That Spicy Chick

Buffalo Chicken Ravioli Lasagna

This Buffalo Chicken Ravioli Lasagna is made with layers of ravioli, spicy and tangy tomato and buffalo chicken meat sauce, a creamy ricotta basil mixture, and plenty of cheese! It’s easy to make, perfect for busy weeknights or entertaining, and guaranteed to be a hit with any crowd! Vegetarian option included.

When you marry two different types of pasta and your favorite wing sauce into one dish, a hearty, cheesy, and showstopping casserole miracle happens! Please welcome this Buffalo Chicken Ravioli Lasagna into your lives!

You guys, this dish is so easy to make and super tasty! It’s less hassle than making traditional lasagna since you don’t have to deal with sloppy lasagna noodles. Nor do you have to worry about no-boil lasagna sheets causing a longer bake time.

Did I mention that we’re using store-bought tomato pasta sauce and buffalo sauce? Super time-saving compared to making the meat sauce from scratch! Perfect for busy weeknights, or when you need to entertain on short notice.

All you have to do is sauté some onion and garlic with the ground chicken and sauces to make the easy meat sauce, then whip up a delightfully creamy and ricotta and basil mixture in a bowl. Then layer the meat sauce, UNCOOKED ravioli (hurrah for another time saving factor about this dish! ), creamy ricotta basil mixture, and plenty of Parmigiano Reggiano and mozzarella cheese in a large baking dish. Bake it to golden and bubbly cheesy perfection, and BOOM! You have a spectacular, comforting, and tasty dinner to serve up to your hungry family or friends!

Be prepared for the flood of compliments because this delicious Buffalo Chicken Ravioli Lasagna is guaranteed to be loved by everyone! 😉

Front view of a plate with a serving of Buffalo Chicken Ravioli Lasagna. Dish with the casserole and bowl with basil behind.

Why This Recipe Works

  • Flexible with choice of protein. Ground chicken or leftover shredded chicken can be used to make the quick and easy tomato and buffalo meat sauce. You could also use other ground meat, sausage, or a plant-based meat substitute or chopped mushrooms to make it vegetarian.
  • Well-balanced. The creaminess from the ricotta basil layer balances out the tang from the tomato and buffalo sauces.
  • Not boring. Fresh, pillowy and cheesy ravioli replaces plain lasagna noodle sheets. The extra cheesy filling is a delight to sink your teeth into!
  • Efficient and time saving. You don’t have to cook the fresh ravioli or thaw the frozen ravioli first before baking. It’ll cook to perfection in the oven once nestled in between the meat sauce and cheese layers.
  • Feeds a crowd. This dish will yield 8-10 servings, which makes it perfect for small gatherings. But leftovers are just as tasty the second time around!

Let’s make some ravioli lasagna!

Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Ravioli Lasagna on a wooden board.
  • Oil: I used olive oil to make the meat sauce. But any cooking oil you have on hand is fine.
  • Ground Chicken: Ground turkey, beef, pork, or sausage are other great options for this ravioli lasagna. (See ‘FAQs’ below for tips on how to make this vegetarian.)
  • Tomato Pasta Sauce: I used a jar of Muir Glen Organic Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce with no sugar added, but you can use your favorite kind, including marinara sauce.
  • Buffalo Sauce: I used Wing Time Buffalo Wing Hot Sauce, as well as a few splashes of Tabasco® Brand Buffalo Style Hot Sauce because I love both of their flavors! Wing Time’s buffalo sauce has a nice tomato-y flavor which balances out the tanginess. Tabasco’s buffalo sauce is well-rounded, and deliciously hot and tangy. But you could use Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wings Sauce or whatever is your favorite brand.
  • Spices & Seasonings: Just some kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, ground cayenne, crushed red pepper chili flakes, and garlic powder to season the meat sauce. Feel free to use less ground cayenne and crushed red pepper chili flakes if you prefer to make this milder.
  • Ricotta: I used whole milk ricotta cheese because I adore its rich and creamy texture. But you could use part skim ricotta if you prefer.
  • Egg: To bind everything together in the ricotta basil mixture.
  • Basil: I used fresh Italian basil leaves. But if that’s out of stock at the supermarket, I sometimes use Thai sweet basil and it tastes great too.
  • Ravioli: I used a package of fresh herbs & ricotta ravioli, and another package of stuffed cheese ravioli. But you can use fresh or frozen ravioli with any filling you like. I’ve also made this with a porcini mushroom ravioli and spinach and ricotta ravioli, and it was delicious!
  • Cheeses: Parmigiano Reggiano for its lovely salty and nutty flavor, and mozzarella for its wonderful pull-y, chewy texture and ability to get all melty and bubbly brown! 😍 I recommend using freshly grated cheese because it’ll melt better than pre-shredded cheese.

Full ingredient list and amounts are in the recipe card below.

Top view of a serving of ravioli lasagna on a plate with a fork. Dish with ravioli lasagna and bowl with basil behind.

