Description

A spicy, creamy comfort meal combining classic mac and cheese with fiery buffalo chicken for an easy, flavorful weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 250g)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup buffalo sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
Optional: 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add elbow macaroni and cook until just al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a medium bowl, toss shredded cooked chicken with 1/4 cup buffalo sauce. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until bubbly but not browned.
Slowly whisk in milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Cook until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 4-5 minutes.
Lower heat and stir in shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese until melted and smooth. Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste.
Add drained pasta and buffalo chicken mixture to the cheese sauce. Stir gently until combined and heated through. Add a splash of milk if sauce is too thick.
If using, sprinkle blue cheese crumbles over the top and fold in gently.
Serve immediately, optionally drizzling extra buffalo sauce and garnishing with chopped green onions or parsley.

Notes

Do not skip the roux to avoid runny sauce. Use freshly shredded cheese for best melting and smooth texture. Adjust buffalo sauce amount to control spice level. Leftover rotisserie chicken works great. For extra creaminess, stir in a tablespoon of cream cheese with the shredded cheese. Make sauce and chicken mixture ahead for convenience. Use gluten-free pasta and flour for a gluten-free version.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 480
Sugar: 4
Sodium: 850
Fat: 22
Saturated Fat: 12
Carbohydrates: 42
Fiber: 2
Protein: 30

Keywords: buffalo chicken, mac and cheese, spicy comfort food, easy dinner, one-pot meal