Shredded chicken is combined with ranch dressing, hot sauce, sautéed onions and garlic, pasta, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and Monterey Jack cheese to make the creamiest best Buffalo Chicken Pasta ever. If you like buffalo chicken this is a must-try and a family favorite. This casserole dish is so full of flavor and easily modified to suit your buffalo sauce heat preference. This is a hearty casserole but sometimes I like to serve it with a simple garden salad.
How to make Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake
First, bring a deep large skillet of water to a boil on the stovetop over medium heat. Once boiling add the chicken and bring it back to a boil. As soon as it comes back to a boil cover it and remove the skillet from the heat. Let it sit covered for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the water and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before shredding it with 2 forks.
In a large bowl mix together the shredded chicken, ranch dressing, and buffalo sauce. Adjust the amount of buffalo sauce to taste. Meanwhile, in a large ovenproof pot like a Dutch Oven heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Now add the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Add the pasta and cover and cook until the pasta is al dente. Stir the pasta a couple of times while it is cooking to ensure it is not sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Add the chicken mixture, cream cheese, and 1 cup of cheddar cheese to the cooked pasta. Stir to combine and top the dish with the remaining shredded cheese. Sprinkle with the minced jalapeno and bake it in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Recipe Notes
- The skillet that you poach the chicken in should be deep enough that the water is about an inch over the chicken breasts. Ideally, this skillet should have a lid if not you will need to cover it with a large heat-safe plate.
- The poached chicken is done when an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Instant-read meat thermometers are relatively inexpensive and a lifesaver in the kitchen.
- I like to use Franks red hot sauce but any buffalo wing sauce will work.
- Any medium pasta works well with this recipe. Think rotini, rigatoni, ziti, cavatappi, mostaccioli, or penne pasta.
- Any kind of cooked shredded chicken works in this recipe. Rotisserie chicken works great and saves a step. Leftover chicken works great in this recipe.
- Make sure the pasta is submerged in the chicken broth and the pot is covered. Stir several times to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Soften the cream cheese to ensure a good and quick melt.
- Minced jalapeno is optional as a garnish. It is best to wear cooking gloves when working with jalapenos or at the very least avoid touching your face and thoroughly wash your hands after. You can also use thin sliced green onions for a garnish.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at a reduced power.
- Technically you can freeze this pasta but the results will not be as good as the original as cream cheese tends to separate when frozen.
More Buffalo Chicken Dinner Recipes to try
Easy Buffalo Chicken Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ¾ cup ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing
- ½ cup buffalo sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 12 ounces cellentani pasta
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese
- Minced jalapeno garnish
Instructions
- Bring a deep skillet of water to boil on the stovetop over medium heat. Once boiling, add the chicken breasts in a single layer and bring them back to a boil. Cover it and remove the skillet from the heat when it comes back to a boil. Let it sit covered for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the water and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before shredding it with 2 forks.
- Mix the shredded chicken, ranch dressing, and buffalo sauce in a medium bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large ovenproof pot like a Dutch Oven. Add the onion and cook until soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Now add the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Add the pasta and cover, and cook until the pasta is cooked al dente; approximately 12-15 minutes. Stir the pasta a couple of times while it is cooking to ensure it is not sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Once the pasta is cooked, add the chicken mixture, cream cheese, and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Stir to combine. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Top the dish with the remaining shredded cheese. Sprinkle with the minced jalapeno and bake it in the oven uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Notes
- The skillet that you poach the chicken in should be deep enough that the water is about an inch over the chicken breasts. Ideally, this skillet should have a lid if not you will need to cover it with a large heat-safe plate.
- The poached chicken is done when an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Instant-read meat thermometers are relatively inexpensive and a lifesaver in the kitchen.
- Any kind of cooked shredded chicken works in this recipe. Rotisserie chicken works great and saves a step.
- Make sure the pasta is submerged in the chicken broth and the pot is covered. Stir several times to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Soften the cream cheese to ensure a good and quick melt.
- Minced jalapeno is optional as a garnish. It is best to wear cooking gloves when working with jalapenos or at the very least avoid touching your face and thoroughly wash your hands after.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at a reduced power.
- Technically you can freeze this pasta but the results will not be as good as the original as cream cheese tends to separate when frozen.
Nutrition
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Beth
This is an awesome dish! My husband who’s a picky eater loved it. I have been looking for new recipes and this is definitely a keeper!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Beth! So glad that he loved it! It is a tasty recipe!
Beth L
Looks absolutely delicious. This will be a great cold weather meal for sure.
Christian Foremost
Yummerz! I’m actually thinking of something new to eat and this is for sure a recipe that I’d wanna try now!
Ntensibe Edgar
This was really tasty! Chicken and pasta are my favorites! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine!
Neely Moldovan
The ultimate comfort meal! We really enjoyed this and we will make it again.
Melanie E
I’ve never had pasta like this before. It was so creamy and delicious. This is a real keeper.
Alita
I love the pro tips that come with the recipe to make it successful. This is easy to make in a skillet with a delicious cream sauce.
briannemanzb
This is a very rich recipe that the whole family really enjoys! I can use fresh, rotisserie, or leftover chicken in this!
Sonia Seivwright
Pasta is one of my favourite dishes to cook at home. Just because It is quick and easy to make. It can also be easily customised with anything you want. I will try this recipe.
Gervin Khan
Wow! This pasta dish was absolutely delicious! The creamy texture is just so enticing and tempting! As the saying “we can never go wrong with pasta”. Loved it!
Bryan
I was just eating buffalo chicken tonight! I love buffalo chicken in most any recipe. The key is the buffalo sauce- the right one can make or break the recipe.
Luna S
I am normally not a big fan of buffalo flavored chicken, but this was delicious! My husband talked me into making it and it was so yummy!
Rose Ann Sales
My family would love this for sure! This looks really good! Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Beti | easyweeknightrecipes
I love the flavors in this dish!! It was out of this world good! WE LOVE it!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Beti! Glad that you like it!
Kris
My family is not a fan of anything spicy. How do I make this dish so it’s not spicy? I don’t want to lose the taste of the original dish. Thanks!
Beth Pierce
That is a hard question as removing or reducing the buffalo sauce will remove or reduce the heat but will also alter the flavor.
katerina @ diethood.com
Oh my goodness! This buffalo chicken pasta looks and sounds incredibly delicious!! My family would love it!
Elizabeth
This looks like mac ‘n’ cheese for grown ups! Can’t wait to try this with the family!
kushigalu
My kind of dinner. This pasta looks amazingly delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Tavo
We had this chicken pasta last night for dinner and we all loved it! thanks for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mien!
Erin | Dinners, Dishes and Dessert
Looks amazingly delicious! Can’t wait to try this one!
Sandra
Craving for this right now! It was so good and easy to make!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Sandra!
Jeb Smith
Just tried this one as well as the bean soup and it was delish
Beth Pierce
Thanks Jeb! So glad that you liked it!
Amanda
I love buffalo chicken and this look amazing with pasta and all that cheese!