Buffalo Chicken & Potato Casserole

Do you ever have those days where you really don't want to dirty a ton of dishes in the kitchen? I love cooking and eating but I hate the cleanup after wards. Now it wouldn't be so bad if the Mr. and I had the "I cook, therefor you clean" method to break up the responsibility but we don't. See the Mr. is deathly allergic to doing the dishes just like I can go into cardiac arrest if I get anywhere near the laundry basket. And since the Mr. is the breakfast/burger king and I prefer more of a variety when it comes to my dinner, I am the one cooking and cleaning up the mess. So it is a no brainer that I get giddy when I come across recipes that don't use all of my pots/pans and bowls just to make one measly little meal.

I got the recipe from the Betty Crocker website and switched some things. The original recipe had frozen hash browns which I substituted by grating potatoes with my box grater and using them instead. Why go out of my way to buy frozen hash browns when I can grate my own? However, if you have frozen hash browns then by all means, use those! I also swapped the cream of celery for the cream of chicken simply because the Mr. does not like celery. This is a pretty forgiving recipe and you can add more or less chicken, cheese, potatoes, hot sauce or dressing. I, personally, would add more chicken since I didn't feel like there was enough. The end product is a creamy, crunchy, spicy chicken casserole that can be cooked and served in one dish.


Now if you are not a fan of buffalo wings dipped in ranch or blue cheese dressing (yes you can use blue cheese instead of ranch) then chances are that you are not going to like this one bit. You see I grew up on Franks hot sauce, as a baby, my mother would put Franks in my bottle and when I grew a little older I would put some on my chicken flavored baby food. Okay, Okay I jest. In all honesty I hated spicy foods as a kid. If my mom put Franks on something she would have to take out my portion before doing so because I was just that much of a pain in the rear as a child. Now that is no joke, just ask anyone in the family, I was a handful. However, something happened and slowly I built up a tolerance to spicy foods and now I pretty much put Franks on everything. If at any point in time I go in the cabinet and see that we are out of Franks, I sound the alarm and rush to the nearest store (in my case the only store out here) and stock up on Franks.


  • 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
  • 1/3 c. Franks hot sauce
  • 5c. red potatoes, grated w/ box grater, or frozen hashbrowns, thawed
  • 1 c. light ranch dressing/ blue cheese
  • 1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 (10 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
  • 1/2 c. panko

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Grate potatoes and wrap into a cheesecloth and wring out as much liquid as possible.
  3. In medium bowl, stir together chicken strips and buffalo sauce. Spoon into baking dish in a single layer.
  4. In the same bowl, stir together potatoes, dressing, cheese and soup. Spread over chicken. Sprinkle panko evenly over the top.
  5. Cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes; uncover and bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender and juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut.

I've made this recipe with both the fresh potatoes and the hasbrowns. The fresh potatoes will have more crunch and potato-y flavor than the hashbrowns.

 *Update*
Meghan S. has a great idea since so many people are having problems with the potatoes. She says to "boil the whole potatoes (in their skins), refrigerate them overnight or till cool, and then peel (a butter knife works--so easy) and grate them."
-Thanks Meghan! 

This post is submitted in
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Tuesdays at the Table
Delicious Dishes
Foodie Friday

71 comments:

Joanne said...

Unfortunately, I have no choice but to be the cook, dish washer, and laundry do-er in my apartment. Which is why the laundry never gets folded and sits in my laundry basket until I either wear it or the next laundry day. But let's not talk about that.

Let's talk about this casserole, which looks DELICIOUS! Major score.

Katie said...

Oh, this sounds delicious! I love anything buffalo!

Jacqueline said...

I hopped over from Foodie Friday! We are addicted at our home to Frank's Buffalo sauce! We would love this. I am making this for Sunday dinner when the married kids are here too. We go through it like crazy. In Cabo, Mexico we had a great treat - fries with buffalo sauce and a little mayo on it! You would love that one too.

Thanks a ton!

Kim said...

I love recipes with with that buffalo chicken flavor and this looks ooey gooey and amazing!

Julie said...

Frank's sauce is my favorite sauce for chicken wings. Can't wait to give this one a try! Love one dish meals.

