Combining two comfort food favorites, this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake is made with Buffalo dip ingredients and pasta noodles for an unbelievable, decadent recipe ready in less than 30 minutes. Scoop it into a big bowl to enjoy it all on its own, or pair it with all your favorite side dishes!
What Is Buffalo Chicken Pasta?
Buffalo chicken pasta might just be one of the best inventions ever made. If you’ve never had it, you’ve gotta run to the kitchen immediately. A sort of casserole or baked pasta dish, Buffalo chicken bake combines cooked pasta with the flavors and texture of classic buffalo chicken dip. As a result, it turns a fan-favorite appetizer into the ultimate comfort food meal. Easy to make and loaded with cheese, it’s the perfect way to feed a crowd on game day or just satisfy your family after a long week!
What You’ll Need
Simple ingredients combine in one dish to create a slightly spicy flavor and out-of-this-world creaminess that leaves our families begging for more. Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Pasta – We prefer to use penne pasta, but any similar shape will work. If needed, feel free to use gluten-free pasta instead.
- Cream Cheese – This melts down to create the creamiest texture and most decadent taste.
- Chicken – You can definitely prepare and shred your own chicken with a recipe like this. However, to save tons of time, we just buy a rotisserie chicken instead!
- Sauce – Hot sauce and buffalo sauce are added and adjusted to taste to give this pasta bake the bold buffalo flavor we’re looking to achieve.
- Garlic – Garlic elevates the flavor of everything, and definitely belongs in this buffalo chicken pasta bake!
- Milk – For the most indulgent flavor, use whole milk. However, anything you have on hand is fine.
- Broth – A splash of broth helps thin out the buffalo sauce and adds extra flavor to the noodles.
- Cheese – Mozzarella, cheddar, and blue cheese combine for the stringiest, most incredible sauce!
How to Make Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta
You’re gonna love this Buffalo chicken pasta! Seriously, it couldn’t be easier to make. All you have to do is combine the ingredients and bake. Take a look at the directions below to get started.
- Preheat the oven.
- Cook and drain the pasta. Then, arrange the noodles and cream cheese in the middle of your baking dish. Add the rest of the ingredients on top.
- Bake until the cheese is melted.
- Stir to combine, and serve warm with a sprinkle of chopped chives on top.
Baking Tips
Wanna know our top-secret tips to make your pasta even better? Take a look below!
Soften the Cream Cheese. Let it sit out at room temperature to soften before adding the cream cheese to the baking dish. This allows for faster melting and easier stirring.
Shred Your Cheese. For a more intense flavor, buy blocks of cheese and shred it yourself. We promise it’s so much better than using pre-shredded cheese!
Make It Extra Creamy. If you’re a fan of lots of sauce, use fewer noodles for an ultra-creamy buffalo chicken pasta bake.
Add a Splash of Liquid. If your pasta looks dry once removed from the oven, stir in an extra splash of milk or broth to freshen it up.
Serving Suggestions
Honestly, we serve this baked Buffalo chicken pasta on its own for a super-filling meal. However, it can also be paired with your favorite sides like:
Storage Options
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Or, store them in the freezer for up to 3 months! Then, reheat it in the oven or microwave.
Common Questions
Can I Make this Recipe in a Crockpot?
We haven’t tested it, but it should work just fine! However, if you want to use a crockpot, we recommend opting for uncooked chicken to prevent it from drying out. Then, just add the ingredients, and cook on low for about 6 hours or on high for 3 hours, and be sure to adjust the time as needed.
You’ll know your buffalo chicken pasta is finished when the cheese has melted and the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Use two forks to shred the chicken, give your recipe a stir, and enjoy!
Do I Have to Use Blue Cheese?
No! If you aren’t a fan, feel free to serve it on the side, replace it with another type of cheese, or omit it completely!
Can I Make this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake a Low-Carb Recipe?
You could swap out the pasta noodles for a low-carb pasta alternative, or use zucchini noodles,
Can I Make this Less Spicy?
For a more mild taste, replace the hot sauce with more buffalo sauce. Or, use Ranch instead for a slightly different taste that’s still super yummy.
More Pasta Recipes You’ll Love
Craving more easy comfort food in the form of pasta? Try out these family-favorite meals that will have everyone running to the table!
- Light, refreshing, and just slightly tangy, this Lemon Garlic Parmesan Pasta is the only dinner recipe you’ll need.
- Tender, creamy, and full of cheesy garlicky goodness, this Tuscan Chicken Pasta is made in the slow cooker for the easiest comfort food recipe!
- Savory, filling, and delicious, this Egyptian Orzo Pasta is a twist on a classic recipe we grew up eating.
- Hands-off and easy to put together, this One Pot Spicy Rigatoni is guaranteed to become your new favorite weeknight dinner.
- Warm, comforting, and cheesy, this Chicken Spinach Pasta Bake is one recipe the whole family will always agree on!
Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 16 ounces penne pasta or similar shape cooked al-dente
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 rotisserie chicken shredded
- 1/4 cup hot sauce more or less to taste
- 1/3 cup buffalo sauce more or less to taste
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth or broth of choice
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup low-moisture mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
- chives for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large oval baking dish add cooked pasta and cream cheese in the center. Layer shredded chicken, hot sauce, buffalo sauce, garlic, broth, milk, and cheese on top.16 ounces penne pasta or similar shape, 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 rotisserie chicken, 1/4 cup hot sauce, 1/3 cup buffalo sauce, 8 cloves garlic, 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup low-moisture mozzarella cheese, 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, 1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Stir everything together until it is super creamy. Add a splash of broth or milk as needed. Garnish with chives, and serve warm.chives for garnish
Video
Equipment
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Nutrition
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Absolutely delicious! This is a perfect weekday dinner to make, so easy and quick and so yummy! Highly recommend trying!
Amazing, we are so glad to hear! xo, Alia & Radwa
What hot sauce and buffalo sauce do you recommend?
We like the Noble Made!
Really good something totally different
Yes! 🙂
So Amazing! One of my favorite recipes and the family loves it.
That is so awesome!!!! So happy to hear that!
The pasta is not included in the recipe instructions. Please add.
Hi, thanks for catching! We added it to the recipe!
I have the same question as Mary. I see the pasta listed in the ingredients, but it doesn’t say to add it to the dish, but I’m assuming you add it with all the ingredients. Thank you in advance.
Yes, that is correct!
Where is the pasta? I don’t see it in the directions.
It is listed! It is cooked penne or anything that is similar shape!
It’s in the ingredients but not the instructions lol It was delicious, made it for dinner tonight!
Sorry about that, we adjusted the recipe!
The pasta is left out in the instruction section. I just assume you put it in before the chicken though?
Sorry about that, just revised the recipe!