Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese: The Ultimate Comfort Food You Didn’t Know You Needed

Chicken: You can use cooked chicken breast or for an even quicker option, grab a rotisserie chicken from the store. I often go the rotisserie route for convenience—it makes things so much easier.
Macaroni: I use classic elbow macaroni because it’s the perfect shape to soak up all that cheesy sauce. But feel free to use whatever pasta you have on hand—shells penne, or even fusilli would work just as well.
Buffalo Sauce: This is the key ingredient that gives the dish its signature spicy kick. I like to use a medium heat buffalo sauce but if you’re feeling brave, go ahead and crank it up to hot.
Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese for that bold tangy flavor, and mozzarella for a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. It’s the perfect combo for mac and cheese.
Cream Cheese: A little bit of cream cheese makes the sauce ultra-smooth and creamy. It helps balance out the heat from the buffalo sauce.
Milk: You’ll need some milk to thin out the sauce and make it super creamy. I usually use whole milk but any milk you have will work.
Seasonings: You don’t need much here—just salt pepper, and garlic powder to enhance the flavors.
Green Onions optional: For garnish, because we all know a sprinkle of green onions makes everything look fancier (and tastier!).

Start by boiling the macaroni according to the directions on the package. Be sure to add a pinch of salt to the water before dropping in the pasta. Not only does this season the pasta as it cooks, but it also helps prevent the noodles from being bland. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and set it aside. You can even save a little of the pasta water in case you need it later to loosen up the sauce.
While the pasta is cooking, go ahead and shred your chicken. If you're using rotisserie chicken, just grab a fork and pull the meat off the bone—it’s quick and easy!

In a large skillet, melt some butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the cream cheese and let it melt down. Stir it around so it gets nice and smooth. Then, pour in the milk and buffalo sauce. You’re going to want to stir it well to combine everything.
Now, add in the cheese. I like to add it a little at a time, stirring constantly until it’s all melted and creamy. The cheese sauce should be thick but smooth. If it gets too thick, don’t worry! Just add a splash of milk to loosen it up. This is the point where it starts smelling so good that you’ll have a hard time not digging in right away.

Once the cheese sauce is all creamy and delicious, it’s time to add the shredded chicken and cooked pasta. Stir everything together so that the pasta and chicken are completely coated in that cheesy, buffalo goodness. If the sauce looks a little too thick, add a bit of the pasta water you saved earlier to help thin it out.

Give everything a taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. I usually add a pinch of salt, some pepper, and a little garlic powder to balance out the flavors. You can also add more buffalo sauce if you like things extra spicy.
Once it’s all seasoned just right, spoon the mac and cheese onto plates, sprinkle with chopped green onions for some color, and serve hot. You’re going to love how the spicy buffalo sauce plays off the creamy cheese sauce—it’s a total flavor bomb.