Classic homemade mac and cheese is given a modern update when macaroni is mixed with tender chicken, spicy buffalo hot sauce and two kinds of cheese for a creamy, savory Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese.
You are going to love how easy it is to make this spicy Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese with leftover chicken or canned chicken.
Suitable for Gluten Free diets with included modifications. Post includes Weight Watchers points.
In just about 20 minutes, you’ll be digging your spoon into a creamy and delicious bowl of mac and cheese that’s been upgraded with tender shredded chicken and spicy hot sauce. Plus, two kinds of cheese give this dish tons of creamy flavor.
This whole meal is cooked right on your stovetop. No oven needed! That means this Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe is perfect for home cooks, college students, and you can even make this on a camping trip!
If you’re craving comfort food and you want an inexpensive meal that packs a punch, this Buffalo Mac recipe is for you!
Plus it is a great weeknight dinner that can be made ahead.
And if you love buffalo chicken, then you’ve got to try this Buffalo Chicken Fries and Buffalo Crockpot Dip and delicious Buffalo Chicken Meatballs.
Why Make This Recipe
- No Oven Needed – Prepare this entire dish right on your stovetop.
- Budget-Friendly – Give regular mac and cheese a spicy upgrade without going over budget.
- Comforting – This is delicious comfort food in a bowl.
Ingredient Notes
- Macaroni – Elbow Macaroni Noodles are inexpensive and shelf-stable. You can substitute any small pasta for the elbow noodles.
- Butter, flour and milk – These common pantry ingredients help to thicken the cheese sauce. Use whole milk for a creamier sauce.
- Chicken – Use leftover shredded chicken or buy a rotisserie chicken or canned chicken.
- Buffalo Sauce – Look for buffalo sauce such as Frank’s Hot Sauce rather than just hot sauce. It is thicker than regular hot sauce.
- Cheese – You can’t have mac and cheese without cheese! We’re using mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese. Use your favorite melting cheese.
How To Make Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Get full ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
- Cook macaroni according to the package, drain and set aside.
- Melt butter in a pan and add the flour. Whisk and let it cook for 2 minutes before stirring in the milk.
- Cook the sauce for 4 minutes to allow it to thicken slightly, then stir in the chicken and buffalo sauce.
- Stir in the cheeses, then season with salt and pepper.
- When the cheese has fully melted (about 2 minutes) add the macaroni stir to combine, and then serve.
Get full ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
Tips For Success
- Use block cheese. Shred block cheese as it will melt better than shredded cheese.
- Use leftover rotisserie chicken from the grocery store or cook and shred chicken breasts.
- The pasta will continue to cook so cook the pasta to al dente to avoid mushy pasta.
- Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. If the cheese sauce is too thick once you add the macaroni, you can thin it by adding a little bit of the pasta water at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
- There is no need to heat the chicken before adding to the pan. It will heat through while the cheese melts.
- Taste for seasoning before adding the salt. Sometimes the butter and cheese add enough saltiness and additional salt may not be needed.
Delicious Variations
- Loaded Mac and Cheese – Add bacon, sliced green onions and jalapenos.
- Top it Off – Drizzle each bowl with a bit of ranch or blue cheese dressing. You can also sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles.
- Add Crunch – Sprinkle the top of the buffalo mac with crunched up potato chips, ritz cracker crumbs or some panko bread crumbs.
- Make it EXTRA Spicy – Use pepper jack cheese, top with jalapenos and an extra drizzle of buffalo sauce.
- Make it Creamy – Stir in a bit of sour cream or cream cheese for a creamier cheese sauce.
- Add Herbs and Spices – For extra flavor, gradually whisk in onion powder, garlic powder, or your favorite herbs and spices.
Budget-Friendly Tips
- Use Leftover Chicken – Buy rotisserie chicken on sale, shred it, and store it in the freezer.
- Use What You Have – Use the noodles and cheese that you have on hand rather than buying something special. Both the cheese and noodles can be swapped with other kinds.
- Shop Sales – Pasta is shelf stable and cheese freezes well so look for both on sale.
Make Ahead, Storage And Meal Prep
Make Ahead – Cook the noodles up to 24 hours in advance and store them in the fridge. Mix in a tablespoon or two of oil or butter to keep them from sticking together.
Store – Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave. Add a bit of water if the sauce has become dry.
Freeze – Follow the handy tips below for how to freeze these;
- Freeze in a large container or in single-serving portions.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat in the microwave or bake at 350F / 176C for 20-30 minutes or until heated through.
Meal Prep With Leftovers
This is a great recipe for meal prep. Cook once and eat for days.
- This recipe stores for 3 days so you can eat it on the day you cook it plus for more days.
- Separate leftover pasta in eat sized portions in airtight meal prep containers (microwave safe) and let cool completely with the lids off.
- When cool, close them and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- To reheat it is best to add a splash of water and then reheat in 1 minute timings in the microwave till warmed through.
- To vary it up through the week feel free to add in other leftovers like cooked veggies, tomatoes, cheese and dressings.
FAQs
Elbow macaroni is a popular choice for mac and cheese. Other great options include corkscrew pasta, small shells, and cavatappi. You can substitute gluten free pasta if preferred. You will also need to use gluten-free flour.
This dish has a mild to medium spice level. To increase the spice add more buffalo sauce (up to a ⅓ cup more), sprinkle in crushed red pepper or top with sliced jalapenos. Using a pepper jack cheese can also kick up the heat level.
More Recipes You May Like
- Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip.
- Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip.
- Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti.
- Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan.
- Grilled Buffalo Chicken.
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs.
- Buffalo Chicken Tenders.
- Buffalo Chicken Sandwich.
- Buffalo Chicken Fries.
Tools To Make This
- A saucepan.
- Measuring cups and spoons.
Get The Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese Recipe:
Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound (452g) macaroni cooked according to package directions
- ½ cup (113g) butter
- ½ cup (68g) flour
- 2 cups (500ml) milk
- 1 cup (140g) chicken cooked and shredded or canned chicken
- ⅓ cup (75ml) buffalo hot sauce
- 1 cup (113g) mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 ½ cups (169g) cheddar cheese shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to combine, cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the milk and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the sauce starts to thicken (around 4 minutes).
- Mix in the chicken and buffalo sauce.
- Add the cheeses and cook for 2 more minutes, or until fully melted.
- Stir in the macaroni, making sure to coat evenly.
Notes
- Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. If the cheese sauce is too thick once you add the macaroni you can thin it by adding a little bit of the pasta waster at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
- There is no need to heat the chicken before adding to the pan. It will heat through while the cheese melts.
- Taste for seasoning before adding the salt. Sometimes the butter and cheese add enough saltiness and additional salt may not be needed.
- Use Leftover Chicken – Buy rotisserie chicken on sale, shred it, and store it in the freezer.
- Use What You Have – Use the noodles and cheese that you have on hand rather than buying something special. Both the cheese and noodles can be swapped with other kinds.
- Shop Sales – Pasta is shelf stable and cheese freezes well so look for both on sale.
Elise
Best recipe ever!!! I suck at making a good cheese sauce and this is the first success I’ve had. Amazing flavor and good balance of heat. I used colby Jack cause that was all I had and mixed in the cheese before the chicken to make sure it was well incorporated. Very good recipe