Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Buffalo chicken mac and cheese brings everything you like about wings into a bowl of creamy pasta. Bite-size chicken is seared until golden and tossed in hot sauce, then folded into a cheddar sauce that gets its tang and gentle heat from more of the same sauce. Blue cheese and green onions on top finish it like a plate of wings.
By Luca Ferraro
Published
- Prep Time
- 15 mins
- Cook Time
- 25 mins
- Total Time
- 40 mins
- Servings
- 6 servings
How do you make Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese?
For buffalo chicken mac and cheese, boil 340 g (12 oz) pasta until al dente. Brown 450 g bite-size chicken pieces until they reach 74°C (165°F) and toss with 2 tbsp buffalo hot sauce. Make a cheese sauce with 2 tbsp butter, 1/4 cup flour, 600 ml milk, 1/4 cup hot sauce and 340 g cheddar and Monterey Jack, then stir in the pasta and chicken.
- Total time
- 40 mins
- Calories
- 680 per serving
- Protein
- 43 g
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Method
- Stovetop
Ingredients
Pasta
Chicken
Cheese sauce
To serve
Equipment
Large pot · Colander · Large deep skillet or Dutch oven · Whisk · Box grater · Instant-read thermometer
Quick Directions
Cook the pasta
Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until just al dente.
Sear the chicken
Pat the chicken dry and season with the garlic powder and salt.
Make the sauce base
Cook butter and flour for 1 minute, whisk in the milk and simmer until thick.
Melt in the cheese
Turn the heat to low.
Combine
Add the pasta and chicken, with any juices from the plate, and stir over low heat for 1-2 minutes until everything is hot and coated.
Top and serve
Spoon into bowls and top with crumbled blue cheese, green onions and an extra drizzle of hot sauce.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to make the perfect buffalo chicken mac and cheese.
Cook the pasta
Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until just al dente. Scoop out 125 ml (1/2 cup) of the pasta water, drain the pasta and set it aside.
Sear the chicken
Pat the chicken dry and season with the garlic powder and salt. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken in a single layer for 6-8 minutes, turning once or twice, until golden and cooked through to 74°C (165°F). Toss with 2 tbsp hot sauce and move it to a plate.
Make the sauce base
Lower the heat to medium and melt the butter in the same skillet. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the warm milk until smooth, then simmer for 4-5 minutes, whisking often, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon.
Melt in the cheese
Turn the heat to low. Stir in the onion powder, then the cheddar and Monterey Jack a handful at a time until melted and smooth. Stir in the 1/4 cup hot sauce and taste; add more if you like it hotter.
Combine
Add the pasta and chicken, with any juices from the plate, and stir over low heat for 1-2 minutes until everything is hot and coated. Loosen with a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed.
Top and serve
Spoon into bowls and top with crumbled blue cheese, green onions and an extra drizzle of hot sauce.
Recipe Tips
- Pat the chicken dry and don't crowd the pan, so it browns instead of steaming. Cook it in two batches if your skillet is small.
- Hot sauces vary a lot in heat and saltiness. Taste the finished sauce before adding any extra salt.
- Add the hot sauce after the cheese has melted over low heat, so the vinegar doesn't make the sauce split.
Variations
- Baked: spoon it into a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) dish, top with 1/2 cup shredded cheddar and 1/2 cup panko, and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 15-20 minutes, until bubbling and golden.
- Add a vegetable: drop 150 g (1 1/2 cups) small broccoli florets or diced celery into the pasta pot for the last 3 minutes of cooking.
- Not a blue cheese fan? Top with crumbled feta or a drizzle of ranch dressing instead.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 680 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 43 g |
| Carbs | 54 g |
| Fat | 32 g |
| Saturated fat | 17 g |
| Fibre | 2.3 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 1120 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer
- Freeze in portions for up to 2 months. The sauce may be a little grainy after thawing.
- Reheat
- Reheat in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave with a splash of milk, stirring often, until hot to 74°C (165°F).
Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese FAQs
Can I use rotisserie or leftover chicken?
Yes. Use about 375 g (3 cups) shredded cooked chicken, toss it with 2 tbsp hot sauce and stir it in with the pasta. Heat until everything is steaming hot, 74°C (165°F), and skip the searing step.
How do I make buffalo chicken mac and cheese less spicy?
Use 2 tbsp hot sauce in the cheese sauce instead of 1/4 cup, and stir in an extra tablespoon of butter, which mellows the heat as it does in classic wing sauce. Serve extra hot sauce at the table for anyone who wants more.
Will hot sauce make the cheese sauce curdle?
Not in this recipe. The flour in the sauce base keeps it stable, and the hot sauce goes in over low heat after the cheese has melted. Adding a lot of vinegary sauce to a thin, boiling cheese sauce is what makes it split.
Can I make buffalo chicken mac and cheese ahead?
Yes. Cool it quickly, refrigerate for up to 3 days, and reheat with a splash of milk over low heat until hot to 74°C (165°F). Add the blue cheese and green onions just before serving.
What should I serve with buffalo chicken mac and cheese?
Celery and carrot sticks with blue cheese or ranch dip are the classic match, just as with wings. A crisp green salad with a vinegar dressing also cuts through the richness.
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