Debbi Does Dinner Healthy said...

LOVE Franks and this looks awesome!!

denicehijab said...

How I wish I could eat hot food cause this looks wonderful> Does anyone have an idea what to substitute for the hot?

Christina said...

Yummy! I love anything Buffalo style. I love that you used fresh potatoes instead of frozen hash browns.

Ali said...

I have found you from Ireland and I LOVE the sound of this. Now I can't find most things that you cook with but I went to my cupboard and took out my Frank's Buffalo Hot Sauce and am going to try this. I can't even get real Ranch dressing over here but I have some friends in the US that send me over sachets of it so I can make it myself. Mmmm,I have the chicken out of the freezer and will make it tomorrow. I cannot WAIT!

Rachel @the house redeemed said...

I found you from Pinterest! I'm so excited to try this recipe!!

Anonymous said...

I am so glad I found this on pinterest! It is my picky hubby's new favorite! It is hearty, delish, and as georgeous as the picture! We need to start a support group or something for no help in the kitchen! Thanks!

Kimberly said...

Have all the ingredients making it tonight! Yum Franks!!

Amanda said...

Im new to the cooking with frozen hashbrowns...well cooking period...could frozen hasbrowns be used instead of fresh? im sure it wont taste the same but im looking for time saving..

Kristin (Book Sniffers Anonymous) said...

Amanda- Yes you can use frozen.

Anonymous said...

How many degrees when you bake?

Unknown said...

So, I'm just minding my own business and getting lost on Pinterest when I see this fantastic looking (and sounding) Buffalo Chicken Casserole. Voila, here I am.

It does look fantastic and the perfect way for me to use up left over turkey after tomorrow's feast. Printed and saved.

Love your site....I'm a new fan.

Jenny said...

sounds yummy! do you think i could prepare this and freeze it?

thanks, jenny

Tracy said...

Oh boy, this is HOT! Spicy HOT!

AthenaLV said...

This was a great recipe, but I used fresh grated potatoes, and I have a piece of advice...make sure you squeeze dry your potatoes after you shred them. I didn't and my casserole came out very very runny. I couldn't figure out why until I had the "a-ha!" moment and determined it is because I didn't squeeze dry my potatoes!! Thanks for this wonderful recipe! I can't wait to try it again soon.

Kim said...

I made this tonight with the frozen potatoes and it came out runny. I almost bought the fresh hash browns in the refrigerated section of the grocery and then last minute decided to do the frozen ones. It tasted great and my hubby liked it but I think either the fresh hash browns or slicing fresh potatoes would be better. I will def try this again though, but skip the frozen hash browns. Great flavor:-)

Tiffany said...

What are the directions for frozen hash browns? One bag? Two? Would it be good to thaw them out before hand.. or do you have a link to the original recipe?

Kristin (Book Sniffers Anonymous) said...

You can go to the original recipe HERE. It calls for 6 cups of frozen hash browns.

Lauren said...

I just made this tonight, OMG amazing!! I didn't have time to grate my own potatoes and just used frozen hashbrowns but I thawed them out in the microwave first. LOVE this dish!!

Anonymous said...

LOVED this! i made it tonight and used about 1 cup of hot wing sauce on the chicken! *lol* it was definitely spicy! my husband couldn't stop eating it :o) thanks!

angela.lucille said...

I don't have any buffalo sauce! What would be a good substitute??

Kristin (Book Sniffers Anonymous) said...

Any brand of hot sauce that you enjoy will work. I was born and raised on Franks and to me that is buffalo wing sauce. However, if you prefer a different brand of hot sauce than use that.

Robbie said...

A lady from over a year ago asked what "sauce" could be substituted instead of hot sauce. I did not see an answer. I also want to try this..but can not stand HOT flavorings..i do well with Taco bell mild sauce..that's it. I'm a whimp. Ok..so what's the suggestions??

Kristin (Book Sniffers Anonymous) said...

Robbie- I do not know of a substitute for hot sauce that wouldn't be hot. I personally find Franks to be on the mild side but if you don't like spice at all then that would be too much for you.

Kaci * Little Piles Everywhere said...

