Buffalo Chicken Pasta Skillet

Buffalo Chicken Pasta is a one-pot meal made with juicy chicken, tender pasta, and bold Buffalo sauce. A Super-fast and flavorful dinner recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknight dinners or game day meals.

If you’re a Buffalo Chicken Dip lover or you enjoy some Buffalo Chicken Tenders, this pasta dish is one you’ll love too. These flavors work so well together and make for some tasty Buffalo Chicken Wraps too.

Why You’ll Love This Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Pasta

The buffalo chicken flavor combination is something many people enjoy. This pasta recipe is an easy, one-pan meal that is super quick and easy to toss together. It’s ready in under half an hour, making it the perfect dinner to make on those busy nights.

A Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake is easily customizable. You can alter the heat level by using your favorite buffalo wing sauce, change up the cheese, pasta types, and more. Leftovers are even more delicious the next day, once all the flavors can really soak in.

Let’s gather the Ingredients

• Veggies: diced onion, diced celery, and diced tomatoes
• Dairy: butter, softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and shredded mozzarella cheese
• Herbs and spices: minced garlic, ranch dressing, salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes (an easy way to increase the heat)
• Chicken stock: or you can use chicken broth
• Dried Rotini: Any short-cut pasta.
• Buffalo sauce: I use Frank‘s Hot sauce, but any brand will work
• Chicken: Rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken.

How to make Creamy Buffalo Chicken Pasta

• Step 1: Add butter, diced onions, and diced celery to a pot to cook until soft.
• Step 2: Add garlic and cook a little longer, until fragrant.
• Step 3: Pour chicken stock and tomatoes into the pot and bring to a boil.
• Step 4: Dump in dried pasta. Be sure to cover it with the cooking liquid and let the pasta boil.

• Step 5: Add in cream cheese, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, ranch, buffalo sauce, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes if using. Stir.
• Step 6: Fold in the chicken, the cheesy pasta, and the cheesy sauce mixture.

Recipe Tips

• Adjust the spice by using mild or hot Buffalo sauce to suit your preference.
• For another twist on flavor, drizzle some blue cheese dressing, blue cheese crumbles, or more ranch dressing on top.
• Swap out the cheese options for sharp cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days and keep them in the refrigerator.
• If serving at a gathering or party, you can keep this in a Slow Cooker on the warm setting. Stir often so it doesn’t stick to the bottom.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Buffalo Chicken Pasta is made with juicy chicken, tender pasta, and bold Buffalo sauce creating a super fast and flavorful dinner recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknight dinners or game day meals.

Prep Time10minutes mins

Cook Time15minutes mins

Servings6 servings

Calories461

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup onion diced
• ½ cup celery diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 3 cups chicken stock or broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can of diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3 1/2 cups dried Rotini
• 8 ounces cream cheese softened and cubed
• 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
• ½ cup ranch dressing
• ½ cup buffalo sauce I use Franks
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch red pepper flakes optional
• 3 cups cooked and diced chicken

Instructions

• Heat a large 12-inch skillet on medium-high heat and add the butter, onions, and celery. Let it cook 2-3 minutes to soften. Add in the garlic and cook another 30 seconds.
• Gently pour in the chicken stock and tomatoes and stir. Bring to a boil.
• Add in the dried pasta and make sure the pasta is submerged in the liquid. Let the pasta boil 9-10 minutes. Test the pasta to make sure its tender enough, add another 1-2 minutes if its not.
• Reduce the heat to low and add in the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, ranch dressing, buffalo sauce, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes if you’re adding them. Give it a stir to combine and let simmer on low for 1-2 minutes to let the cheese melt.
• Fold in the diced chicken and mix until combined.
• Add additional salt and pepper to taste if needed and serve!

Notes

Any shortcut pasta will work for this recipe.

The sauce will thicken as it cools and soak into the pasta.

This is a great recipe to use up any leftover chicken you might have.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 461kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 29gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 1354mgPotassium: 449mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 500IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 254mgIron: 1mg