Buffalo Chicken Pasta (Print Version)

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

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 blue cheese crumbled
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onions optional

# How to Make:

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 - 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 is creamy.
04 - Stir in mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook until the cheese is fully melted.
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 has all the wild flavor of buffalo wings but in a fork friendly, cozy pasta form that doesnt leave your fingers sticky.
  • The creamy sauce tames the heat just enough to let you taste everything without losing that signature kick.
  • You can pull it together in about half an hour with ingredients you probably already have or can grab on a quick store run.
  • Leftovers reheat like a dream and somehow taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to settle in.
02 -
  • Soften the cream cheese before you start or it will clump up in the sauce and refuse to blend no matter how hard you whisk.
  • Dont let the sauce boil once you add the cream and cheese or it can break and turn grainy instead of smooth.
  • Taste the buffalo sauce straight from the bottle before you use it, some brands are way hotter than others and you might want to dial it back or go wild depending on your tolerance.
  • Save a cup of pasta water before draining, it has starch that can bring the sauce back to life if it gets too thick or starts to separate.
03 -
  • Use rotisserie chicken to save time and add a little extra flavor from the seasoned skin, just shred it with two forks and toss it in.
  • If you want the sauce extra thick and clingy, toss the hot pasta with the sauce off the heat and let it sit for a minute so the starches can do their work.
  • For a crispy topping, mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and toast them in a skillet, then sprinkle over the finished pasta for texture.
  • Double the sauce if you love it extra saucy, it keeps well and you can toss it with leftover pasta or even use it as a dip for veggies or breadsticks.
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