Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (2024)

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by Alea Milham 5 Comments

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This is the original Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole recipe! Looking for an easy casserole recipe? This Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Casserole has a layer of buffalo ranch chicken topped with tater tots and cheese making it a favorite with my whole family.

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (1)

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (2)

My kids range in age between 7 and 24, so finding foods that everyone likes can sometimes be a difficult task. There are a few things they all agree on like French Fries and Tater Tots potatoes.

My youngest child is my pickiest eater. If he had a choice, he would live on French Fries and Tater Tots potatoes. There are days where I have seriously wished that ketchup counted as a vegetable! Oddly enough, my 7-year-old also likes spicy foods like salsa. So I have been able to get him to try new foods just by covering them in hot sauce or salsa. It may be weird, but one thing I have learned after 24 years of parenting is you go with what works.

One evening, I decided to combine two things that not only he likes, but that the rest of the family enjoys as well: Spicy food and Tater Tots potatoes. I used Tater Tots, chicken and an easy buffalo ranch sauce to create a Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole that the whole family enjoyed.

I keep a bag of Ore-Ida Tater Tots potatoes in my freezer for crazy busy days. You know the ones, the ones where you just need something easy to fall back on. It is really easy to combine the Tater Tots with a few other ingredients to make a kid-friendly buffalo chicken tater tot casserole recipe that the whole family will love.

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe with Tater Tots

Ingredients:

  • 1½ – 2 pounds uncooked chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 – 24-ounce bag of Ore-Ida Tater Tots Potatoes
  • ¼ cup hot sauce (less if your kids don’t like spicy food)
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
  • 1 cup Mexican blend cheese
  • 6 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 – 4 stalks celery, thinly sliced (optional)

Directions:

You will find a complete set of printable directions at the bottom of this post.

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (3)
Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (4)

Since I was going for easy, I made the buffalo ranch sauce for this casserole by combining hot sauce and Ranch dressing.

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (5)
Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (6)

First, you place the chicken and celery in the casserole dish. Then combine half of the buffalo ranch sauce with the chicken. Tops the chicken with green onion slices.

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (7)
Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (8)

Then place the still frozen Tater Tots in rows across the top of the chicken pieces. Then pour the remaining buffalo ranch sauce over the Tater Tots potatoes. Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Then add the remaining green onion slices.

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (9)

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (10)

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (11)
Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (12)

Printable Recipe for Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (13)

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5 from 2 votes

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe

Enjoy Buffalo Ranch dip? Try this easy Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole recipe using Tater Tots, Chicken, Hot Sauce, and Ranch Dressing.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 320kcal

Author Alea Milham

Ingredients

  • 1½ - 2 pounds uncooked chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces
  • 24 oz. bag Ore-Ida Tater Tots
  • ¼ cup hot sauce less if your kids don't like spicy food
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
  • 1 cup Mexican blend cheese
  • 6 green onions thinly sliced
  • 2 - 4 stalks of celery thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

  • Combine the hot sauce and ranch dressing in a small bowl.

  • Place chicken pieces and celery slices in a 12 x 9 casserole dish.

  • Coat the chicken with half of the buffalo ranch sauce.

  • Sprinkle most of the green onions over the chicken. Save some of the onion slices for the topping.

  • Place the frozen Tater Tots in rows on top of the chicken pieces.

  • Pour the remaining buffalo ranch sauce over the top of the Tater Tots.

  • Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the Tater Tots.

  • Top with the remaining green onions.

  • Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 749mg | Potassium: 479mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 169IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 1mg

Here is a video showing you how easy it is to make this Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole recipe. This video was made in cooperation with my friend Nate of WannaBite.com.

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (14)

Do you like cooking with Tater Tots?

More Tater Tot Casseroles

Jalapeno Popper Casserole Recipe

Bacon Ranch Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

Corned Beef Tater Tot Casserole

Italian Meatball Tater Tot Casserole

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (15)

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (16)

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Ore-Ida. The buffalo ranch chicken casserole recipe is my original creation and the opinions and text are all mine.

About Alea Milham

Alea Milham is the owner of Premeditated Leftovers and the author of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scatch. She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home. Her favorite hobby, gardening, is a frugal source of organic produce for her recipes. She believes it is possible to live fully and eat well while spending less.

Comments

  1. Sue says

    Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (17)
    I use precooked chicken, which cuts down on bake time, but everyone loves it!

    Reply

  2. Jordann says

    Making this tonight! It’s a little confusing because the video doesn’t match the recipe steps!

    Reply

  3. Sarah says

    Have you ever made this as a freezer meal?

    Reply

  4. Ann says

    Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (18)
    This casserole is a favorite with my family and friends! I will be making it for our Super Bowl party again this year! Thanks!

    Reply

  5. sierra says

    If cutting in half, how long should you bake?

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is it called King Ranch casserole? ›

King Ranch chicken is a Tex-Mex casserole. Its name comes from King Ranch, one of the largest ranches in the United States, although the actual history of the dish is unknown and there is no direct connection between the dish and the ranch.

What to eat with buffalo ranch chicken? ›

To balance out the spicy kick of the chicken, I highly recommend serving it with some cool and refreshing pasta salad and coleslaw. Another fantastic option is a creamy potato casserole and roasted veggies. And you can never go wrong with a simple green salad and homemade ranch dressing.

