Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Casserole
Roasted cauliflower and chicken baked in a tangy, creamy buffalo sauce under a bubbling layer of cheddar and mozzarella. It tastes like buffalo chicken dip, but it’s a full dinner.
Nutrition per serving
about 1¼ cups- Net carbs
- 6.1g
- Calories
- 423kcal
- Protein
- 36g
- Fat
- 28g
- Total carbs
- 8.4 g
- Fiber
- 2.4 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Chicken bacon ranch: No hot sauce here. Smoky bacon and extra ranch make a mild, creamy casserole that kids love.
- Whisk the cream cheese with ½ cup ranch instead of hot sauce. Stir most of the bacon into the casserole and scatter the rest over the cheese before baking.
With broccoli: Broccoli florets replace the cauliflower for a greener casserole that holds its texture well.
- Roast the broccoli only 10–12 minutes, until bright green and charred at the tips; it will finish softening in the oven.
Spaghetti squash base: Tender strands of spaghetti squash replace the cauliflower for a pasta-bake feel. Slightly more carbs, still well within keto.
- Brush the cut sides of the squash with the oil meant for the cauliflower and roast cut-side down at 425°F (220°C) for 35–40 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Cool 10 minutes, then scrape out the strands and blot them dry with paper towels.
- Fold the strands into the dish with the chicken and sauce, and bake as written.
- Casserole
- Buffalo sauce
- Topping
- Nice to have (optional)
- Casserole
- Buffalo sauce
-
½ cup Louisiana-style cayenne hot sauceleave out - Topping
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
- Casserole
- Buffalo sauce
- Topping
- Nice to have (optional)
- Casserole
- Buffalo sauce
- Topping
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $16.13 for 6 servings ($2.69 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss the cauliflower with 1 tbsp oil and ¼ tsp salt and spread it on a sheet pan. On a second pan, toss the chicken with the remaining oil, salt and the garlic powder.
-
Roast both pans 15–20 minutes, until the cauliflower is browned at the edges and just tender and the chicken reads 165°F (74°C). Lower the oven to 375°F (190°C).
-
Meanwhile, whisk the cream cheese, hot sauce and ranch until smooth. If the cream cheese is cold, warm it 20 seconds in the microwave first.
-
In a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish, combine the cauliflower, chicken and any juices, the celery, the buffalo sauce and half the cheddar, and stir until everything is coated.
-
Top with the remaining cheddar and the mozzarella. Bake 20–25 minutes, until bubbling at the edges and golden on top.
-
Rest 5 minutes, then scatter with green onions and blue cheese and serve.
Tips for success
-
Roasting the cauliflower first drives off water. Raw florets turn the sauce thin and soupy as they bake. - Short on time? Use 4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken and skip roasting the chicken.
- Use homemade ranch or a ranch without added sugar. Some bottled ranch dressings contain several grams of carbs per serving.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge
- Freezes up to 2 months
Reheat: Oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 15 minutes or microwave 2–3 minutes, until hot in the center.
Prep tip: Portion it into containers once cooled, and add the blue cheese and green onions after reheating.
Refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat portions at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes or in the microwave. Freezes for up to 2 months.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosChicken bacon ranch
FlavorNo hot sauce here. Smoky bacon and extra ranch make a mild, creamy casserole that kids love.
- + 6 slices cooked bacon
- + ¼ cup extra ranch dressing
- no Louisiana-style cayenne hot sauce
6.8 g net · 510 kcal · 39 g protein · 35 g fat · ≈$2.65 per serving (+0.7 g net carbs vs the original)
With broccoli
VeggiesBroccoli florets replace the cauliflower for a greener casserole that holds its texture well.
- cauliflower → broccoli florets
7.1 g net · 432 kcal · 36 g protein · 28 g fat · ≈$3.04 per serving (+1 g net carbs vs the original)
Spaghetti squash base
SwapTender strands of spaghetti squash replace the cauliflower for a pasta-bake feel. Slightly more carbs, still well within keto.
- cauliflower → spaghetti squash (about 3 lb / 1.4 kg)
11 g net · 444 kcal · 35 g protein · 28 g fat · ≈$2.62 per serving (+5.1 g net carbs vs the original)
Save it for later
Pin this recipe to your keto board so it’s there when you plan next week.
Save to Pinterest
