Buffalo Chicken Casserole

 I can't remember the first time I tasted Buffalo Chicken Wings, but I do remember it was love at first bite.   Of course I love any kind of chicken wings . . . why oh why are the things that are so tasty so bad for you?   It's just not fair!    

There is something pretty special about Buffalo Chicken Wings . . . you get all the richness of a fried chicken wing . . . with that crisp crunchy skin, that succulent chicken meat . . . slathered in a buttery hot and spicy sauce . . . and then the cool richness of blue cheese dressing.   The three things just go soooo well together.   Quite, quite irresistible really!  

  

This delicious casserole combines the fabulous qualities of those wings, but in a casserole form.    What could be better???  Not much I tell you!  (Except for maybe the real thing!!)  

 

You start by creating a delicious hot sauce/marinade, which you combine with cubed chunks of baking potato to coat.   You then roast these in a hot oven until they are nicely browned . . . cooked through and tender on the insides, but crisp on the outsides.     

 

While those have been roasting, you marinate leftover roast chicken in another portion of that hot sauce.   Once the taters are all crisped up and down you sprinkle the chicken mixture over top and then sprinkle the whole lot with cheese . . .  both blue and cheddar cheeses.  

And that's not all . . . oh  no . . . that's not all.  You then sprinkle the cheese topping with crisp nuggets of pancetta bacon and  chopped spring onion.   

 

The whole thing gets banged back in the oven until the chicken is heated through and the cheese is all melty gooey . . . oh my . . . oh my.  

Tis a mighty delicious way to deal with chicken leftovers is all I can say . . . mighty delicious indeed.     

      

*Buffalo Chicken Casserole*
Serves 4

Printable Recipe  

Your favourite chicken wing taste . . . in an easy casserole!  Makes a great use of leftover roast chicken! 

3 cups of chopped cooked chicken

4 - 6 medium baking potatoes, washed and cubed

80ml good olive oil (1/3 cup)

1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

2 tsp black pepper

1 TBS ground sweet paprika

1 TBS garlic powder

4 TBS hot sauce (you can use up to 2 TBS more if you like yours spicier)

1 TBS freeze dried parsley

To finish:

100g of crumbled blue cheese  (1 cup)

240g of grated medium cheddar cheese (2 cups)

70g pack of pancetta cubes (1/4 cup)

5 spring onions, chopped  

Preheat the oven to 230*C/ 450*F/ gas mark 8.   Have ready a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.

Whisk the oil and seasonings together in a large bowl.  Remove a good TBS of it and set aside.  Toss in the potato cubes, giving them a good stir to coat, then pour them into the baking dish, reserving any excess oil mixture in the bowl.  Add the reserved oil mixture to the bowl and toss the chicken pieces in it.  Set aside to marinate.  Put the casserole with the potato cubes into the oven.   Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, giving them a good stir every 10 to 15 minutes, until golden and cooked through.  Put the pancetta cubes in a small dish and roast them in the oven alongside the potatoes for the last 8 minutes of cooking time. 

Remove all  from the oven.  Scatter the sauced chicken over top of the potatoes.   Crumble the blue cheese over top of the chicken and sprinkle with the grated cheddar.  Drain the pancetta and sprinkle this over top.   Scatter with 2/3 of the spring onions.  Bang back in the oven and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is heated through and the cheese is all bubbly.

I like to have mine with some sour cream, but you can splash yours with more hot sauce if you are up to it!

Note - I served this with wedges of iceberg lettuce with a homemade creamy dressing.