easy budget friendly family dinner idea that picky eaters will love. This cheesy casserole is made with simple ingredients and is the perfect comfort food for busy weeknights.

Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Rice Skillet

Name: Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Rice Skillet
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 (12.5 oz) can of chicken ((drained)); 4 cups frozen cauliflower rice ((cooked)); 4 slices bacon ((cooked)); 1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese; ¾ cup mayonnaise; 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese; 3 tbsp Frank's Red hot sauce; salt and pepper to taste

Easy dinner recipe using frozen cauliflower rice, canned chicken, cream cheese, bacon, and a few other ingredients you probably already have at home.

February 29, 2024 By Celeste

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A cheesy, creamy, low carb chicken casserole with lots of hidden vegetables!

Are you looking for easy dinner ideas packed full of veggies that your family will actually eat? Made from just a few pantry staples, this dish combines the convenience of frozen cauliflower rice and canned chicken to deliver a quick and healthy meal in no time. As a bonus, it’s naturally low carb and gluten free!

This cheesy casserole is not only cheap and super easy to make on busy weeknights, it’s also loaded with gooey flavor and crispy bacon that will have your family coming back for seconds. It’s basically a healthy meal disguised as comfort food!

I discovered a huge bag of cauliflower rice from Costco in my freezer that’s been in there for a long minute. It needed to be used in a recipe ASAP, so I poked around my refrigerator and found a few things to whip up this yummy skillet casserole. This easy dinner is perfect for busy school nights because it uses just one dish and a few common ingredients!

Ingredients

12.5 oz canned chicken
4 cups riced cauliflower
4 slices cooked bacon
8 oz package cream cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 tablespoon hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1 Microwave or steam the cauliflower rice according to package instructions until warm. While cauliflower is warming, cook bacon slices in a cast iron skillet until crispy and then crumble the bacon into bits. Make sure to reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon grease for step 2.

Step 2 In the same pan you cooked the bacon, mix together 1 tablespoon bacon grease, cream cheese, and hot sauce. Cook over medium heat until cream cheese is melted.

Step 3 Once the sauce is melted, mix in the can of drained chicken, cauliflower rice, mayonnaise, and one cup of shredded cheese (save the rest for the top of the casserole). *Note- If you are not using a cast iron skillet, transfer this mixture to a greased 9×13 baking dish before moving to the next step*

Step 4 Sprinkle with bacon bits and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350° F for 25-30 minutes or until the casserole is heated through and the top is browned to your liking.

I love this easy dinner idea because it’s extra lazy using canned chicken and frozen cauliflower rice. You don’t even have to get out a knife! Simply mix, bake and serve. The perfect healthy comfort food for moms who don’t want to spend the entire evening in the kitchen making dinner. You won’t regret adding this Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Casserole to your weekly dinner menu!

If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, no worries! The cheesy cauliflower mixture can be transferred to a 9×13 dish before baking.

Print Recipe

Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Rice Skillet

This yummy dinner recipe is easy to make with just a few simple and low carb ingredients. Using frozen cauliflower rice, canned chicken, bacon, and cream cheese, you can make a healthy and delicious last minute dinner your entire family will love.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Course: Main Course

Keyword: bacon, budget friendly, canned chicken, cauliflower rice, chicken casserole, easy meals

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 (12.5 oz) can of chicken (drained)
4 cups frozen cauliflower rice (cooked)
4 slices bacon (cooked)
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese
¾ cup mayonnaise
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 tbsp Frank's Red hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Microwave the cauliflower rice according to package instructions until warm.
While the cauliflower is warming, cook the bacon over medium heat in a cast iron skillet until crispy. Crumble the bacon into bits and set aside (reserve a tablespoon of bacon grease in the pan).
In the same skillet you cooked the bacon, mix together the tablespoon of reserved bacon grease, cream cheese, and hot sauce over medium heat until the cream cheese is completely melted.
Once sauce is melted, add the drained can of chicken, cauliflower rice, mayonnaise, and one cup of shredded cheese (save the remaining cheese for the top of the casserole).
*If you're not using a cast iron skillet to bake the casserole, pour mixture into a 9x13 baking dish before moving to the next step.
Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the remaining shredded cheese along with the crumbled bacon.
Bake at 350° F for 25-30 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and the top is browned to your liking. Enjoy!

Notes

I love using a cast iron skillet for this recipe because it makes it a one dish dinner! However, feel free to use a 9x13 baking dish if you dont have a cast iron pan. This easy dinner recipe will still come out just as delicious.
If you have picky kids at home, you may want to go easy on the hot sauce or even leave it out all together. You could replace the hot sauce with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, or the seasonings of your choice.
Cooked shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken may be used instead of canned chicken. I just like the convenience of canned meat for easy casseroles!
Looking to increase your veggie intake? Try adding red bell peppers, onions, jalapeños, or broccoli to this cheesy cauliflower casserole.
I used Frank's Red Hot Sauce but any vinegar based hot sauce will work such as Tabasco, Crystals, Louisiana Original, or buffalo wing sauce.