Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Bold Buffalo sauce meets creamy, from-scratch cheese sauce in this Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe. Crispy breadcrumb topping, ready in 40 minutes, and perfect for game day or family dinner.
I never thought mac and cheese could get any better until Keith added Buffalo sauce to the mix. Buffalo flavor has always been an obsession in our house. From Buffalo Chicken Dip, to Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches, that signature combination of spicy sauce and creamy, cheesy goodness never gets old.
This Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe has been a staple every since Keith first made it, and it disappears fast every time we put it on the table. Bold, spicy, and impossibly creamy, it's the kind of comfort food that works just as well on a weeknight as it does for game day.
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Ingredient notes
- Pasta: Cavatappi is Keith's first choice because the corkscrew shape holds the cheese sauce in every bite. Shells, Ditali, or elbow macaroni work well too.
- Cream cheese: this is the key to a sauce that stays creamy when you reheat it. Don't skip it.
- Cheese: we use a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack. Cheddar brings the sharpness and Monterey Jack keeps the sauce smooth and melty.
- Hot sauce: Frank's Red Hot Sauce is our go-to for authentic Buffalo flavor. Use more or less depending on your heat preference.
- Ranch dressing: this is what gives the recipe that classic Buffalo chicken flavor profile. It balances the heat without dulling it.
- Celery seed: a small amount goes a long way and ties the whole Buffalo flavor together.
👉 See recipe card below for exact quantities.
🔪Top tip
A store-bought rotisserie chicken is your best friend here. It shreds in minutes and adds great flavor to the finished dish.
How to make it
- Cook your pasta al dente. It will continue cooking in the oven, so pulling it a minute early keeps it from getting mushy in the final bake.
- Build the sauce low and slow. Once you add the cheeses, keep the heat on medium low and stir consistently. Rushing this step can cause the sauce to break.
- Add the chicken and hot sauce last. Stirring them in at the end gives you the control over the final consistency and heat level before it goes into the oven.
- Don't skip the breadcrumb topping. Combine the Panko with melted butter before sprinkling it over the top is what gives you that crispy, golden crust. It's worth the extra two minutes.
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Make ahead and Storage
- Make ahead. Prepare the recipe a day ahead of time, cover, and refrigerate. When ready to serve, reheat in the oven or on the stovetop until heated through.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat, adding a splash of milk if needed to loosen the sauce.
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FAQ
Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is a creamy baked pasta dish that combines classic mac and cheese with spicy Buffalo sauce and shredded chicken. It's topped with a crispy breadcrumb crust and delivers all the bold flavor of buffalo wings in comfort food form.
A combination of cheddar jack cheese and cream cheese works best. Cheddar brings sharpness, Monterey Jack keeps the sauce smooth and melty, and cream cheese adds richness and ensures the sauce stays creamy when reheated. For best results, shred your own cheese rather than using pre-shredded. Bagged cheese is coated with anti-caking agent that can make your sauce grainy.
Use less hot sauce or choose a milder hot sauce brand. Adding extra cream cheese also helps balance the heat without thinning the sauce.
Yes. Simply skip the breadcrumb topping and the baking step. Once the pasta, chicken and hot sauce are combined and the sauce reaches your desired thickness, it's ready to serve straight from the pot.
Yes. Allow it to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a splash of milk to bring the sauce back together.
Yes, whenever possible. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with an anti-caking agent that prevents it from melting smoothly and can leave your sauce grainy. Shredding your own from the block takes just a few extra minutes and makes a noticeable difference in the finished sauce.
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Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe
Spicy Buffalo sauce, creamy from-scratch cheese sauce, and a crispy breadcrumb topping come together in this crowd-pleasing Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe. Ready in 40 minutes.
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pasta, uncooked
- 8 tablespoons butter, divided
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- 6 ounces cheddar jack cheese, shredded
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- 1 tablespoon celery seed
- 8 ounces chicken, cooked and shredded
- 6 ounces hot sauce
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- In a large stock pot, boil water and cook pasta until al dente
- Drain pasta, reserving 2 cups of pasta water.
- In the same pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir to combine.
- Add reserved pasta water and milk and cook over medium heat, stirring until thickened.
- Add cream cheese, cheddar jack cheese, ranch dressing and celery seed and stir until smooth.
- Add cooked pasta and stir until combined.
- Add shredded chicken and hot sauce and continue to cook over low heat until desired thickness. Add a little more milk if the sauce is too thick.
- Transfer to oven-safe dish coated with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine Panko bread crumbs with 4 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle over mac and cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken. Pick up a store-bought rotisserie chicken to save time. It shreds easily and adds great flavor.
- Adjust the heat. Six ounces of hot sauce gives it a solid kick. Scale it back for a milder version or add more if you like extra heat.
- Don't skip the cream cheese. It's what keeps the sauce silky smooth when you reheat leftovers. Full fat or Neufchâtel both work.
- Reserve your pasta water. Don't forget to scoop out 2 cups before draining. The starchy water is key to building the sauce.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: pasta
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 699
- Sugar: 9.6 g
- Sodium: 907.8 mg
- Fat: 33.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 69.5 g
- Protein: 29.8 g
- Cholesterol: 112.8 mg
Our whole family loves this recipe! The buffalo flavor adds just the right amount of kick! It heats up just as good the next day too!