Loaded Cauliflower and Buffalo Chicken Casserole

From my Facebook "Just Us Friends Losing Weight Together" Files.  Obviously season to taste.  If it looks too spicy for you then cut back on some of the spices, etc.

Loaded Cauliflower and Buffalo Chicaken Casserole

by Maria McWhinnie

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 large cauliflower (florets)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 Tbsp paprika*
• 2 Tbsp garlic powder
• 6 Tbsp hot sauce or buffalo sauce
• Topping:
  • 2 cup Fiesta Blend Cheese or a mix of Cheddar & Monterey Jack
  • 1 cup crumbled bacon
  • 1 cup diced green onion

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder & hot sauce.
2. Add the cauliflower florets and stir to coat.
3. Scoop the cauliflower into a cooking spray coated 9 x 13 inch baking dish, leaving behind as much of the olive oil/hot sauce mix as possible.
4. Bake the cauliflower for 30-35 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and starting to brown
5. While the cauliflower is cooking, add the cubed chicken to the bowl with the leftover olive oil/hot sauce mix and stir to coat.
6. Once the cauliflower is fully cooked, remove from the oven.
7. Top the cooked cauliflower with the raw marinated chicken.
8. In a bowl mix together the cheese, bacon & green onion and top the raw chicken with the cheese mix.
9. Return the casserole to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the topping is bubbly delicious.
10. Drizzle with ranch dressing or blue cheese.
11. Serve with extra hot sauce and/or ranch dressing.
12. 
    

Serve with a simple spinach side salad (spinach, cherry tomatoes, pecans, grated parmesan)

Nutrition Information (per serving)

Servings: 8

Calories: 282.1

Total Fat: 20.3 g

Total Carbohydrate: 6.2 g

Dietary Fiber: 2.6 g