Buffalo Chicken Mac Cheese

Name: Buffalo Chicken Mac Cheese
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 23 min
Total time: 41 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 8 ounces elbow pasta; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 teaspoon dried minced onion; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon white pepper; 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 2 1/2 cups whole milk (plus splash as needed); 1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce (adjust heat); 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese; 1/4 cup mayonnaise (substitute sour cream); 2 cups cooked shredded chicken; 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs; 1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles; Chopped fresh parsley for garnish; Celery and carrot sticks for serving

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 23 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Macaroni cooked al dente, folded with a sharp buffalo cream sauce enhanced by mayo and cheese. Topped with crispy seasoned breadcrumbs, baked then broiled until golden. Finished with tangy blue cheese crumbles and fresh parsley. Celery and carrot sticks cool the palate. Adjust milk for sauce thickness. Substitute mayo with sour cream for tangier flavor or shredded pepper jack for cheese. Butter caramelizes onion bits, adds depth. Watch texture: sauce should cling, not drown pasta. Broil crisps crumbs, aroma signals near done. Timing flexible; rely on bubbling sauce and golden top. A spicy baked pasta balancing creamy heat with crunchy finish—no extra fanfare, just bold, textured bites.

Prep: 18 min

Cook: 23 min

Total: 41 min

Servings: 8 servings

#American #Comfort Food #Spicy #Baked Pasta #Chicken #Cheese #Weeknight Meal

Ever made mac and cheese and wished it punched harder, had some guts? Enter buffalo heat slathered into creamy cheese, mingling with pulled chicken—kick and comfort in every forkful. Cream sauce is where I always tinker; too thick and the pasta clumps, too loose and it’s sad sloppy mush. Butter carries flavor, dried onion bits swell in it, giving sneaky bites of umami. Buffalo sauce in the milk béchamel is pure magic. Tossing in mayo adds an unexpected creaminess; never a bad thing. Crispy breadcrumb topping? Godsend. It crackles and bronze-bruises in the broiler finale, turning a heavy casserole into textural heaven. Blue cheese dots on top balance heat with pungent tang, while crisp celery and carrot sticks cool you off—always serve them or it’s just hot mess. Timing’s a guideline, watch, listen. Sauce bubbles, crumbs snap, cheese melts. Trust those signs. This isn’t delicate soufflés; it’s a hearty, bold skillet full of gritty indulgence—mine every time.

Ingredients

8 ounces elbow pasta
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk (plus splash as needed)
1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce (adjust heat)
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise (substitute sour cream)
2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Celery and carrot sticks for serving

About the ingredients

Pasta needs to be just firm, or it’ll turn gluey after baking. Elbow works best for sauce to cling but use cavatappi if you want twist. Butter should melt gently; hurry loses flavor depth and burns bits. Dried minced onion over fresh? Saves time and brings consistent bolder onion notes without moisture. Flour — use all-purpose for thickening but if you want gluten-free, try a mix of rice flour and cornstarch; sauce texture changes but still clingy. Whole milk is perfect for richness; 1 or 2% makes a thinner sauce but tolerable. Buffalo sauce heat varies widely; mild or hot, tweak quantity. Mayo is secret richness, swap sour cream for brightness. Pre-cooked shredded chicken best rotisserie, moist and tender. Breadcrumbs can be homemade or store-bought Italian style; toasted in butter before sprinkling gives extra crunch and buttery richness. Blue cheese crumbles optional but worth the bite contrast; use feta if allergic. Fresh parsley isn’t garnish fluff, adds herbaceous lift. Celery and carrot sticks aren’t mere sides; their crunch cools creamy heat, balance is key here.

Method

Heat oven to 345°F, not too hot to avoid drying out.
Spray a 9x9 dish lightly; prevents sticking, easy cleanup.
Cook pasta to slightly firm al dente; 1-2 minutes less than package. Drain, toss quickly with a little oil if too sticky.
Use same pot for sauce—saves dishes and flavor.
Melt butter gently over medium-low; too hot burns butter and onion bits taste bitter. Stir in dried minced onion, kosher salt, white pepper right away. You want fragrant, just softened onion bits popping in butter, about 1-2 minutes.
Whisk in flour all at once, stir briskly till paste forms, no lumps. If lumps appear, push through whisk or add a splash milk.
Add milk gradually, whisking constantly. Sauce thickens into smooth cream. Can add extra splash milk if overly thick; should coat spoon but be pourable.
Stir in buffalo sauce, it colors and sharpens the cream. Then whisk cheese and mayo in fast before cheese clumps. Mayo adds subtle tang and richness; sour cream swap works fine.
Fold pasta and shredded chicken in, coating evenly but gently. Too rough breaks noodles.
Pour everything into the prepared dish; smooth top but don’t pack it down, keep air pockets for light bake.
Sprinkle seasoned bread crumbs thickly. They toast fast, so spread evenly.
Bake uncovered about 22-25 minutes. Watch sauce bubbles around edges; bubbling signals it's hot through. If you want, test center with fingertip: warm and jiggle slightly; not watery.
Switch oven to low broil for 3-5 minutes max. Bread crumbs brown fast; smell toasted crust. Don’t wander or they’ll burn.
Pull from oven. Scatter blue cheese crumbles, chopped parsley. Cheese melts slightly from heat but still chunky, bright flavor spike.
Serve hot right away with crisp celery and carrot sticks—their crunch and freshness cut through the creamy heat.
If sauce is too thin, cook a minute longer uncovered, or add more cheese next time. If dry, add splash of milk before baking.
Chicken: rotisserie works great here, smoky counterpoint. Use pulled chicken thighs for juicier bites than breast.
Buffalo sauce varies wildly: start small, add more at end if need fiercer kick.
Leftovers reheat with splash milk, stir gently to revive creaminess but keep pasta intact.