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Ravioli Lasagna

1. Make the Tomato and Buffalo Chicken Sauce: Sauté the onion, garlic, and ground chicken in a large pan until the chicken has cooked through. Then stir in all the sauces, and spices & seasonings. Simmer for a minute while stirring occasionally to let the flavors all meld together, then switch off the heat.

Tomato and buffalo chicken meat sauce in a large deep sauté pan.

2. Make the Ricotta Basil Mixture: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, and mix with a spoon until combined well.

Ricotta basil mixture ingredients in a bowl with a spoon, and in a bowl mixed together.

3. Assemble layers: Assemble the layers of tomato and buffalo chicken meat sauce, ravioli, ricotta basil mixture, and Parmigiano Reggiano and mozzarella cheeses in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Then repeat all the layers starting with the remaining ravioli and ending with the grated cheeses.

Process steps to layer meat sauce, ravioli, ricotta basil mixture, and grated cheese in large baking dish.

4. Bake: Cover the dish with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 175°C/350°F for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for 15 more minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is golden and bubbly.

If you like crispy and bubbly brown cheese like I do, crank up the oven temperature and bake for a few more minutes. (You can turn on the broil setting if your oven has one, but keep an eye on the dish so that the cheese doesn’t get too brown and burn).

Unbaked and baked Buffalo Chicken Ravioli Lasagna in a 9x13-inch baking dish.

5. Serve! Transfer the dish to a cooling rack and allow to rest for a few minutes. Then garnish with chopped fresh basil, serve, and enjoy!

Spatula pulling up a cheesy serving of ravioli lasagna from a casserole dish.

Full detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

Fork digging up a bite of ravioli lasagna from a serving on a plate.

Cook’s Tips

  • Use leftover cooked chicken. You can use leftover cooked shredded chicken, or shredded rotisserie chicken instead of ground chicken. It’ll shave off a few minutes when making the sauce.
  • Use a good quality tomato pasta sauce.
  • Buy blocks of cheese and grate it at home. I highly recommend using freshly grated cheese. It’ll melt MUCH better than the cheese that comes pre-shredded in bags because the latter has anti-caking agents.
Fork holding up a bite of ravioli and cheese above a plate with a serving of ravioli lasagna.

FAQs

Can I make ravioli lasagna ahead?

You can assemble the dish up to 8 hours in advance. Cover with foil and store in the fridge. Let it sit on the counter for 30-40 minutes to take the chill off before you bake. You could also assemble this and then cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then let it sit on the counter for 30-40 minutes before you bake it.

How long will leftover ravioli lasagna keep?

Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days when stored in sealed airtight containers in the fridge.

What is the best way to reheat ravioli lasagna?

The best way to reheat leftover ravioli lasagna is in the oven. Cover the dish with foil and place it in an oven preheated to 175°C/350°F for 20 minutes, or until hot throughout.

Can I make this vegetarian?

In place of the ground chicken, use a plant-based meat substitute such as Impossible™ Burger, Beyond Beef®, Quorn™ Mince, or OmniPork. Or you could use chopped mushrooms (cremini, champignon, portabella, white or brown button mushrooms, etc.) or even chopped cauliflower in place of the ground chicken. If you’d like to make it vegan, you can try using a flax egg for the ricotta basil mixture, and dairy-free ricotta and cheeses.

Spatula pulling up a cheesy serving of ravioli lasagna from a baking dish, and ravioli lasagna on a plate. Text overlay "Buffalo Chicken Ravioli Lasagna" and "thatspicychick.com".

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Buffalo Chicken Ravioli Lasagna

Front view of a plate with a serving of Buffalo Chicken Ravioli Lasagna. Dish with the casserole and bowl with basil behind.

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5 from 1 review

Layers of ravioli, spicy and tangy tomato and buffalo chicken sauce, a creamy ricotta basil mixture, and plenty of cheese get combined into one big and tasty lasagna casserole!

  • Author: Lavina
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 55
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

For the Tomato and Buffalo Chicken Sauce:

  • 2 TBLS Olive Oil (or any other cooking oil)
  • ½ Yellow Onion – finely minced
  • 6 Garlic cloves – finely minced
  • 480 grams / about 1 pound Ground Chicken
  • 1 (722 grams / 25.5 ounce) jar Tomato Pasta Sauce (I used Muir Glen Organic Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce with no sugar added, but you can use your favorite kind)
  • 177 ml / ¾ cup Buffalo Wing Sauce
  • ½ TSP Kosher Salt, to taste
  • 1.5 TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste
  • 2 TSP ground Cayenne, to taste (use less to make it milder)
  • 2 TSP Crushed Red Pepper Chili Flakes, to taste (use less to make it milder)
  • 1 TSP Garlic Powder
  • Few splashes (about 1/8 cup) Tabasco® Brand Buffalo Style Hot Sauce (optional, see notes)

For the Ricotta Basil Mixture:

  • 500 grams / 16 ounces Ricotta Cheese
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1/3 cup fresh Italian Basil Leaves – chopped
  • 1/8¼ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste

To Assemble the Buffalo Chicken Ravioli Lasagna:

  • ½ TBLS Olive Oil (or cooking spray)
  • 500 grams / 17.6 ounces Cheese Ravioli (fresh or frozen)
  • ¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan)
  • 200 grams / about 2 cups freshly grated Mozzarella Cheese
  • 2 TBLS fresh Italian Basil Leaves – chopped

Instructions

For the Tomato and Buffalo Chicken Sauce:

  1. Make the meat sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large deep sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, or until the onion has softened. Add the ground chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes, breaking up the lumps as you go, until the chicken is just cooked. Pour in the tomato pasta sauce, buffalo hot sauce, and add the kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, ground cayenne, crushed red pepper chili flakes, garlic powder, Tabasco® Brand Buffalo Style Hot Sauce (if using). Stir to combine everything, then give the sauce a taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Simmer while stirring occasionally for about a minute, then switch off the heat and set aside.

For the Ricotta Basil Mixture:

  1. Make the Ricotta Basil Mixture: Combine the ricotta cheese, egg, chopped basil, and freshly cracked black pepper in a medium sized bowl. Mix until evenly combined, then set aside.

To Assemble the Buffalo Chicken Ravioli:

  1. Prep: Preheat oven to 175°C/350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with ½ tablespoon of olive oil (or spray with cooking spray).
  2. Assemble layers: Spread 1/3 of the tomato and buffalo chicken sauce in the bottom of the dish. Then layer half of the ravioli in a single layer. Top with half of the remaining meat sauce, half of the ricotta basil mixture, half of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and half of the mozzarella cheese. Then repeat all the layers – the remaining ravioli, meat sauce, ricotta basil mixture, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and mozzarella cheese.
  3. Bake: Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for 15 more minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is golden and bubbly. If you like crispy and bubbly brown cheese, increase the temperature to 250°C/482°F and bake for an additional 5 minutes. (You can turn on the broil setting if your oven has one, but keep an eye on the dish so that the cheese doesn’t get too brown and burn). Transfer the dish to a cooling rack and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
  4. To Serve: Garnish with chopped fresh Italian basil and serve!

Notes

Ingredient Notes, Cook’s Tips, and FAQs

  1. Meat options: Ground turkey, beef, pork, or sausage are other great options. You could also use leftover cooked shredded chicken, or shredded rotisserie chicken to save a little time when making the sauce. Simply stir it in along with the sauces and seasonings after sautéing the onion and garlic.
  2. Ricotta: I used 2 x 250 grams (8.81 ounce) cartons, which is about 17.67 ounces in total, because that’s the quantity they sell them in here. But a 16-ounce tub will be plenty enough if they are sold in that quantity where you’re based. Feel free to use part skim ricotta if you prefer.
  3. Buffalo Sauces: I used Wing Time Buffalo Wing Hot Sauce and Tabasco® Brand Buffalo Style Hot Sauce because their flavors compliment each other well. Feel free to use just one type and whatever brand is your favorite. Adjust the quantity you use if needed depending on heat level and tang preference.
  4. Ravioli: I used a package of fresh herbs & ricotta ravioli, and another package of stuffed cheese ravioli. But you can use fresh or frozen ravioli with any filling you like.
    Can I make this ahead? You can assemble it up to 8 hours in advance. Cover with foil and store in the fridge. Let it sit on the counter for 30-40 minutes to take the chill off before you bake. You could also assemble this in an aluminum baking pan, then cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then let it sit on the counter for 30-40 minutes before you bake it.
  5. How long will it keep? Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days when stored in sealed airtight containers in the fridge.
  6. How to reheat ravioli lasagna: The best way to reheat leftover ravioli lasagna is in the oven. Cover the dish with foil and place it in an oven preheated to 175°C/350°F for 20 minutes, or until hot throughout.
  7. To make it vegetarian: Use a plant-based meat substitute such as Impossible™ Burger, Beyond Beef®, Quorn™ Mince, or OmniPork instead of chicken. Or you could use chopped mushrooms (cremini, champignon, portabella, white or brown button mushrooms, etc.) or even chopped cauliflower. If you’d like to make it vegan, you can try using a flax egg for the ricotta basil mixture, and dairy-free ricotta and cheeses.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 630
  • Sugar: 3.8g
  • Sodium: 1264.2mg
  • Fat: 36.6g
  • Saturated Fat: 12.3g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 10.3g
  • Trans Fat: 0.1g
  • Carbohydrates: 37.3g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 35.1g
  • Cholesterol: 114.8mg

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2 comments on “Buffalo Chicken Ravioli Lasagna”

  1. This is hands-down one of the best dishes I’ve tried in awhile. The Buffalo chicken flavour combination with ravioli is brilliant! We devoured it, and I wished I made more! Can’t wait to make it again!






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