🌶️ Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Servings: 6–8
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30–35 minutes
Total time: about 55 minutes
🛒 Ingredients
For the Buffalo Chicken
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- ½ cup buffalo sauce
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Mac and Cheese
- 1 lb (450 g) elbow macaroni or cavatappi
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup buffalo sauce
For the Topping
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions or parsley
Optional Garnishes
- Extra buffalo sauce
- Ranch dressing
- Blue cheese dressing
- Crumbled blue cheese
- Chopped green onions
👨🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the chicken
If you’re using leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, or previously cooked chicken, shred it into small pieces.
Place a large skillet over medium heat and add:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- ½ cup buffalo sauce
Allow the cream cheese and butter to melt, stirring until the mixture becomes smooth.
Add the shredded chicken, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
Stir everything together and cook for about 3–5 minutes, until the chicken is completely coated in the buffalo mixture and heated through.
Tip: Don’t cook the chicken for too long or it can become dry. Once it’s hot and coated in sauce, remove it from the heat.
2. Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the macaroni and cook according to the package directions, but aim for 1–2 minutes less than the recommended cooking time.
You want the pasta slightly undercooked because it will continue cooking in the cheese sauce and oven.
Before draining, reserve about ½ cup of pasta water.
Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Don’t rinse the pasta. The starch left on the noodles helps the cheese sauce stick to them.
3. Make the creamy cheese sauce
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Once the butter has melted, add 4 tablespoons flour.
Whisk continuously for about 1–2 minutes.
This creates a roux, which is what gives the cheese sauce its thick and creamy texture.
Don’t let the flour mixture become dark brown. You only want to cook out the raw flour taste.
4. Add the milk and cream
Slowly pour in the 3 cups of whole milk, whisking constantly.
Then add the 1 cup heavy cream.
Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth.
Cook over medium heat for approximately 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently.
The sauce should gradually become thicker.
You’ll know it’s ready when it can lightly coat the back of a spoon.
5. Season the sauce
Add:
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Smoked paprika
- Salt
- Black pepper
Stir well.
At this point, taste the sauce.
Remember that the cheese and buffalo sauce will add additional salt and flavor, so don’t oversalt it.
6. Add the cheese
Turn the heat down to low.
Add the shredded cheeses gradually:
- 2 cups cheddar
- 1½ cups Monterey Jack
- ½ cup mozzarella
Add a handful at a time and whisk until melted before adding more.
The sauce should become smooth, creamy, and glossy.
Important tip
Avoid boiling the cheese sauce after adding the cheese. Very high heat can cause the cheese to separate and become greasy or grainy.
7. Add the buffalo sauce
Once the cheese has completely melted, stir in ½ cup buffalo sauce.
Taste the sauce.
If you want it:
🌶️ Spicier: Add another 1–2 tablespoons buffalo sauce or a little cayenne pepper.
🥛 Milder: Add a little more milk or cream.
🧀 Cheesier: Add another handful of shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack.
8. Combine the pasta and cheese sauce
Add the drained pasta directly into the cheese sauce.
Stir gently until every piece of pasta is completely covered.
If the mixture seems too thick, add a small amount of the reserved pasta water, about 1 tablespoon at a time.
You want the mac and cheese to be very creamy, because it will thicken slightly while baking.
9. Add the buffalo chicken
Gently fold the buffalo chicken into the mac and cheese.
You can mix all of the chicken throughout the dish, or reserve some to place on top.
For the best presentation, I recommend mixing about ¾ of the chicken into the pasta and saving the rest for the top.
10. Prepare the breadcrumb topping
In a small bowl, combine:
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Mix until the breadcrumbs are evenly coated.
The butter helps them turn golden and crispy while baking.
11. Assemble the mac and cheese
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Pour the buffalo chicken mac and cheese into the dish.
Spread it evenly.
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese over the top.
Then sprinkle the buttery panko breadcrumbs over the cheese.
Finally, add the remaining buffalo chicken if you reserved some.
12. Bake
Place the dish in the preheated oven.
Bake uncovered for approximately 20–25 minutes.
You’re looking for:
- bubbling cheese around the edges
- melted cheese on top
- golden-brown breadcrumbs
For an extra-crispy top, switch the oven to broil for the final 1–2 minutes.
⚠️ Watch it carefully while broiling because breadcrumbs can burn very quickly.
13. Let it rest
Remove the mac and cheese from the oven and let it rest for about 5–10 minutes.
This gives the cheese sauce time to settle and thicken slightly.
If you cut into it immediately, the sauce may be extremely loose.
🧀 Final Touches
Right before serving, drizzle a little extra buffalo sauce over the top.
You can also add:
- Ranch dressing
- Blue cheese dressing
- Crumbled blue cheese
- Chopped green onions
- Fresh parsley
The combination of spicy buffalo sauce + creamy cheese + tender chicken + crunchy breadcrumbs makes this especially good.
🔥 Easy Heat Adjustment
| Spice level | What to do |
|---|---|
| Mild | Use ¼–⅓ cup buffalo sauce in the cheese sauce |
| Medium | Use ½ cup buffalo sauce |
| Spicy | Use ½–¾ cup buffalo sauce |
| Extra spicy | Add buffalo sauce + cayenne or hot sauce |
⭐ Best Tips for Creamy Buffalo Mac and Cheese
Use freshly shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking ingredients that can make homemade cheese sauce less smooth.
Don’t overcook the pasta. Slightly firm pasta holds its texture much better after baking.
Add cheese over low heat. This helps prevent the sauce from becoming grainy.
Don’t skip the heavy cream. It gives the sauce a richer, smoother texture.
Taste before adding more salt. Buffalo sauce and cheese can already contain plenty of salt.
Serve with ranch or blue cheese. The cool, creamy dressing balances the heat from the buffalo sauce beautifully.
