Why You’ll Love This this Spicy Buffalo Mac and Cheese Chicken
This buffalo mac and cheese takes everything you love about creamy, cheesy pasta and gives it a spicy, tangy kick that’ll make your taste buds do a little happy dance.
The combination of Frank’s hot sauce and ranch seasoning creates this perfect balance of heat and cool creaminess that somehow makes you want to keep going back for more, even when your mouth is already on fire.
Plus, it’s basically a complete meal in one dish – you’ve got your pasta, your protein, your dairy, and enough flavor to make you forget you’re technically eating leftovers.
Ingredients List
This buffalo mac and cheese recipe doesn’t need a ton of fancy ingredients, just the right ones to create that perfect storm of creamy, spicy, and absolutely irresistible.
- 10 ounces elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup hot sauce (Frank’s)
- 1 tablespoon ranch dressing mix
- 2 cups shredded leftover chicken
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped chives
- 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
Ingredient Considerations:
- This recipe is definitely comfort food first, health food second, with all that cream cheese and butter doing the heavy lifting in the flavor department
- You can lighten things up by using low-fat milk and reduced-fat cream cheese, though you might lose some of that luxurious creaminess we’re going for
- The leftover chicken actually makes this a decent protein source, and the chives add a little pop of vitamins and freshness to balance out all the richness
- If sodium is a concern, you might want to go easy on the ranch seasoning since it packs quite a salty punch along with the hot sauce
Step by Step Directions
Getting this buffalo mac and cheese on the table is surprisingly straightforward – just a matter of cooking pasta, building a creamy sauce, and letting the oven work its magic.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and cook the elbow macaroni in salted boiling water for 9 minutes, then drain and return to the pot.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute, then slowly add milk while whisking to prevent clumps.
- Simmer the mixture, stirring constantly, until it thickens (about 2 minutes).
- Add cream cheese one tablespoon at a time, stirring until completely melted and smooth.
- Stir in hot sauce and ranch dressing mix until well combined.
- Add the shredded chicken, chopped chives, and cooked macaroni to the skillet, stirring until everything is well coated.
- Top with shredded cheddar cheese and bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.
For even better heat distribution and cooking results, consider using an Italian copper braising pot which provides superior thermal conductivity for creating perfectly cooked comfort food dishes.
Substitutions and Variations
• Make it lighter – use Greek yogurt instead of half the cream cheese, or try reduced-fat versions of the dairy ingredients.
Your waistline might thank you later.
• Add some crunch – toss in diced celery with the chicken, or top with crushed crackers before baking.
Sometimes you need that textural contrast, you know?
• Ranch alternatives – not a ranch fan? Try blue cheese dressing mix instead, or just skip the packet and add garlic powder and onion powder to taste.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
This creamy, spicy masterpiece deserves some worthy sidekicks to complete the meal.
- Simple green salad – something crisp and fresh to cut through all that cheesy richness. I’m talking basic mixed greens with a light vinaigrette, maybe some cucumber slices if you’re feeling fancy.
- Roasted vegetables – broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or green beans work beautifully here. The slight char and natural sweetness balance out the buffalo heat perfectly.
- Crusty bread or dinner rolls – because sometimes you need a vehicle for scooping up every last bit of that sauce. No judgment here, we’ve all been there.
- Coleslaw – the classic buffalo wing companion makes perfect sense with this dish too. That cool, crunchy contrast is exactly what your taste buds are craving.
- Pickle spears – sounds weird, but trust me on this one. The tangy acidity cuts through the cream cheese richness like a dream.
- Corn on the cob – especially if you’re serving this during summer. Butter-slicked corn kernels and buffalo flavors are basically best friends.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
Let me share some game-changing tips that’ll take your buffalo mac from good to absolutely phenomenal.
- Don’t skip the pasta water reserve – grab a cup of that starchy, salty liquid before draining because it’s liquid gold for thinning out sauce that gets too thick. Trust me, cream cheese can be unpredictable sometimes.
- Room temperature cream cheese is your friend – cold cream cheese turns into stubborn little lumps that refuse to melt smoothly. Take it out about 30 minutes before cooking, or give it a quick 15-second microwave zap if you’re impatient like most of us.
- Taste your hot sauce first – some brands pack more heat than others, and you don’t want to accidentally create a mouth-scorching disaster. Start with less, taste, then add more if needed because you can’t take it back once it’s in there.
- Cook pasta one minute less than the box says – it’s going into the oven for another 15 minutes, so slightly underdone pasta prevents that mushy, overcooked tragedy we’ve all encountered.
- Shred your own cheese – pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that make it melt weird and gritty. Fresh shredded cheddar melts like a dream and tastes so much better.
- Let it rest for 5 minutes after baking – I know it’s torture when it smells that good, but letting it sit helps everything set up properly instead of being a soupy mess on your plate.
Nutritional Facts
This hearty buffalo mac and cheese packs serious flavor along with substantial nutrition. Here’s the breakdown per serving (recipe serves 6):
- Calories: 485 per serving
- Protein: 28g – excellent source from chicken and dairy
- Carbohydrates: 42g – primarily from pasta and milk
- Fat: 22g – includes healthy fats from cheese and butter
- Fiber: 2g – modest amount from enriched pasta
- Sodium: 890mg – on the higher side due to hot sauce and cheese
- Calcium: 25% Daily Value – strong bone-building benefits
- Vitamin A: 15% Daily Value – from dairy ingredients
- Iron: 12% Daily Value – enriched pasta contributes considerably
- Phosphorus: 20% Daily Value – supports bone and teeth health
- Vitamin B12: 18% Daily Value – essential for nerve function
- Saturated Fat: 13g – about 65% of recommended daily intake
The dish provides a solid balance of macronutrients with high-quality protein from chicken and calcium-rich dairy.
While sodium content is elevated, the recipe delivers substantial nutritional value alongside its indulgent taste.
Fun “Did You Know?”
Beyond its impressive nutritional profile, buffalo mac and cheese carries some fascinating culinary history that’ll surprise you.
I found out that buffalo sauce originated in 1964 at Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, when Teressa Bellissimo created it for her son’s late-night snack.
Mac and cheese dates back to 14th-century Italy, but Thomas Jefferson popularized it in America after tasting it in Paris.
The combination that we understand today emerged in the 1990s when creative chefs began fusion cooking.
Curiously, Americans consume over 2 billion pounds of mac and cheese annually, making buffalo mac a natural evolution of comfort food.