I am all about freezer meals for our super busy family. I am thinking this would be excellent for freezing.

jsilvius said...

I am making this now...added extra cheese, because I love cheese....can't wait until its done!! Will let you know as soon as its done, but I'm sure I will have no complaints. I did use already cut fresh (not frozen) hashbrown potatoes and based on the previous comments I even laid them out on a paper towel to get any extra moisture out for an hour. :)

Unknown said...

Can I substitute the potatoes for mashed cauliflower??? Trying to keep my carbs on the low

Unknown said...

Can I substitute the potatoes for mashed cauliflower? Trying to keep my carbs on the low

Kristin (Book Sniffers Anonymous) said...

You can always try it but I'm not saying it would come out runny. The grated potatoes have to be patted down to get excess moisture out. If you don't mind it being a little soupy, it never hurts to try. :)

Unknown said...

Found you on pinterest! I can't wait to try this tonight!!!

Unknown said...

I tried this last night and the family gave me two thumbs up. I did make one change though. I did not have any panko bread crumbs so I crunched up some tortilla chips and it came out really yummy.

AllieCat said...

Do you need to cook the chicken at all before mixing it all together?

Kristin (Book Sniffers Anonymous) said...

Alliecat- No, you don't cook the chicken before hand. The chicken cooks along with the potatoes during the baking process.

Unknown said...

I have made this multiple times now and it is a family favorite. It's hard to believe something so quick and easy can also be this delicious but is is! Thank you soooooo much for this recipe!

tatt2dchk1 said...

I would like to make this for a large party next weekend.... what is the serving size as the recipe is now so that I can adjust it...

Kristin (Book Sniffers Anonymous) said...

It serves 6.

Unknown said...

My wife and I both really liked how everything played together. If your other recipes are this good, I'm in for a treat. At any rate, this one was great and I will be making it again in the future. Thanks

Noura80 said...

Any idea how much calories are in this recipe. I love buffalo chicken

Noura80 said...

Any idea how many calories this recipe has

Unknown said...

I have this dish in the oven right now as I'm typing this. I have checked on it and I guess I didn't pat my potatoes enough because it is very runny/watery. =( Any suggestions? Hope it still tastes the same! My husband was really excited about this dish...we absolutely love anything with Frank's Hot Sauce!

Kristin (Book Sniffers Anonymous) said...

Mallory, What I do is grate the potatoes, lay them out and pat them down really well with paper towels. I've never had a problem with it being watery. Maybe next time grate them, pat them and then let them sit out while you prepare the ingredients. Maybe letting it sit out that extra time will help. Or you could add a TBSP or two of flour to help soak up the moisture.

Shelby said...

This was delicious I did have a problem with it being a little runny I did use shredded hash brown and yes I did thaw them out, then laid them on paper towels and dried more with more paper towels bc I read the comments and tried to avoid this problem but its ok I did something I crazy I scooped out the liquid mixed it with a little flour heated on stove just to make sure it didn't taste like flour and poured over casserole...overall the only thing i did different was using chips instead of panko but u would have never known it was runny... my chips were still crunchy my 18 mth ate 2 bowls (doesnt happen often)but next time I will just add flour to the recipe

Sry for the paragragh but thank u for the delicious recipe will definitely be adding to my mthly menu

mhamilton said...

I hate dressing... Think I could make this without it but have it on the side if others want it?

Kristin (Book Sniffers Anonymous) said...

mhamilton- I think you will be fine leaving the dressing out if you don't like it and then just have ranch or blue cheese for dipping on the side.

caspittal said...

A lot depends on the type of potatoes being used. A russet or baking potato has more starch and would make the recipe less runny. I would also par-boil the potatoes before grating them. This would eliminate having to "dry" them. Most wing recipes use ketchup to tone down the hotness of the sauce. For this recipe I would add a couple of tablespoons of ketchup.

Unknown said...

I already make some buffalo chicken in my crockpot earlier this week and was just going to plan on putting that in a this casserole. How long do you think I would need to bake it with pre-cooked chicken?

Unknown said...

I have already made some buffalo chicken in my crock pot eariler this week...How long do you think it would to bake it with pre-cooked chicken? Thanks!

