Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Ultra creamy and rich Buffalo Mac and Cheese made with cheddar, Ranch dressing, and hot sauce is the ultimate comfort food dinner.
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Servings:
Calories: 801kcal
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups milk (warmed)
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/3 cup buffalo wing hot sauce
- 1/3 cup Ranch or Bleu Cheese dressing
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and Pepper (to taste)
- 2 cups chopped chicken
- 6 green onions (chopped)
- Additional hot sauce and blue cheese crumbles (for serving)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Boil the penne according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for a few minutes, or until the mixture is slightly thickened and puffed.
- Lower the heat to simmer and slowly whisk in the warm milk a little bit at a time. Whisk continuously until all the milk is added. Turn the heat back up to medium and continue to cook and whisk until the mixture is thickened and coats the back of the spoon.
- Stir in the cheeses until melted. Remove from heat, then stir in the hot sauce, dressing, and onion powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl or the pot where you cooked the noodles, stir together the pasta, cheese sauce, chicken, and green onions. Drizzle with additional hot sauce and blue cheese crumbles, if desired.
Notes
- Feel free to crank the heat up or down on this recipe as you see fit. As is, it’s got a subtle tingle that’s nicely balanced with the cheese. You can increase the amount in the sauce itself, or just serve additional buffalo sauce on the side for those who like it hot.
- As stated above, you can use either ranch or blue cheese dressing in this recipe. My kids prefer the ranch, but I like to serve the finished dish with blue cheese crumbles.
- Want to make Baked Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese? Pour the finished recipe into a casserole dish. Mix up 2 Tablespoons melted butter and 3/4 cups Panko bread crumbs and cover the top. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Use leftover rotisserie chicken to save time.
Nutrition
Calories: 801kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 1012mg | Potassium: 533mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1136IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 489mg | Iron: 2mg
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