Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Casserole

Ingredients

• 6 cups cauliflower florets (600 g)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (14 g)
• 3 cups shredded chicken (420 g)
• 6 ounces cream cheese (170 g)
• 1/2 cup buffalo sauce (120 g)
• 1/3 cup sour cream (80 g)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (3 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar (170 g)
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced (45 g)
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley (8 g)

Instructions

1. Roast cauliflower dry. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss cauliflower with oil and salt, then spread it on a metal pan with cut faces down and open space between florets. Roast until the flat sides brown and the surfaces look dry. Let the florets stop radiating strong heat.
2. Make a coating sauce. Lower the oven to 375°F (190°C). Beat softened cream cheese with buffalo sauce, sour cream, and garlic powder until no pale lumps remain. The sauce should coat a spoon in a thick layer. Fold in chicken and half the scallions without breaking the meat into fine threads.
3. Layer without compressing. Spread roasted cauliflower across the casserole dish. Spoon buffalo chicken over it in loose mounds, letting some cauliflower remain visible around the edges. Pressing the mixture flat forces moisture upward. Scatter cheddar evenly but leave several narrow openings where bubbling can escape during baking.
4. Bake to a firm center. Bake until the perimeter bubbles and the cheddar shows uneven golden patches. Nudge the dish: the center should move as one layer rather than ripple like liquid. Remove it from the oven and leave it undisturbed until the edges stop bubbling. Cut six portions and add remaining scallions.

Notes

• Ingredient size affects timing, so favor even cuts while allowing naturally irregular arrangement.
• The decisive finished cue is dry browned cauliflower and a center that moves as one layer instead of rippling; wait for it before adding the final garnish.
• Refrigerate for 4 days and reheat portions gently, keeping fresh scallions separate until serving.

Nutrition Facts