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Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

This is the BEST Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe out there! Shredded chicken is tossed in creamy blue cheese dressing which makes every bite extra flavorful. The cheddar cheese sauce has so much depth of flavor with the addition of cream cheese, buffalo sauce, and simple flavor enhancers. You won’t believe how good this is!

Be sure to try my Buffalo Chicken Pizza next!

A white plate with Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese and a fork on the side.

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

I am pretty choosy when it comes to which recipes land on my favorites list, but this one definitely gets a top spot without hesitation! Once you try this once, I know it’s going to become a regular in your house too. The flavors are absolutely perfect- it’s tangy, savory, and has just the right amount of kick to it.

What Makes It So Good

  • Shredded chicken is marinated in blue cheese dressing, which makes you really enjoy the chicken in this meal. It’s not bland or dry; instead it’s flavorful and juicy.
  • The cheddar cheese brings out that classic mac and cheese flavor that we love, and the cream cheese adds a nice creamy offset to the buffalo sauce and hot sauce.
  • Mustard Powder and Tomato Paste add the best depth of flavor and can’t be detected outright, they just enhance the other flavors in this recipe.

How to Make It

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Gently boil the chicken in water until cooked through. Use 2 forks to shred it. Toss it in blue cheese dressing and set aside. (Pro Tip: A gentle boil ensures the chicken stays juicy and doesn’t get tough.)

Melt the butter and stir in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, then add the tomato paste. Add the heavy cream and milk in splashes, stirring continuously. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low.
A plate of shredded chicken next to a pot of roux for buffalo chicken mac and cheese.

Add the buffalo sauce, hot sauce, mustard powder, onion powder, and salt/pepper. Gradually sprinkle in the cheddar cheese and stir in the cream cheese. Add the chicken back.

Mixing hot sauce and shredded chicken into cheese sauce for buffalo chicken mac and cheese.

Add cooked/drained pasta and stir to incorporate. Serve!

Adding cooked pasta to buffalo chicken cheese sauce.

Pro Tips

Storage

  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftovers do freeze/reheat pretty well!

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese on a white plate.

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Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese on a white plate with a shiny buffalo sauce.

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

5 from 20 ratings
This Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe has shredded chicken that's tossed in creamy blue cheese dressing. The cheddar cheese sauce has so much depth of flavor with the addition of cream cheese, buffalo sauce, and simple flavor enhancers.

Ingredients

  • 1 boneless/skinless chicken breast, see notes
  • 1/3 cup blue cheese dressing
  • 8 oz. cavatappi pasta, or macaroni
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • ¼ cup buffalo sauce
  • ½ teaspoon hot sauce
  • ½ teaspoon mustard powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon each: salt/pepper
  • 1 ¼ cups cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, softened

Instructions

  • Pro Tip: Measure out ingredients while the chicken cooks. Place the heavy cream, milk, cheddar cheese, and cream cheese near the stove to bring them down closer to room temperature.

Gently Boil/Shred the Chicken:

  • Submerge the chicken in a pot of water and gradually bring it to a gentle boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. (A gentle boil ensures the chicken stays juicy and doesn't get tough.)
  • Remove the chicken and use 2 forks to shred it. Toss with blue cheese dressing and set aside.
  • Pro Tip: Add 1-2 chicken bouillon cubes to the water to add more flavor to the chicken.

Cook the Pasta and Make the Sauce

  • Begin boiling salted water in a large pot while you start the sauce. Once a boil is reached, add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. (Don’t overcook.) Drain and set aside.
  • Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the flour and stir continuously for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and stir to incorporate, you’ll be left with a thick paste.
  • Add the heavy cream and milk in small splashes, stirring continuously. Doing this slowly ensures that the sauce stays thick.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
  • Add the buffalo sauce, hot sauce, mustard powder, onion powder, and salt/pepper.
  • Gradually sprinkle in the cheddar cheese and cream cheese, stirring continuously.
  • Stir in the shredded chicken, then add the drained pasta. Use a silicone spatula to gently stir to combine. Serve!

Notes

For the Chicken: 1 boneless skinless chicken breast is about ½ lb. 1 cup leftover or rotisserie chicken may also be used, no need to boil it if it’s already cooked.

Pro Tips:

Nutrition

Calories: 669kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 39g, Saturated Fat: 23g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 137mg, Sodium: 1237mg, Potassium: 460mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 1328IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 393mg, Iron: 2mg
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44 comments on “Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese”

  1. I absolutely love all your recipes.  I was recently married and now have step kids.  And you are my go to for cooking.  We love your recipes.  I have made many and they never disappoint.  My husband just told me I am the best cook he’s ever lived with and I thank you for that.  I am going to buy your cookbook soon 

  2. My son’s favorite meal. It’s become a constant rotation in my home! Delicious!

  3. My cousins Taniesha and her younger sister Angela love creamy foods. So this will great for them. I myself have stay anything creamy. So I can make but less creamy. 

  4. So, so good. Just made this for dinner tonight. Followed it to a “T”. Thanks so much for a great recipe to add to my list! 🙌🏼

  5. This is a very good recipe.  You can also make it baked in the oven.  I just added Parmesan on top and baked for 30 minutes.

    • I’m so happy you enjoyed it baked Iggy, thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and review!😃

    • Super delicious as is, but I’m lazy so the second time I made it in the instant pot; Add all ingredients except cheese and dairy, add 4 cups of broth to cover the noodles, cook (I did 6 minutes high pressure with a 10 minute natural release), pull the chicken out, shred it and add the blue cheese (or more if you added it in the pot like I did), add the dairy and cheeses and mix.

      • I’m so happy you enjoyed it in the instant pot! Thanks so much for commenting and for taking the time to leave a review!❤️

  6. My hubby and I absolutely loved this! Doubled the recipe and as a kinda beginner cook this is super simple and easy!
    We added a bit more buffalo/hot sauce for kick but yum!!!

    • Hi Victoria! I’m so happy that you enjoyed this recipe, nice job executing it! I hope you try out some more recipes here soon, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it! -Stephanie

  7. Sssoooo satisfying!! This is just what the Dr ordered this evening. Thank you!! Love that there’s no added salt. Followed the shred your own cheese etc. Easy instructions. It comes together with ease! Perfection!
    Also cannot say enough about the whole cookbook! Everyone loves all the recipes!
    Like catching up with friends & discovering we’re all pretty much making the same recipes from the book on the same night! So glad to have gotten books for my pals! 

  8. This recipe was a huge hit with my family!  So easy to make and lots of buffalo flavor. I used frozen chicken tenders I cooked in the air fryer instead of boiling chicken breasts for a bit of crunch. I will always do this now. 

  9. This is the best buffalo Mac and cheese out there!!!

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