Cheesy, packed with chicken and a little bit of heat this Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is the perfect weeknight meal that the whole family will love.

Pasta is one of my favorite things ever. Mac and Cheese is one of my favorite things ever…it’s pretty much our whole families favorite.

But sometimes we get bored of the same old Mac and Cheese recipe and watch to switch it up from time to time, that is where this Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese comes in.

Super easy to whip together with a tasty homemade cheese sauce, shredded chicken, and a crunchy topping that is all baked together until golden and bubbly.

We absolutely cannot get enough of this. I have a family of buffalo chicken lovers so when we make this my kids go over the moon with joy.

Let’s just say that this recipe is made at least once a month in our house for dinner. And nothing is ever left, sometimes I don’t even get any because they scarf it down so fast, but they are teenage boys what do you expect.

I also love that this Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is so simple to put together, minimal steps really helps this along but with huge flavor at the end.

Some of my other favorite pasta recipes that we have on our site include: Baked Ziti, One Pot Cajun Pasta and Spaghetti Casserole.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

You can make this as hot or as mild as you would like.
The use of rotisserie chicken helps this come together even quicker.
Baking it helps the pasta soak up and hold all the cheese and flavors together.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE AT BOTTOM):

Cavatappi pasta
Rotisserie chicken
Salted butter
All-purpose flour
Whole milk
Cheddar cheese
Monterey jack cheese
Buffalo sauce
Ranch dressing
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Panko breadcrumbs

HOW TO MAKE BUFFALO CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE, STEP BY STEP:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 9×13 pan, set aside.
In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Make sure to add salt. Once boiling, cook pasta until al dente.
While pasta is boiling, in a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Once butter is melted, whisk in the flour. Whisk the flour and butter mixture until fully combined. Allow the mixture to lightly bubble for 30 seconds once combined.
Slowly pour the milk into the butter and flour mixture while constantly whisking. Whisk until the mixture has turned light yellow and has slightly thickened into a roux, about 5 minutes.
Stir in cheeses until combined. Add spices, buffalo sauce, and ranch to the cheese mixture. Mix until combined.
Drain pasta and place back in the large pot. Add the cheese mixture and shredded chicken to the pasta, and mix well.
Pour the pasta into the prepared baking sheet and spread evenly.
In a separate small bowl, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Use a fork and mix together the melted butter and panko breadcrumbs. Sprinkle panko over top of the pasta.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

WHAT KIND OF CHEESE SHOULD I USE?

We use a combination of cheeses that consist of Monterey Jack and Cheddar. We find that this mixture really pairs well with the buffalo flavor.

You can absolutely play around with your cheeses to make a combination that you like best with this recipe if you’d like.

DO I HAVE TO USE PANKO BREADCRUMBS?

Panko produces a nice crunchy texture so that is why we chose that, you can also use regular breadcrumbs, Ritz crackers or just top with more cheese as well.

WHAT KIND OF CHICKEN SHOULD I USE?

We find it easiest to use a rotisserie chicken for this recipe. We like to take shortcuts whenever we can and using that really helps and it is easy to shred.

You can also use chicken breasts that have been boiled, baked or browned then shredded. Just make sure you have enough to produce 2 cups.

HOW TO STORE:

This can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can rewarm it in the microwave, if using the rotisserie chicken the chicken does tend to dry out quicker.

TIPS AND TRICKS:

You can make this less spicy by adding 1/3 cup buffalo sauce and 1/2 cup ranch.
We like to use cavatappi pasta for this as it grabs sauce well but feel free to use any smaller pasta you like.
We use Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses for this recipe, feel free to play around with the flavors to see what you like best.
You can swap out the panko breadcrumbs for regular, Ritz crackers or even more cheese.
This is great topped off with a drizzle of buffalo sauce, ranch and a sprinkle of green onions.
We use Franks Red Hot sauce for this, but you can use any brand that you’d like!

If you are looking for a great, easy and flavorful family meal then you can’t go wrong with this Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese!

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Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese