Buffalo Chicken Pasta (Print Page)

Bold and comforting pasta with shredded chicken, spicy buffalo sauce, creamy cheese, and tangy blue cheese crumbles.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or rotini pasta

→ Chicken

02 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast

→ Sauce

03 - 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce
04 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
06 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
07 - 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
08 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Topping

12 - 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onions, optional

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the buffalo sauce and stir to combine.
03 - Lower the heat and whisk in the cream cheese until smooth. Pour in the heavy cream, whisking constantly until the sauce reaches a creamy texture.
04 - Stir in mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth.
05 - Add the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir until well coated and heated through.
06 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to combine, ensuring the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce.
07 - Transfer to serving bowls. Sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese and chopped chives or green onions if desired.
08 - Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It delivers all the bold, tangy flavor of buffalo wings without the mess or the bones.
  • The creamy sauce balances the heat so perfectly that even people who say they don't like spicy food keep going back for seconds.
  • You can have dinner on the table in about half an hour using ingredients you probably already have.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day when the flavors have melded together.
02 -
  • Soften your cream cheese first or you'll spend forever trying to whisk out stubborn lumps while your sauce simmers.
  • Don't skip tasting the sauce before adding the chicken, it's much easier to fix the seasoning or heat level at that stage.
  • If you're reheating leftovers, add a splash of cream or milk to bring the sauce back to life instead of ending up with a dry, clumpy mess.
03 -
  • Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining, it's starchy and salty and perfect for adjusting the sauce consistency if it gets too thick.
  • Use rotisserie chicken and suddenly this becomes a 20 minute meal with almost no prep.
  • If you're nervous about the spice level, start with less buffalo sauce and taste as you go, you can always add more but you can't take it back.
  • Grate your own mozzarella instead of using pre-shredded, it melts so much smoother and doesn't have that weird coating.
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