Cooking tips

Start heating oven first, always. Cooking pasta short of fully done—aim for al dente is key, it will finish baking in sauce. Don’t dump pasta wet; drain well to avoid watery sauce. Sauce building needs patience. Butter can burn if stove too hot, ruining flavor. Stir dried onion in right after butter melts for gentle rehydration. Flour whisked into butter forms a roux, critical to avoid lumps by adding gradually the milk while whisking quick. Sauce thickness clues: spoon coated means right. Stir buffalo sauce in slowly; watch color change as cream orange-enriches. Add cheese and mayo off heat or very low to prevent cheese graininess; whisk sharp and fast. Folding chicken and pasta gently keeps noodles intact. Baking uncovered lets sauce thicken, bubble; bubbling edges show cooking heat. Broiling for topping is quick; stay close. Blue cheese crumbles last step; too early melts tiny and bitter. Serving with fresh celery and carrot sticks, the rustle and crunch are sensory relief from spicy cheese cream. Leftovers reheat low and slow with splash milk to loosen sauce if thick or dry. Experiment with cheese blends or chicken, but keep sauce creamy-smooth; key to success.

Chef's notes

💡 Butter melts over medium-low, low and slow. Rush it and burnt onion bits taste bitter. Stir dried minced onion in quickly once butter’s melted. You want softened bits, pop of onion flavor but no harshness. Patience prevents bitter notes lurking under creamy sauce.
💡 Flour whisked in all at once makes paste. Lumps? Push through whisk or add splash milk, whisk fast. Adding milk gradually is key. Whisk constantly cause sauce thickens quick. Texture clues: coats spoon well but still pourable. Too thick? Swan in milk until it flows but clings.
💡 Buffalo sauce added slow changes color, cream turns orange. Stop stirring then whisk fast after sauce blended. Cheese mixes fast; off heat or low to dodge graininess. Mayo folded in adds richness, tang. Sour cream swap works but lowers fat and changes flavor sharper.
💡 Pasta cooked 1-2 min less than package. Al dente means firm, not rubber. Toss with oil if sticky. Folding pasta and shredded chicken gentle, toss easy. Rough mixing breaks noodles. Bake uncovered, sauce bubbles signal heat, texture thickens. Broil breadcrumbs last few minutes till brown. Smell alerts done; don’t wander or burn happens.
💡 Breadcrumbs thick layer to toast fast even browning. Butter toasted crumbs homemade option adds richness, crunch. Blue cheese crumbles last step. Melted a bit but still chunky, hits spicy bite contrast. Fresh parsley not just garnish, herbaceous lift. Celery and carrot sticks cool creamy heat. Balance textures, flavors—crunch cuts richness.

Common questions

What if sauce too thin?

Cook uncovered longer, thickens. Add cheese bit by bit. Or splash milk affects thickness fast. More flour in roux next go if needed thicker sauce. Timing matters. Watch bubbling edges. Thick enough when coats spoon but pourable.

Can I use other cheese?

Yes. Sharp cheddar base some mix with pepper jack for spice. Blue cheese optional topping, swap feta if allergy. Cheese flavor impacts heat perception. Mix cheeses changes melt and sharpness, experiment but keep balance. Avoid pre-shredded clumps.

Pasta gluey after baking?

Cause pasta overcooked before or too much liquid left. Aim for firm al dente, drain well. Toss quickly in oil if sticky. Bake uncovered to thicken sauce. Next time reduce cooking paste time, check doneness often. Avoid wet pasta dumping.

How to store leftovers?

Cool fast—refrigerate in sealed container. Reheat gentle with splash milk to loosen. Microwave or stovetop work, stir not to break noodles. Keeps 3-4 days max. Freeze okay but texture changes, less creamy. Add cheese or sauce after reheating if dry.