love this use of cauliflower!
Suzy says
June 8, 2018 at 11:02 amThis is a great casserole!
Whitney says
March 29, 2018 at 7:17 pmThis looks delicious! Im attempting to go gluten free and its so nice to have yummy recipes to cook! I cant wait to try this 🙂 Thank you for posting!
Lauren says
April 2, 2018 at 12:23 pmThanks Whitney! It’s not the easiest, but good food definitely helps – enjoy!
Roylene says
January 16, 2018 at 9:53 amIt would be great if you could add some nutrition info
Lauren says
January 16, 2018 at 10:09 amHi Roylene! I’m actually working on adding nutritional info for all my recipes. I’m working oldest to newest. This recipe will be updated within the next few days. I’m using http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe_parser – if you go to that link enter the recipe link it *should* pull the ingredients out for you. You can adjust them to the brands you use and any alterations you may want to make as well. Hope this helps in the meantime – Lauren