This creamy buffalo chicken mac and cheese recipe takes classic stovetop macaroni and cheese, adds chunks of cooked chicken, and gives it a spicy kick with the addition of buffalo sauce and seasonings. The result is an easy 25-minute dinner that the whole family will love.
If you love macaroni and cheese and you love buffalo chicken, this recipe is for you.
It takes all the flavors of buffalo chicken and combines it with rich and creamy mac and cheese for a flavor-packed meal. Spicy, extra cheesy, and just plain delicious.
Ingredients
Here is what you will need:
- Elbow macaroni
- Cheese – we use a blend of Monterey Jack and white cheddar for an extra rich and cheesy sauce.
- Chicken – ready-made rotissire chicken makes this recipe easy peasy. Leftover chicken, crockpot shredded chicken or poached chicken work well for this recipe too.
- Buffalo sauce
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Whole milk
- Spices and seasonings– Fine sea salt, ground black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and ground mustard
- Optional toppings– blue cheese crumbles, green onions, drizzle of buffalo sauce, drizzle of ranch dressing
Substitutions
- Pasta: Other shapes of pasta can be used in place of elbow macaroni. Small shells, bowties, cavatappi, or rotini work well also.
- Milk: Heavy cream or half-and-half can be used instead of whole milk. While 2%, 1%, or skim milk can be used, I would advise against it as it can thin out the sauce.
- Cheddar: No white cheddar? You can use orange cheddar instead.
- Gluten-free: Make it GF with gluten-free flour and pasta.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
This section shows you how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.
In a large pot or dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
Add flour and whisk into the melted butter until fully incorporated.
Slowly whisk in the milk, about ½ cup at a time, whisking well after each addition. Continue to cook, whisking often, until the mixture is smooth and begins to thickens slightly.
Whisk in the salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and ground mustard.
Reduce heat to low and add the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses and stir until melted and smooth.
Add in the buffalo sauce, cooked pasta, and diced chicken; stir to combine.
Continue to cook until warmed through, about 10 minutes.
Serve warm, topped with blue cheese crumbles and sliced green onions if desired.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To reheat leftovers, heat your oven to 350° F. Add 1 Tablespoon of milk for each cup of macaroni you are reheating. Heat covered for 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through.
Recipe FAQ
Yes. After cooking your mac and cheese allow it to cool completely. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and cover with a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 4 months.
You can add an extra Tablespoon or two of buffalo sauce or a pinch of red pepper flakes to give the dish even more of a kick.
More Cheesy Pasta Recipes
Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Buffalo chicken mac and cheese is an easy 25-minute dinner that takes classic mac and cheese and adds all the flavors of buffalo chicken.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- 2 cups white cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
- ½ cup buffalo sauce, plus more for garnish-optional
- 2 cups diced cooked chicken
- blue cheese crumbles for garnish (optional)
- sliced green onions for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot or dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
- Add flour and whisk into the melted butter until fully incorporated. Slowly whisk in the milk, about ½ cup at a time, whisking well after each addition. Continue to cook, whisking often, until the mixture is smooth and begins to thickens slightly.
- Whisk in the salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and ground mustard.
- Reduce heat to low and add the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses and stir until melted and smooth.
- Add in the buffalo sauce, cooked pasta, and diced chicken; stir to combine. Continue to cook until warmed through, about 10 minutes.
- Serve warm, topped with blue cheese crumbles and sliced green onions if desired.
Notes
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To reheat leftovers, heat your oven to 350° F. Add 1 Tablespoon of milk for each cup of macaroni you are reheating. Heat covered for 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 783
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by a third party and intended to serve as an estimate only. The accuracy of nutritional information is not guaranteed.
This recipe was shared on The Weekend Potluck.
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