Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

There’s nothing my kids love more than a big bowl of mac and cheese. Sound familiar?

And not just any kind of mac… the ultra creamy and gooey kind.

Normally, we go for my baked mac and cheese, but I wanted to share a recipe that takes all that gooey and creamy goodness and elevates it to a grown-up level.

If you’re a fan of the game day classic buffalo chicken dip, imagine all that deliciousness combined with a classic mac and cheese!

It’s great as a game day main dish, or a fun spin on a weeknight family dinner.

How to make buffalo chicken mac and cheese?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Make roux. Once you whisk together the melted butter and flour, make sure you cook it for a minute or two to get the taste of raw flour out.
2. Add milk and buffalo sauce. The mixture will take a few minutes to thicken up.
3. Stir in cheese. This should be done off the heat, to prevent overheating it and potentially causing the sauce to separate.
4. Combine chicken and ranch.
5. Add pasta and chicken.
6. Add to baking dish. Any 9×13″ baking dish will work.
7. Top and bake. The amount of blue cheese is up to you.

Variations of this recipe

• Pasta – you can use any short cut of pasta (such as shells, penne, etc), so please use your favorite! Elbows and medium shells are our favorites.
• Dairy – if you don’t want to use whole milk, you could possibly use 2%, but I wouldn’t go lower than that in terms of fat percentage. Using ultra low fat milk won’t yield a very creamy sauce.
• Pre-shredded packaged cheese – in general, shredding your own cheese is the best way to ensure a smooth and creamy sauce. Using pre-shredded cheese can sometimes lead to a grainy sauce and odd consistency (this is due to the substance they add to keep the cheese from clumping in the bag). However, this recipe did test fairly well with Tillamook and Sargento pre-shredded cheese.
• Cheeses – instead of sharp cheddar, you could use medium or mild cheddar.
• Toppings – if you’re not a huge fan of blue cheese, feel free to omit it and opt for another topping option. You could add additional shredded cheese, or crushed Ritz crackers (or panko breadcrumbs) tossed with a bit of melted butter.
• Buffalo sauce – please feel free to use your favorite brand of buffalo sauce or buffalo wing sauce. We typically use Frank’s RedHot. Using just hot sauce won’t give this nearly as much flavor, you really do want a wing sauce.
• Ranch – instead of using ranch dressing, you could try using powdered ranch dressing seasoning. Keep in mind though, that I haven’t tested this, so I don’t know exactly what measurement to give you.

Making mac and cheese ahead of time

Personally, I find this recipe tastes best when made right before serving. However, it can be made ahead of time if you’d like.

Just assemble this recipe, but don’t bake it. Cool it completely and refrigerate. Take the baking pan out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you’re ready to bake.

Bake as directed, adding a few minutes since the pan will be chilled.

You can also prep ahead!

Ways to prep ahead for this recipe:

• Chicken – if using a rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken breasts, the chicken can be shredded and kept refrigerated.
• Cheese – the cheese can be shredded ahead of time and kept refrigerated.
• Pasta – the pasta can be boiled ahead of time, cooled completely, and kept refrigerated.

Storage

Leftover mac and cheese should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoyed within 2-3 days.

I recommend reheating on the stovetop (or in the microwave), and adding a splash of milk while stirring and heating.