Get my Cookbooks! Buffalo Chicken Pasta – One Pot!
This One Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta Recipe is easy to make in a skillet with a delicious cream sauce and your choice of pasta. Use fresh, rotisserie, or leftover chicken!
Be sure to try my Buffalo Chicken Pizza next!
Buffalo Chicken Pasta
My favorite part about this pasta, (other than the incredible cream sauce), is that you can throw everything into One Pot and it comes out perfect every time.
This recipe is great with fresh, leftover, or rotisserie chicken. You can use any kind of pasta for this recipe, and feel free to make it with ranch dressing instead of blue cheese if preferred.
Check out my process shots below along with my PRO tips for success!
How to Make it
See recipe card at bottom of post for ingredient quantities and full instructions
Gently boil the chicken for 15 minutes, until cooked through. Drain and shred. Toss with Blue Cheese (or ranch) dressing and set aside.
Sauté butter, celery and onions for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Add chicken broth and undrained diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil and add the pasta. Submerge the pasta underneath the liquid. Cover and boil until al dente. (Lift lid and slide a silicone spatula along the bottom of the pot a few times during cooking to ensure the pasta doesn’t stick.)
Reduce heat to low. Add the buffalo sauce, cream cheese, cheddar, mozzarella. Stir to combine, then mix in the chicken. Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if desired. Pasta sauce will continue to thicken upon standing.
Pro Tips
- Use slightly less than a pound of pasta if you like extra sauce. It will take a little longer to thicken up but this is preferable if you plan on having leftovers, as the pasta will absorb more sauce in the fridge.
- Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened when you add it to the pasta to ensure it melts well.
- Boil the chicken gently to ensure it doesn’t become tough.
- 2.5 cups cooked chicken may also be used.
- Shred the cheese from a block for extra creamy results. Bagged shredded cheese doesn’t melt (or taste) as good.
- Add the cheese to the sauce over low heat. If the heat is too high, the dairy will separate and the consistency will become grainy.
- Ranch can be used instead of blue cheese if preferred.
- This recipe can be made with 2.5 cups of chicken broth and 1.5 cups of water, but I prefer to use 4 cups of chicken broth.
My Preferred Brands For This Recipe
- Frank’s Buffalo Wings Sauce
- Marie’s Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing is by far my favorite choice anytime I use blue cheese. You can find it in the refrigerated area of the produce section.
- Dragone low moisture whole milk mozzarella is my brand of choice. It has great flavor and melts really well.
- Cracker Barrel Sharp Yellow Cheese is always my go-to for cheddar.
Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. You can also freeze for up to 3 months.
PRO Tips for Reheating:
- For best results, reheat in a double boiler. The consistency, texture, and flavor is much better than microwaving. (Here’s how to make your own double boiler.)
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- A 14-inch skillet is perfect for this recipe. (And it’s oven safe!)
- Box Cheese Grater– Always shred cheese from a block for creamy/melty results. Bagged shredded cheese contains cellulose and prevents it from melting as well in soups/sauces.
- Pasta Strainer
- Silicone Spatula– I use this every time I cook!
Try These Next
-
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
-
- One Pot Taco Pasta
-
- Tuscan Mac and Cheese
-
- Smothered Chicken
-
- Creamy Chicken Pasta
-
- Buffalo Chicken Pizza
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Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast, equal to 1 lb.
- ½ cup blue cheese dressing, can sub ranch
- 2 Tablespoons butter, divided
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 stick celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes, undrained, (1 can)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 lb. penne
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1.5 cups cheddar, shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 tablespoons cold butter, optional
Instructions
- PRO Tip: Set the cheddar, mozzarella, and cream cheese out ahead of time. We want them near room temperature when we add them to the pasta.
Gently Boil/Shred the Chicken:
- Place chicken in a pot of water and bring to a gentle boil. (A gentle boil ensures that the chicken doesn’t become tough.) Cook for 15 minutes, until cooked through. Remove and use two forks to shred. 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.
Prepare the Pasta:
- Melt butter in a large high-walled skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the undrained diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and add the pasta. Submerge the pasta into the liquid and let it come back up to a boil.
- Cover and let it boil for 10-13 minutes, or until al dente. Refer to box for guidance on cooking time. Don't cook any more than al dente as we will be keeping it over low heat until the sauce is thickened. Lift the lid and run a silicone spatula underneath the pasta a few times throughout cooking to ensure the pasta doesn't stick. Test a pasta noodle for doneness before proceeding.
- Reduce heat to low. Add the buffalo sauce, cubed cream cheese, and shredded cheese. Use a silicone spatula to gently stir. The sauce will seem thin at first, but it continues to thicken as it stands, and will thicken further at the next step.
- Add the shredded chicken and red pepper flakes.
- Optional: Once sauce is near your desired consistency, swirl in 2 Tablespoons COLD butter. This is a technique that chefs use called “Monter au Beurre”, which creates a smooth finish when added to warm sauces.
Notes
- Use slightly less than a pound of pasta if you like extra sauce. It will take a little longer to thicken up but this is preferable if you plan on having leftovers, as the pasta will absorb more sauce in the fridge.
- Make sure the cream cheese is fully softened when you add it to the pasta to ensure it melts well.
- Boil the chicken gently to ensure it doesn't become tough.
- 2.5 cups cooked chicken may also be used.
- Shred the cheese from a block for extra creamy results. Bagged shredded cheese doesn't melt (or taste) as good.
- Add the cheese to the sauce over low heat. If the heat is too high, the dairy will separate and the consistency will become grainy.
- Ranch can be used instead of blue cheese if preferred.
- This recipe can be made with 2.5 cups of chicken broth and 1.5 cups of water, but I prefer to use 4 cups of chicken broth.
Hi, I will be making this as a side for a Christmas get together of 20. Can I keep this on “warm” in a crock pot? Thank you for your help!
Hi Linda! That will be fine, just be sure that you don’t cook the pasta too long so that it doesn’t become mushy. ❤️ Merry Christmas!