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!

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.

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.

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

Pro Tips

• Shred the cheese from a block for this recipe, it will melt and taste much better than packaged shredded cheese. I use Cracker Barrel Sharp Yellow cheese for this recipe.
• Other Brands used include: Prince Cavatappi, Frank’s Buffalo Sauce and Hot Sauce, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, and Marie’s Blue Cheese Dressing.
• Ranch dressing can be used instead of blue cheese in this recipe if preferred.
• The mustard powder and tomato paste are great flavor enhancers in this recipe and I highly recommend them.

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!

Tools For This Recipe

(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.

• 3.5 quart Dutch oven– This is a great size for this recipe.
• Box Cheese Grater– Always shred from a block, especially for cheese sauces.
• Pinch Bowls– For measuring out the seasonings ahead of time.

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Buffalo Mac and Cheese

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

5 from 7 ratings

Servings: 4 people

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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. cups 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.

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Pro Tips:

• Shred the cheese from a block for this recipe, it will melt and taste much better than packaged shredded cheese. I use Cracker Barrel Sharp Yellow cheese for this recipe.
• Other Brands used include: Prince Cavatappi, Frank's Buffalo Sauce and Hot Sauce, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, and Marie's Blue Cheese Dressing.
• Ranch dressing can be used instead of blue cheese in this recipe if preferred.
• The mustard powder and tomato paste are great flavor enhancers in this recipe and I highly recommend them.

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

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Author: Stephanie