Every time I dive into a bowl of this buffalo chicken pasta, I can’t get enough!
I’m telling you, this is the ultimate comfort food.
The sauce is rich and velvety, coating every nook and cranny of the pasta. And that kick of heat from the buffalo sauce? It’s the perfect finishing touch!
Garnished with sliced green onions and crumbled blue cheese, this dish is a full-blown culinary experience. You won’t be able to resist it!
Why You’ll Love This Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Quick & Easy: It’s ready in under 30 minutes, making it an ideal choice for busy weeknights.
Comfort Food: With its creamy sauce, tender chicken, and al dente pasta, this dish is the definition of comfort food.
Crowd-Pleaser: With its popular buffalo wing flavor profile and cheesy goodness, everyone loves it.
One-Pot: With minimal prep work and everything cooked in one pot, it’s effortless.
Ingredients
- Penne Pasta: The perfect shape and size to capture the creamy, cheesy buffalo sauce in every forkful.
- Cooked Shredded Chicken: Tender, juicy bites of chicken soak up the bold flavors of the dish.
- Cream Cheese: The secret ingredient! It makes the sauce ultra-rich, smooth, and irresistible.
- Buffalo Wing Sauce: I like Frank’s RedHot. It brings the signature spicy kick and tangy zip.
- Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing: It adds a cool, creamy counterpoint to balance the spicy heat. Choose your favorite!
- Chicken Broth: It thins the sauce to just the right consistency.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper enhance the taste.
- Shredded Cheddar and Mozzarella Cheese: The dynamic duo delivers the gooey, cheesy goodness in every bite.
- Sliced Green Onions and Crumbled Blue Cheese: To add bright freshness and bold pops of flavor.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Pasta
This pasta is so easy to throw together, even on a busy weeknight!
1. Cook the pasta. Cook the penne pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
2. Make the sauce. Add the cream cheese, buffalo sauce, ranch, broth, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper to a skillet. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the cheeses. Stir in the cheddar and mozzarella cheese until melted into the sauce.
4. Add the chicken. Stir in the shredded chicken to coat with sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes on low heat.
5. Combine the pasta. Add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed to thin the sauce.
6. Garnish and serve. Serve hot, garnished with green onions and crumbled blue cheese.
Tips for the Best Buffalo Chicken Pasta
This dish is tough to mess up, but these tips make it truly shine!
- Pick your perfect pasta. Use a short pasta shape like penne, rotini, or shells that will hold onto the creamy sauce well.
- Soften the blow. Make sure the cream cheese is softened and cubed so it melts smoothly into the sauce.
- Give it a kick. Use more or less buffalo sauce to adjust the heat level to your liking. Start with less and add more to taste.
- Put in some elbow grease. Shred the cheddar and mozzarella cheeses yourself for the best melting and texture in the sauce.
- Vary it up. Use ranch dressing instead of blue cheese, add diced celery or carrots for crunch, or substitute chickpea pasta for more protein.
- Select the perfect sides. Serve with a side salad, crunchy vegetables like carrots and celery, and extra blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping. It also pairs well with a cold beer!
How to Store
If you have leftovers, here’s how to keep them fresh:
To Store: Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and consume within 3-5 days for optimal freshness.
To Freeze: Freeze without the noodles, as they’ll become mushy. Store the sauce separately in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
To Reheat: Place the pasta in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally and adding a few tablespoons of chicken broth if it appears dry. Or, microwave in a safe container for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
More Pasta Dinners to Try
Tuscan Chicken Pasta
French Onion Pasta
Rattlesnake Pasta
Easy Pasta Primavera
Buffalo Chicken Pasta
6
servings5
minutes20
minutes729
kcalThis creamy buffalo chicken pasta offers the perfect kick! With cream cheese, buffalo sauce, and ranch or blue cheese dressing, it can’t be topped!
Ingredients
1 pound penne pasta
2 cups cooked shredded chicken
8 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed
1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce (like Frank’s RedHot)
1/2 cup ranch or blue cheese dressing
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Sliced green onions and crumbled blue cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the penne pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, add the cream cheese, buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, chicken broth, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper to a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk until the cream cheese melts and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese until melted and incorporated into the sauce.
- Add the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to coat evenly. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the cooked and drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss gently to coat, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed to thin the sauce. Continue tossing until the pasta is evenly coated.
- Serve the buffalo chicken pasta hot garnished with sliced green onions and crumbled blue cheese. Enjoy!