How do you spice up a bland chicken casserole? ›

Fresh herbs or citrus zest can also punch up flavors with a bit of welcome brightness for a long-cooked dish, as can adding some heat in the form of a dash of hot sauce, a generous pinch of minced or sliced fresh chili pepper, or a shake of red pepper flakes.

What does buffalo ranch sauce taste like? ›

What flavor is Buffalo Ranch? Buffalo ranch sauce is tangy, spicy and zesty. It has a creamy texture, a bit of heat from Frank's Red Hot Sauce and plenty of tang from sour cream and lemon juice or vinegar.

What does the W mean in King Ranch? ›

The meaning of the Running W remains a mystery. The Running W brand was first registered in 1869. Some have said that it represents one of the Ranch's many diamondback rattlesnakes or the Santa Gertrudis Creek, while others are sure it signifies the sweeping horns of a Texas Longhorn.

What makes King Ranch so special? ›

Over the course of over 160 years, King Ranch led some of the first cattle drives, developed the Santa Gertrudis and Santa Cruz breeds of cattle, bred the finest Quarter Horses, and produced champion Thoroughbreds—all under its iconic Running W® brand.

Why do people dip buffalo wings in ranch? ›

Ranch dressing is a buttermilk and mayonnaise-based dip, always smooth and creamy, and are perfect to cool down hot wings or even provide a flavor balance to sweet wings.

What is KFC buffalo Ranch sauce? ›

The dipping sauce mashup that KFC debuted in late 2022 combines a smooth and creamy ranch sauce with the sour heat of cayenne pepper sauce.

What sauce goes well with buffalo sauce? ›

10 Best Dipping Sauces To Elevate Buffalo Wings
  • Blue cheese dressing made to order. ...
  • Homemade ranch is anything but basic. ...
  • Tangy sour cream and chives. ...
  • Add a kick of pepper to Southwest sauce. ...
  • Spice up the flavor with wasabi ranch. ...
  • Decadent melty queso dip. ...
  • Remoulade is tres bien. ...
  • Fresh and creamy tzatziki.
Jul 25, 2023

What are 5 components of a casserole? ›

Let's talk anatomy: A standard dinner casserole usually includes a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a sauce (or other binding ingredient), and cheese. But making a casserole is not an exact science, and you can definitely break away from this formula. Check out some fun side-dish casseroles and desserts below!

What is the key to making a good casserole? ›

  1. Choose the right baking dish. If you're all about the crunchy topping, use a shallow dish. ...
  2. Undercook your pasta. ...
  3. Drain your meat. ...
  4. Beware of mushy vegetables. ...
  5. Know your cheeses. ...
  6. Master the art of casserole assembly. ...
  7. Don't skip the topping. ...
  8. Make it now, but bake it later.
Nov 1, 2021

Why did my rice not cook in my casserole? ›

Maybe you cooked it at too high of a temperature, evaporating the water long before the rice actually cooked. Maybe you took the lid off of the pot too early, letting the steam escape. Maybe you didn't add enough liquid to begin with.

Why is restaurant ranch so creamy? ›

While many restaurants use mass produced ranch mix, they often add it to a higher-quality base. This might include milk, buttermilk, sour cream, or mayonnaise. So when you notice that the ranch in a restaurant tastes better than the bottled dressing from the store, what you're really tasting is delicious, creamy fat.

What do you eat with buffalo ranch sauce? ›

10 Snacks That Prove Buffalo Sauce Works On Everything
  1. Wing Dip. The wing, perfected. ...
  2. Popcorn. Well isn't this pair just a thing of beauty. ...
  3. French Fries. I very much approve of this cacophony of flavor. ...
  4. Mac and Cheese. ...
  5. Sliders. ...
  6. Cupcakes. ...
  7. Sushi. ...
  8. Kettle Chips.

Does buffalo like ranch or blue cheese? ›

The chicken wing, created here in Buffalo, has taken on many styles and flavors in the sixty plus years since their creation, and that brings us to the age old question – blue cheese or ranch? For most people here in Western New York, the popular choice is hands down blue cheese.

Where did King Ranch casserole originate? ›

While the Midwest is responsible for more casseroles per capita than other regions of the country, Texas holds an exception close to its heart: King Ranch Chicken. It's an amalgamation of several key Tex-Mex food groups, as if Clarence Birdseye himself had devised the dish after a weekend at a dude ranch.

What did King Ranch come from? ›

The Ranch had its beginning in 1852, when Richard King and Gideon K. Lewis set up a cattle camp on Santa Gertrudis Creek in South Texas. Formal purchase began in 1853, when they bought a Spanish land grant, Rincón de Santa Gertrudis, of 15,500 acres on Santa Gertrudis Creek in Nueces County.

What makes a King Ranch different? ›

These particular trims are celebrated for their distinct identities: the King Ranch offers a unique blend of comfort and rugged style, while the Platinum trim elevates the luxury experience with advanced features and refined design, making them top choices for discerning drivers.

Where did the King Ranch brand come from? ›

The enormous ranch was founded in 1852 by Richard King and Gideon K. Lewis, and covered land in Nueces, Kenedy, Kleberg, and Willacy counties. On February 9, 1869, the "Running W" was registered as the official brand of King Ranch.

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