Lesliek0211 said...

Made this tonight for 7 family members. They all ate seconds! We used frozen hashbrowns, didn't thaw them at all and it wasn't runny in the least. I put the chicken on the top so everyone could see how much they were getting. It was delicious!

ocean401 said...

Made this for Sunday dinner - BORING!!! It had no flavor at all. Sorry - my opinion!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the recipe! It is fabulous!!! I made it in the crockpot:) I used 3 lbs of chicken and Franks Wing sauce. Right before I served it, I topped it with panko and put it in my oven under the broiler to get it crunchy:)

Cheryl said...

I havent tried this yet but Im thinking of omitting the hot sauce it then becomes a ranch chix cass. then you can just add it ur serving (the hot sauce) if u like.

Anonymous said...

Does the chicken need to be cooked or raw?

Kristin (Book Sniffers Anonymous) said...

The recipe is for raw chicken. However, if you have leftover chicken you want to use instead the recipe would work as well.

Thomas Family said...

Do you HAVE to use the dressing? I hate ranch and my husband hates blue cheese! :( ARRR!! So I wondered if we could omit those or use on the sides? We LOVE buffalo chicken though but neither of us dunk in dressing! HELP!

charmeddddd said...

I grated my own potatoes and I cook this for 1 1/2 hours and the potatoes didn't seem like they were cooked, they were extremely crunchy.

Unknown said...

Made this tonight for my husband and mother-in-law. It was fantastic, and between the three of us, we have no leftovers! Thank you!

Unknown said...

Made this tonight and it was amazing! I did vary a tad bit. I grated my own potatoes, boiled and shredded my chicken first and used my own personal buffalo sauce recipe. Also I didn't have any panko so I crushed up croutons (only thing available) which worked wonderfully. Thank you for posting, new family favorite!

Riccobully said...

Just tried this and I'm not a fan. It came out runny even after patting down potatoes with paper towels. Bland and not much flavor. Odd consistency. Thanks for the recipe though. I'm always up for trying something new!

Unknown said...

Made this for dinner last night and it was yummy. I used frozen hashbrowns and buffalo wing sauce, and it had a very nice consistancy---thick and cheesy. Spicy but not too hot----whole family liked it.

Unknown said...

You can go to your local buffalo wild wings and buy their sauce by the bottle. They have a few great mild sauces. I should know i work there lol

Unknown said...

Can I mix it together the night before and freeze it then pop it in the oven the next day?

Kristin (Book Sniffers Anonymous) said...

Nichole, I would cook the chicken first before you assemble it for the freezer. I've never tried making it from the freezer although, I've made it ahead of time and had it in the refrigerator.

Anonymous said...

I must be in the minority because I made this yesterday and my husband spit it out on the first bite. It looked nothing like the photo and the hot sauce and ranch dressing combo didn't sit well in my stomach. I'm thinking maybe if the chicken was maybe cooked in some flavorful broth then shredded to absorb the flavors better, rather than it just laying on top of the raw chicken strips.

I'm glad others had better luck - maybe just different palates, but I hate to say that it was so bad I dumped the rest of it down the garbage disposal because neither one of us would eat it.

Unknown said...

TERRIBLE! I agree with the last post. I wasted money on all of the ingredients. I served it for my brother and husband. It was awful! I even tried cooking it longer to see if the potato texture got any better. I used real potatoes and made sure I got out all the moisture with paper towels. I even made half w/ ranch dressing and half with blue cheese. Had to throw it out.

Unknown said...

A ton of people are having a lot of issues with the grated potatoes. This recipe seems really similar to my "funeral" or cheese potato casserole recipe, and in that, I boil the whole potatoes (in their skins), refrigerate them overnight or till cool, and then peel (a butter knife works--so easy) and grate them. You don't have to pat them dry, and they definitely won't be crunchy. I think this would solve all the problems with potatoes. Frozen hashbrowns work, too. You just don't want the consistency to be runny when you stir it. You want the dressing to coat the potatoes but not drip off. So add more potatoes till it's like that.

Unknown said...

p.s. that is with russet potatoes, not red.

Unknown said...

I have all the ingredients and making it tonight!